In the rough and tumble world of California Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball, wins rarely come easily. The Chico State men's basketball team played well enough Saturday to at least make it look relatively easy.
 
Spurred by an early 22-6 run against Cal State LA at Acker Gym, the 19^th-ranked Wildcats led by 20-plus for nearly the entire second half on the way to an 87-62 victory. With their ninth consecutive victory, the Wildcats are now one win away from matching the team's longest winning streak in the Greg Clink era. They are four shy of the school record of 13 straight wins, which spanned the end of the 1931–32 campaign and beginning of 1932–33.
 
This marks the fifth time in program history the Wildcats have been 15-3 or better through their first 18 games. The Wildcats were 16-2 at this point in the season in 1940–41 and 2016–17. They started 15-3 in 1927–28 and 2015–16.
 
Malik Duffy led the way with 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting and also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Calvin Geraci and Isaiah Brooks chipped in 15 points apiece as Chico State improved to 15-3 overall and 10-2 in the CCAA in front of a crowd of 1,20.
 
Cal State LA slipped to 10-9 overall and 5-8 in the CCAA.
 
The score was tied 5-5 before Chico State held the Golden Eagles to just two made field goals over the next 10 minutes while building a 27-11 lead. Duffy scored nine points and Geraci buried a pair of 3-pointers to lead the offense during the charge.
 
Duffy's fourth triple of the night, with 15:44 still to play, stretched the lead to 24. The lead grew as large as 30.
 
The Wildcats also enjoyed a strong night off the bench from Colby Orr, who collected a season-high five rebounds and added four points, three assists and a steal without committing a turnover. In a combined 40 minutes on the floor, Orr and fellow point guard Brooks combined for 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and zero turnovers.
 
The Wildcats will take their winning streak on the road to Cal State East Bay Thursday before heading further south to face Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday afternoon. They return home to face UC San Diego, in what could be a battle for first place, on Thursday, Feb. 6.