LOS ANGELES – In its next-to-last game of the 2018 calendar year, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team fell 63-56 to Cal State L.A. on Saturday afternoon at Cal State L.A. Gymnasium.
 
TOP PERFORMANCES
Darae Elliott – 15 points | 7 rebounds
Bryce Sloan – 14 points | 6 assists | 3 steals
Dalton Soffer – 13 points | 7 rebounds | 2 steals
Khalil Fuller – 11 rebounds | 4 points
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars' largest lead of the first half came at 10-4, but the Golden Eagles rallied to take their largest lead at 26-17.
• CSUSM went to the locker room with a 28-24 deficit after ending the period on a 7-2 run.
• Sloan led all scorers in the first half with seven points while both teams shot 33.3 percent from the field.
• CSULA posted its largest lead of the game at 48-34 with 12:07 left to play in regulation.
• CSUSM went on a 10-point run to cut the deficit to 48-44 with 7:48 remaining.
• With 1:27 left, the Cougars got as close they could to the Golden Eagles' lead at 56-53 after a layup by Elliott.
• CSULA ended the game shooting 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the field while CSUSM put up 36.7 percent (22-of-60).

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM drops to 3-9 (0-6 CCAA) while CSULA improves to 8-4 (4-2 CCAA).
• The Cougars held the advantage in 3-point field-goal percentage (38.9-33.3), rebounds (41-37), offensive rebounds (14-7) and steals (7-3).
• Elliott led all players with 15 points to match his season high.
• Sloan posted a season-high six assists for the Cougars.
• Soffer's 13 points and seven rebounds were a season high.
• The Cougars' 41 rebounds tied for their most in a game this season.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will head to Carson to face Cal State Dominguez Hills in a New Year's Eve matchup on Monday at 3 p.m.