Box Score: Coyotes 61, Sonoma State 47

SAN BERNARDINO -- Jeff Oliver needed a sign that things would go right for Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes' men's basketball team.

Visiting Sonoma State had cut the Coyotes lead to one point, 38-37 with 9:33 remaining in the game and it seemed as if momentum had swung the Seawolves' way.

But a layup from reserve David Jefferson kick-started a critical 11-2 run in just less than four minutes and the Coyotes went on to win going away, 61-47 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play Friday night.

CSUSB improved to 12-8 overall and 10-6 CCAA and remained in fourth place in the CCAA as Cal Poly Pomona dropped one game back to fifth with its 64-60 loss to No. 13 Humboldt State.

Senior Corey Caston led the way for CSUSB with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes. Junior Theron Laudermill reached double digits with 11 points and nine rebounds as CSUSB shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half.

Both teams struggled at times with their shooting. Sonoma State finished the evening 18 of 52 for 34.6 percent and were 4-of-22 3-point shooting.

The Coyotes led at the break 28-23. Ryan Kinney's 3-pointer pushed the Coyotes up 33-25 with 17:38 left, but SSU didn't go away, thanks to James Sandoval, who had a game-high 18 points. He had three layups that cut into CSUSB's lead over a seven-minute plus stretch and brought the Seawolves to withing a point with 9;33 left.

After Jefferson's layup, junior reserve Nate Roth helped out big-time with two fast-break layups and the Coyotes were up 49-39 with 5:38 left.

A Mike Nelson 3-pointer brought SSU to within seven points, but senior Aaron Hill added a layup and a free throw in two possessions and the Coyotes pushed the lead to as many as 17 with 1:08 left.

Roth finished with nine points, five rebounds and led his team with five assists and three steals.

The Coyotes play host to Humboldt State on Saturday night. The Lumberjacks have never won in Coussoulis Arena in seven games.