Box Score

LA JOLLA -- The Cal State Stanislaus men's basketball team won a CCAA game on the road for the first time this season as the Warriors defeated UC San Diego, 71-66, Thursday night at the RIMAC Arena.

Reggie Jones and Evan Scott each scored 18 points to lead the Warriors as they improved to 9-12 overall and 7-10 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. With the pivotal victory away from home, the Warriors stay in the hunt for a playoff berth into the conference tournament in March.

Entering the weekend three teams tied for eighth in the CCAA. The Warriors temporary moved into eighth place by half-a-game with Sonoma State and Cal State Monterey Bay playing on Friday. Both SSU and CSUMB are also on the road, facing SoCal teams in the top half of the conference order. The Warriors return to Northern California and will face last place Cal State East Bay (1-15 CCAA) on Saturday in Hayward.

Thursday night's win was the Warriors' first away from the Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena this CCAA season. They had hit the current road trip 0-8 in other CCAA opponents' arenas. The victory is also Cal State Stanislaus' first in La Jolla since a 79-75 win there on Jan. 6, 2006.

Jones, who was 8 for-14 from the field on the night, contributed in more ways than just scoring. The 6-foor-9 junior center also blocked a career-high five shots, dished four assists and pulled six rebounds.

Scott was a proficient 6 of 8 from the floor including 3-for-4 from long range. He also grabbed five rebounds and blocked five shots to help the Warriors' cause.

Cal State Stanislaus had the lead for most of the game after it took over the lead at 12-11 on a Scott layup five minutes into the game. However, the Warriors never led by more than five points in the first half before a 31-28 lead at the break.

Prior to Thursday's game, the Warriors were 8-2 this season when leading at halftime. While the game was never in command, Stanislaus did enough to stay ahead and closed it out in the end with key buckets and free throws.

A 7-4 little run that begin the second half gave the Warriors an 8-point, 38-30 lead. The run was started by a Scott three-pointer during the first possession.

UC San Diego briefly regained the lead at 1:26 left to play on a Christian Hatch layup to make it 64-63.

However, Jones answered right back with a jumper, then two Scott free throws later made it 67-64 Stanislaus with 38 seconds left — which forced UCSD having to foul. Marcus Level nailed two free throws and Dwight Jones finished off the Tritons with a pair of foul shots himself with seven ticks remaining.