The Chico Wildcats made a statement that they may be the best team in the CCAA this season. The host Coyotes never led and were downed 73-58 before a crowd of 809 at Coussoulis Arena.

With first place on the line, the Wildcats improved to 19-5 overall and 13-5 in the CCAA, while the Coyotes are 13-8, 12-6. Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona and Humboldt State are one game up in the CCAA standings over the Coyotes with four games remaining in the regular season.

The top four teams own hosting rights for the first-round of the CCAA Tournament on Feb. 28.

The Wildcats jumped out to 18-4 lead in the first seven minutes of play and led by as many as 21 in the first half. They shot 64 percent on 16-of-25 shooting and controlled the tempo from the get-go.

The loss was the largest margin in the series history for the Coyotes and it marked the first time this season that CSUSB did not lead in a game.

In the second half, the Coyotes got as close as 14 twice, but that was it.

Jay Flores led the Wildcats with 22 points and Sean Park added 14. Jordan Barton had 10.

Senior Theron Laudermill led the Coyotes with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while junior Kwame Alexander had 11 points with six rebounds. Junior Juan Martinez came off the bench with 10 points for the Coyotes, who were 21-of-62 from the floor -- 33.9 percent.

The Coyotes honored their five seniors in a pregame ceremony -- Laudermill, Nate Roth, Tre Brewer, D.J. Shumpert and Vaughn Adams.