Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills junior #Mario Malave#'s (Emeryville, CA/Bakersfield College) 14 points led two Toros in double-figure scoring, but visiting Vanguard shot 51% from the field and 94% from the charity stripe, including a perfect 16-of-16 in the second half, to spoil CSUDH's home season-opener, 74-58.

The Toros (0-1) started quick to kick off 2005-06, taking an 11-8 lead at 12:54 on a Malave jumper. The wheels would come off the CSUDH offense, however, as the Lions (3-1) would tie the game on a Levi Seekins 3-ball, three of Seekins' 11 points in the first 20-minute session, and push their lead to 25-17 on a Leon Rosborough layup. CSUDH would cut the lead by one on a #Mike Steed# (Antelope, CA/Center HS) free throw, but Vanguard would regain control of the first half by outscoring the Toros 9-3 the rest of the way, taking a 34-21 lead into intermission.

After the break, CSUDH's offense began to find its rhythm, narrowing the lead to 38-33 on a jumper and free throw by Jonathan Toliver (Inglewood, CA/Westchester HS) with 16:20 left in regulation. VU's Curt Watson would match Toliver's free throw with two of his own, adding a bucket to give Vanguard a 42-33 cushion. The Lions would push the lead to 45-33 on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Horace Wormely, but the Toros, behind two 3-balls by #Carlos Rivers# (Long Beach, CA/LA Valley College) and a jumper by Steed, would trim the deficit to 45-41 with just over 10 minutes left in the second half. Vanguard would not be denied, however, as the Lions would outscore the Toros 17-6 over the next five minutes in building their advantage to 15 at 62-47. CSUDH would get as close as 70-58 on a Toliver jumper, but Vanguard's Wormely and Brian Roberts each would sink two free throws to account for the final four points of the game.

Toliver added 13 points for the Toros, who shot 39% from the field from the contest, while Malave notched team-high rebound honors with six. Seekins paced the Lions with 20 points, and was bolstered by Brian Roberts, who nailed all four 3-point attempts en route to 18 points. VU's Wormely added 15 points, shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe.