November 25, 2005

Box Score

Carson, CA - The Toros began the 2005-06 season with a 67-61 overtime win against the visiting Lumberjacks of Humboldt State. Sophomore Alana Bailey (Altadena, CA/John Muir HS) started the year with a double-double, leading the Toros with 22 points and 11 rebounds. With the win the Toros start their season 1-0, 0-0 CCAA, and the Jacks fall to 1-3, 0-0 GNAC.

CSUDH began the game on the offensive, going on an 11-3 run over the first 5 minuets as Humboldt State struggled to keep up. As the first half went on both team began to settle into their respective offensives, though the Toros would maintain a healthy lead over the Lumberjacks. The Toros would extend their lead to 11 at 23-12 on jump shot by Ree Brown (Torrance, CA/South Torrance HS) on a pass from Tameka Blue (Watsonville, CA/Santa Cruz HS). The Lumberjacks began to chip away at the deficit, but the Toros would never let them come any closer than eight for the rest of the first half, as Toros went into the locker room leading 30-22.

The second half started with the HSU finding their offensive groove. The Lumberjacks began the second half on a 9-4 run to cut the lead to just three points on a steal by Haley Andrews, which she quickly passed up court to Kelly Fay for the layup. The lead for the Toros over the next ten minuets would fluctuate between eight and two points. Key jumpers by Bailey and Jessica Liang (Alhambra, CA/Mark Keppel HS) helped keep the Lumberjacks at arm's length. Not wanting to fall far behind again, HSU attacked the Toros and cut the lead to just one at 45-44 on a three-point shot by Fay and a layup by Monique Coquilla off a steal. The two teams would tie six times over the last ten minuets of the second half, with HSU never able to gain the lead. The final tie came with just 29 seconds left after a jump shot by Jenna Washington. The Toros would have one last play in the second half to win the game, however, a shot by Liang missed wide and the two teams headed into ovetime

Overtime turned out to be similar to the first half. The Toros would come out quickly, scoring on their first two possessions. HSU got on the board in overtime on a pair of free throws by Washington to come within two. The Toros would then use key free throws by Liang, Bailey, Brittney Blankenship (Palmdale, CA/Palmdale HS) and Aujanee Baldwin (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda HS) to keep and extend their small lead, and finally put away the Lumberjacks.

In the game, the Lumberjacks outshot the Toros from the free throw line 75% to 64%, and out rebounded them 53-46.

Humboldt State was lead by Washington with 22 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, with seven coming at the offensive end. Fay and Coquilla both scored in double figures, chipping in 17 and 11 points, respectively.

Other top performers for the Toros were Blue with 16 points and four assists, Blankenship with 11 rebounds and Liang with nine points and four steals.

The Toros travel to San Francisco State for the start of the CCAA season on December 2 and Sonoma State the following day, and then return home on December 7 to face non-conference opponent Azusa Pacific.