Los Angeles, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills junior Mario Malave (Emeryville, CA/Bakersfield College) notched a game-high 29 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the field, but Central Washington boasted two scorers with at least 20 points as the Wildcats took a 70-63 decision on day two of the CSULA Thanksgiving Classic, hosted by Cal State L.A. With the loss, the Toros fall to 0-3, while Central Washington improves to 3-1.

Both teams played close to begin the contest, tying eight times in the first 13 minutes of play. The Toros would take control at the 6:24 mark by scoring nine-consecutive points as two Malave jumpers, a trey by Jonathan Toliver (Inglewood, CA/Westchester HS) and two foul shots by Carlos Rivers (Long Beach, CA/LA Valley College) would stake CSUDH to a 32-23 lead with just under four minutes left in the first half. The Wildcats would counter with a 10-point run of their own, taking a 33-32 lead on a 3-pointer by Johnny Spevak with 44 seconds left. CSUDH, however, would again answer with a Rivers 3-pointer, before a steal and layup by CWU's Lance Den Boer would knot the game at 35-35 entering the half.

After the teams split the first 10 points of the second half, Central Washington would score eight-consecutive points to bring momentum the Wildcats' way. After a Mike Steed (Antelope, CA/Center HS) jumper and Malave bucket would trim the lead to four, CWU began firing on cylinders, extending its lead to 12 at 67-55 with just 3:03 left in regulation. Two layups by Rivers and one by Malave would trim the lead to six wtih just over a minute left, but CWU's Robert Hicks would seal the victory with a layup at 0:26, as the Wildcats escaped with the 70-63 win.

Malave also tallied a game-high nine boards while Rivers chipped in 13 points in the loss. For CWU, Den Boer's 24 points, including 9-of-10 from the free throw line, and Chris Bannish's 22 proved the difference as Central Washington pulled out the seven-point win. The Wildcats enjoyed a decisive edge on the charity stripe by converting seven more makes than the Toros, including an 8-3 advantage in the second half.