January 21, 2006

Courtesy Cal State San Bernadino Sports Information Office

Box Score

SAN BERNARDINO -- Brittney Blankenship, Brandi McGinest and Tameka Blue each scored in double figures Saturday night to lead Cal State Dominguez Hills to a 60-52 CCAA women's basketball victory over host Cal State San Bernardino in front of 375 fans in Coussoulis Arena.

The Toros win tied them with the Coyotes at 3-5 in conference play and boosted their overall record to 8-6, giving them a split of their weekend games after losing to West Region No. 1 UC San Diego on Friday night. The Toros are currently ranked No. 9 in the West.

Dominguez Hills shot 48 percent from the field (22 of 46) and prevailed despite being outrebounded 43-34, making just 13 of 22 foul shots and committing 21 turnovers.

The Coyotes, 9-6 overall, were their own worst enemy shooting a frigid 29 percent for the game (17 of 58) and hitting just nine of 28 shots in the second half. Monique Cruz, who had 18 on Friday night, was the only Coyote in double figures with 10. The starting five were 13 for 44 from the field (29 percent). Cruz was also the team's leading rebounder with seven.

The lead changed hands several times in the first half before the Toros took a lead they would never relinquish at 18-17 on a jumper by Blankenship with 7:27 remaining in the half. The Coyotes tied it up at 23-all on a jumper by Desirae Martinez but Blue drained a three-pointer with 1:32 left in the half and the Toros took a 31-25 lead to the locker room.

The Coyotes got to within three points at 43-40 on a three-pointer by Lindsay Webb with 9:32 remaining in the game but the Toros responded with a jumper by McGinest, a jumper by Blankenship, a layup by McGinest and two free throws by Aujanee Baldwin for a 51-40 advantage with 6:25 remaining.

CSUSB cut the lead to four, 54-50, on a jumper by Erica Doyle with 1:54 left in the game, but two free throws by Blue and a jumper by Blankenship put the game out of reach at 58-52. The Coyotes missed some opportunties to catch up with three straight offensive rebounds of missed shots but couldn't get the ball to drop in the basket.

Eighteen turnovers contributed to the Coyotes' demise, a turnaround after routing Cal Poly Pomona on Friday night, 78-55.

The Toros have now won three of the last five meetings between the two teams and lead the all-time series, 19-14.

The Toros are home next Wednesday night to Cal Poly Pomona.