January 7, 2006

Box Score

Carson, CA -- Despite a team-high 22 points by senior Carlos Rivers (Long Beach, CA/LA Valley College), a 19-point first half deficit proved too much for CSUDH to overcome against a much improved Cal State L.A. squad as the visiting Golden Eagles held on for an 87-76 win Saturday night at the Torodome. With the loss, CSUDH falls to 3-7, 1-3 CCAA, while CSULA improves to 5-6, 2-2 CCAA

After playing even to open the contest, Cal State L.A. opened up a 16-8 lead with five minutes elapsed in the first half, pushing its lead to 29-17 on two free throws by Micah Hamilton. CSUDH chipped the deficit to as low as four points thanks in part to Shamont Brown's (Jamaica, NY/Riverside CC) eight first-half points, but the visitors would outscore the Toros 19-4 over the final 7:25 of play to take a commanding 50-31 lead entering the locker room.

Cal State L.A. would push its lead to as much as 22 on a Jontae Vinson jumper to begin the second frame, but CSUDH cut the lead to 59-44 at the 13:32 mark, courtesy of three-straight buckets by Rivers, the last basket coming from behind the arc.

The visitors kept their lead at double figures over the next five minutes until another Rivers bucket brought the Toros to within single digits at 72-63 with 7:10 left in regulation. CSULA's Robert Reynaga, however, would convert on an old-fashioned 3-point play, and Ralph Turner, Jr. would nail a modern 3-pointer to push the lead back to 15.

An Eric Montgomery (Moreno Valley, CA/Compton JC) dunk and free throw began a spurt that trimmed the deficit to 81-74 with just over two minutes left in regulation, but six points by Myvett would seal the win for the Golden Eagles, with the last two foul shots accounting for the final 87-76 tally.

Brown chipped in 14 points for the Toros while Durwin Williams (Compton, CA/Glendale JC) contributed 13 on 4-of-6 shooting in the loss.

Reynaga tallied game-high scoring honors with 24 points, including a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe, while Myvett supplied 23 points in the CSULA win.

As a team, the Toros shot just 57.9% from the foul line (11-for-19) and 31.3% from long range (5-for-16), while the Golden Eagles converted 83.3% of their free throws (15-for-18) and an astounding 71.4% from 3-point land (10-for-14).