January 7, 2006

Box Score

Carson, CA – CSUDH's last second shot would come up short and the visiting Golden Eagles would hang on for the 56-54 win. With the victory, CSULA improves to 9-2, 3-1 CCAA, while CSUDH falls to 6-4, 1-3 CCAA. Senior Tameka Blue (Watsonville, CA/Santa Cruz HS) led CSUDH with 14 points, recording her ninth double-figure scoring game of the season.

The two teams would struggle to begin the game, only scoring five combined points in the first four minutes of play. The Golden Eagles would find their offense and take a 13-2 lead with 12:30 minutes remaining in the first half.

Sloppy play by both teams would keep the score relatively the same over the next few minutes. With the Toros falling behind, Brandi McGinest (Long Beach, CA/Kansas University) would come off the bench and try to ignite the lifeless Toros, making a free throw to give the Toros their first points in almost eight minutes. Jessica Liang (Alhambra, CA/Mark Keppel HS) would follow, hitting a three off a pass from Brittney Blankenship (Palmdale, CA/Palmdale HS) with 8:01 remaining to bring the Toros within eight at 17-9.

The Golden Eagles would slow the Toros offense and extend their lead to 22-9 after a free throw by Brittney Henderson with 5:40 remaining. Blue would finally get the Toros in double digits with 5:02 remaining after stealing the ball and going in for the lay-up.

The Toros offense would use the long ball to get back in the game. Liang would hit a three, followed by a three by Blue, and then Liang would hit her third three of the first half with two and a half minutes remaining to bring the Toros within six at 27-21, where the score remained heading into intermission.

The Toros would strike first in the second half when Michelle Kribell (Buena Park, CA/Western HS) hit a pair of free throws to bring the Toros within four. CSUDH would then come within two on a lay-up by Alana Bailey (Altadena, CA/John Muir HS). Kribell would follow up a Bailey miss the next time down the floor and tie the game at 27-27.

The Toros would build a five-point lead after a McGinest lay-up with 14:45 remaining in the second half, but CSULA would tie the game at 35 on a three by Amber Fouse with 12:06 remaining.

The two teams would continue the cat and mouse game, with neither team be able to pull away from their opponent. CSULA would eventually go up by four after another three by Fouse and a jumper by Monica Tokoro with two minutes left in the game.

The Toros would come within one after a free throw by Bailey with nine seconds remaining. After an intentional foul by the Toros gave CSULA two free throws plus the ball out of bounds it looked as though the nail had been placed in the coffin. However, the Golden Eagles would make one of two free throws and turn the ball over on the in-bounds pass to give the Toros one last shot. CSUDH's McGinest would have a good look at the basket, but her floater would come up just short, and time would expire before the Toros could get up another shot, giving the Golden Eagles the two-point thriller.

Fouse and Tokoro were the only Golden Eagles in double figures with 16 and 10 points, respectively, while Charmaine Utz would contribute eight points and eight rebounds in the CSULA win. In addition to Blue's 14 points, Bailey and Liang would be the only Toros in double figures with 12 and 11 points respectively.

The Toros continue CCAA play next weekend against Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State, with first tip for both contests scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Torodome.