Offense Connects on All Cylinders in CSUDH's 79-56 Win Over Sonoma State

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Carson, CA -- Heading into the final game of the first round of league play with a one game lead atop the CCAA Conference, Cal State Dominguez Hills shot an astounding 63.3% from the field, including a sizzling 71.4% after the break, in taking a 79-56 win over visiting Sonoma State to sweep its home weekend series and give them four-consecutive victories. Jerrell Smith played a near perfect game wtih 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, adding 3 blocks and 2 boards in the win.

After the visitors turned a 2-1 lead into a 4-1 edge on a Ben Washington jumper, it was all CSUDH as the Toros outscored SSU 13-3 over the next six minutes to take control and the lead for good. Robert Willhite was scorching as he drained all four of his attempts for 10 first half points as CSUDH ran its lead to double figures at 21-11 on a Smith layup, to 20 at 31-11 on a Michael Hernandez bucket andto 25 at 43-18 on a Shaun Engle triple before settling for a 43-20 lead at the break.

Sonoma State whittled the led to 18 on another Washington bucket at the 17:23 mark of the second half before the Toros again pushed their advantage into the 20-point range, reaching as much as 26 points at 65-39 on another Engle trifecta before two Ryan Walton free throws with under a minute left accounted for the final margin.

Willhite added 14 points and 7 boards to pace the Toros, while Tim McGrath chipped in with 9 points and 5 boards, and Hernandez with 7 points 6 assists and 3 rebounds.

As a team, CSUDH connected for 31-of-49 shots from the field and dominated the glass to a tune of a 38 to 22 rebounding edge. For good measure, the Toros accounted for 23 assists on the 31 baskets, compared to eight for the visitors.

The Toros, remaining atop the conference at 14-3, 8-2 CCAA, begin the second half of play at Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona next weekend in possible previews of the CCAA and NCAA tournaments.

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