Blistering First Half Sets Tone in 75-66 Win Over Chico State

(PHOTO: KEADRICK WASHINGTON)

Box Score

CARSON -- Cal State Dominguez Hills came out firing in the first 20 minutes of play connecting for 56.3% of their shots from the field,, and the nine-point edge held firm as the Toros outsized visiting Chico State in a 75-66 win to sweep the season series from the Wildcats. Marcquintice Davis led a balanced Toro attack with 17 points as CSUDH doubled CSUC's rebound total, 40-20.

The two teams tied seven times in the first half before a 9-0 burst in the final 2:54 gave CSUDH a nine-point lead entering the break, with Tim McGrath's 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting pacing the Toro attack.

The Toros held their double-figure lead through the majority of the second stanza, reaching as large as 13 at 45-32 on a Davis lay-up with less than a minute elapsed, only to have the Wildcats roar back and cut the lead to 52-47 on a Zach Graves triple with 11:12 left in regulation.

An Amir Aguilar jumper and Robert Willhite 3-pointer, however, brought CSUDH's lead back to double figures, and two more Willhite buckets gave CSUDH a 15-point cushion at the 6:33 mark, all but sealing Chico State's fate.

The lead hovered around the 10-point mark the rest of the contest, until consecutive 3-pointers by Wildcat Powell Lee in the final minute cut CSUDH's lead to just 73-66, but two Davis foul shots accounted for the final scoring in the 75-66 win.

Willhite added 13, McGrath 12 and Aguilar 11 to round out the double-figure scorers, while Roderick Hawkins' 19, Lee's 11 and two others with 10 led the Chico offense.

After allowing the Wildcats to shoot 52.4% in the first half, the Toro defense buckled down to limit CSUC to a 37.9% after the break, also double the Wildcat rebounds in each half.

The Toros, now at 15-11, 15-6 CCAA, will close out their regular season tomorrow night against Cal State Stanislaus, honoring McGrath and Jamel Ward in a pre-game ceremony. Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm in the Torodome on the "Dave Yanai Court."

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