Toros Lead Wire-to-Wire in 61-49 Win at CS East Bay

(PHOTO: KEADRICK WASHINGTON)

Box Score

HAYWARD, Calif. -- A mismatch on paper doesn't always necessarily mean a mismatch on the court, and the Toros, who entered the game with 10 league wins, tonight had to earn their 61-49 victory over host Cal State East Bay, which began tonight with two wins in conference play. Michael Cox led CSUDH with a game-high 17 points, as the Toro defense held the Pioneers without a double-digit scorer in the win.

After the hosts tied the Toros at 2-2, CSUDH went on a 9-1 run to take the lead for good. The Pioneers replied with a 5-0 run before CSUDH again opened up its offense to jump ahead 20-8 on a Cox jumper, only to have CSUEB answer, tying the game at 21-21 on a Will Freedman jumper with 4:17 left in the first half.

Continuing the first period's pattern, the Toros closed the half on a 12-2 outburst to give CSUDH a 33-23 lead entering the break.

The lead hovered around the double-digit mark in the second half's opening minutes, until a Jamel Ward jumper and Robert Willhite triple pushed CSUDH's lead to 44-30 with 15:57 left in regulation, increasing the lead to a game-high 51-35 on a Tim McGrath bucket.

East Bay closed its deficit to as little as 11 on two occasions, and to 10 with under a minute left, but it was too little, too late as CSUDH's Amir Aguilar closed the scoring with 28 ticks left in the Toros' 61-49 win.

CSUDH held CSUEB, now 5-15, 2-13 CCAA, to just 34.0% shooting from the field, including just 4-of-20 from behind the arc.

Aguilar literally played a big role in limiting the Pioneer offense, with his 7'0" frame accounting for three of CSUDH's six blocks, while altering countless other CSUEB attempts.

Willhite and McGrath each chipped in identical 14-point efforts, while Mark Samuels and Prince Ray Pope's 7 points led 11 Pioneers who got in the scorebook.

The Toros, who improved to 11-10, 11-5 CCAA after starting the season 0-7, continue their league road travels next weekend with a showdown at CS Monterey Bay on Friday, February 12.

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