Second-Half Surge Lifts Otters Past Toros in 75-72 Thriller

CARSON -- Visiting Cal State Monterey Bay turned a four-point halftime deficit into a 75-72 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills tonight, out-scoring the Toros by seven in the pivotal second half. Lamine Diame led all scorers with 17 points and 9 boards in the loss.

With the decision, both teams now sit at 6-6 overall, and 2-3 in CCAA play.

The first half saw both teams play it tight, with no team taking more than a 3-point lead until the Otters took a 20-16 edge on a triple by James Thomas at the 8:20 mark.

CSUDH, however, answered back, out-scoring it guests 14-5 over the next five minutes, capped by a Givon Crump trey that pushed CSUDH to a 30-25 lead.

A pair of Crump freebies a minute and a half later gave CSUDH a 35-28 lead, before an old-fashioined 3-point play by Otter Julian Ball brought the score to 35-31 Toros at the half.

The Otters took charge after the break, scoring the first 7 points of the half en route to a 47-41 lead with 5 minutes elapsed in the session.

CSUMB increased its advantage to a game-high 14 points on a Kris Gallop bucket at the 9:24 mark, keeping CSUDH at bay until the Toro defense awoke towards the tail end of regulation, using a stifling defense to get to within one on a Ryan Jefferson lay-up.

The Otters' Brandon Ward, however, drained, two free throws with six seconds left and CSUMB survived a 3-point attempt at the buzzer in the 3-point win.

The Toros will look to get their first win of the 2013 calendar year tomorrow night against Cal State East Bay, a surprise winner over Cal State L.A. earlier tonight.

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