Toros End Skid in 74-65 Win Over Sonoma State

Box Score

CARSON -- True freshman Everett Turner scored 14 points to lead five Toros in double-figure scoring as Cal State Dominguez Hills ended its four-game skid with a hard-fought 74-65 win over a pesky Sonoma State squad in the first game of the 2014 calendar year for both teams.

With the win, CSUDH improves to 5-7, 2-3 CCAA, while SSU still is in search of its first league win after falling to 1-8, 0-5 CCAA.

Five quick points by DeShaun Freeman gave the Toros an early 10-5 lead over the Seawolves, with a Darnell Martin jumper from the corner pushing the lead to 17-8 at the 11:30 mark in the first half.

A Jason Payne running bank in the paint capped a 13-8 run that saw the Toros take a 30-16 lead at the final media time out of the half, with a final 11-9 push bringing the score to 41-25 entering the break as Martin finished with 10 points to lead the hosts over the first 20 minutes of play.

Two triples by Pierson Williams and Everett Turner to open the second-half scoring gave the Toros a 47-25 lead just two minutes into the second session.

Another triple by Williams doubled the score at 50-25 that prompted a full time out by the Seawolves, with the break in action paying dividends as SSU cut into its deficit with an 11-1 run to get to within 15 points, prompting a Toro time out.

After a made foul shot by SSU, Williams connected for another 3-pointer that pushed the Toro lead to 54-37.

The Seawolves, however, went on a 15-8 run to bring the score to 62-52 with 5:56 left in regulation, until a Freeman floater in the lane rattled around the rim before dropping in to quell the SSU momentum.

That lapse was short-lived, as Mike Harris drained a three from the corner to bring it to 64-55, setting up the fantastic finish.

A James Davis triple at the 3:52 mark made the score 66-58, and a flush by Justin Herold brought SSU to within six.

Steffon Neal put a halt to that with a fall away from just inside the 3-point line as the shot clock was about to expire, and a Turner spinning layup gave CSUDH breathing room at 70-62 with just 73 ticks left.

A missed Seawolf attempt and Toro rebound started the SSU fouls, and free throw makes by Turner, Crump and Justin Sadler down the stretch sealed the win in the eventual 74-65 decision.

Williams added 11 with Freeman, Martin and Sadler tallying 10 apiece, with Martin pacing the rebounders with 10 to lead the Toros, and Sadler matching fellow freshman Turner by supplying much needed energy and urgency as the Seawolves whittled into the Toro lead down the stretch.

CSUDH will try to keep its 2014 record perfect tomorrow against San Francisco State, which fell tonight at Cal State L.A.

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Toros End Skid in 74-65 Win Over Sonoma State