CARSON – The ticket to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Basketball Tournament has been punched!
 
After a back-and-forth battle for the lead in the first half, Cal State Dominguez Hills found a momentum in the second that resulted a 73-64 victory over Chico State Saturday to gift seniors Mikey Hatfield, David Howard and Michael Chavers a trip to the CCAA Tournament. It will be the third straight season the Toros will be making a postseason appearance.
 
Although Dominguez Hills knows it will play the first round on Tuesday, March 5, the question right now is who but most importantly where. The Toros control their own destiny with two games remaining. However, both of them will be challenged on the road at red-hot Cal Poly Pomona Thursday and another contender Stanislaus State Saturday. Both are 7:30 p.m. starts.
 
More good news arrived to Dominguez Hills before it tipped off tonight, which was UC San Diego beating San Francisco State earlier. Combined with the win, the Toros move into a tie with the Gators for fourth place, which gives that team the final home-court advantage spot in the first round. However, the final spot is also up for grabs with five teams.
 
For information on the CCAA Tournament, click here.
 
It will be a night to remember for seniors Hatfield and Howard, whom combined for 41 of the Toros 73 points tonight. Howard, who nearly suffered a fatal car accident several years ago, scored a career-high 21 points and came up a rebound short for a double-double.

Here's Hatfield and Howard following the win:

 
The first half was indeed a battle against a Chico State team that is fighting to save its postseason possibility. Neither team had led by more than five points the entire period. Both teams went into the locker room tied at 34 points apiece.
 
Dominguez Hills would break that five-point gap barrier when Howard made an old-fashion 3-point play four minutes into the second half.
 
After the Wildcats cut the Toros lead to 48-45 at the 13:36 mark, Hatfield responded with a 3-pointer just over a minute later and Dominguez Hills never let Chico get to within five from that moment on.
 
POSTGAME NOTES
- It is the second time in three years the Toros would clinch a spot to the CCAA Tournament on Senior Night and with only two games remaining. Justin Sadler and Vincent Golson were the senior duo that year.
- Dominguez Hills and Chico will have to settle with a stalemate on the season series for the second straight year, unless their paths will cross again in the postseason.