CHICO – Wonder Smith and Colten Kresl combined for 38 points, including 31 in the second half, to help the Cal State Dominguez Hills men's basketball team erase a double-digit lead in the second half, but the effort was spoiled by No. 19 Chico State in the Toros' 85-76 loss to the Wildcats at Acker Gymnasium Thursday.
 
Smith had to respond from a scoreless first period, and he did so in a big way by dropping 20 points in the second half. Kresl also responded in the second period by scoring 11 of his 18 points.
 
Unlike the last meeting in Carson three weeks ago, which saw the Toros' falter and allow the Wildcats to come back and win from a double-digit gap, tonight's matchup saw it the other way around in favor of Dominguez Hills.
 
Dominguez Hills (9-10, 5-8 CCAA) started the second half trailing Chico State (14-3, 9-2 CCAA) 39-30 and saw the gap spread to a game-high 12 two minutes into the game. The Toros regrouped and went on a 20-11 run to tie the game at 53 points apiece with 11:30 remaining.
 
The Toros was able to leap over the Wildcats for the first time in the second half when an Andrew Whitsett dunk propelled the Toros 64-63 with 6:47 to go. The lead would expand to as many as six, but the Wildcats responded and regained the lead permanently about three minutes later.
 
Dominguez Hills finished the night shooting 49 percent (28-for-57) from the field, including 58 percent (18-for-31) in the second half. The Wildcats hit 41.2 percent (28-for-68) of their shots.
 
After holding Malik Duffy to no points at the Torodome in the last meeting, the Toros couldn't quite stop the forward tonight as he scored 25 points.
 
The Wildcats outrebounded the Toros 41-37. Smith and Chico native Kaden Bradley each had seven to lead the Toros.
 
The Toros will have nine days to prepare for a rematch with crosstown rivals Cal State LA in the Eagles' Nest. The Golden Eagles snuck away with the win at the Torodome last month. Tipoff between the two is at 3 p.m.