CARSON – Senior
Jackson Cascio hit a 3-pointer immediately in his first start in a Cal State Dominguez Hills men's basketball uniform, but No. 18 Cal State San Bernardino spoiled Senior Night with a 64-58 defeat to the Toros at the Torodome Saturday night.
The loss did not significantly hurt the Toros' playoff hopes since Cal State LA, Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State San Marcos lost their respective games this afternoon. The Toros (12-14, 8-12 CCAA) still hold on to the seventh seed, staying a half-game ahead over the Cougars and one full over the Golden Eagles and Otters. The CCAA takes the top eight teams to the tournament beginning March 3. The Toros, Golden Eagles and Otters have two games remaining, the Cougars have one to go.
Dominguez Hills will have to clinch a spot in the Bay Area starting with San Francisco State Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
On a night which the Toros honored seniors Cascio,
Wonder Smith,
Andrew Whitsett and team manager Darrion Hatfield, the trio combined for 13 points. It was
Colten Kresl who came through for Dominguez Hills, scoring 27 points, gathering six rebounds and notching as many assists.
Alex Garcia dropped in 11 points and went to the glass four times.
The Toros as a team shot 32 percent (21-of-66) from the field but was struggling from 3-point range, going 12-of-43.
San Bernardino (20-6, 15-5 CCAA), which already clinched a home game in the first round, keep pace with Cal Poly Pomona and Chico State, which were both victorious in their games this afternoon. The Yotes were led by Daytone Jennings, who scored 17 points and gathered 11 boards. Jeremy Smith had had 11 points and 10 rebounds to join the double-double list.
The Yotes as a team shot 40 percent (21-of-52).
Dominguez Hills went into the locker room trailing 32-19 and had fallen behind by 15 nineteen seconds into the second period. The Toros got to within four with nine minutes remaining. Although the Coyotes regained the double-digit lead, the Toros went back to work and shrunk the gap to 61-55 with 21 seconds left. San Bernardino made their final three points on the charity stripe to prevent Dominguez Hills from coming back.
It was a busy night at the Torodome prior to tipoff. In addition to the senior day ceremony, Dominguez Hills got to watch its men's soccer legend and current Colorado Rapid Kei Kamara be enshrined into the CCAA Hall of Fame.
