CARSON -- In a matchup between the top two teams in the league, No. 5/9 Cal State Dominguez Hills led wire-to-wire en route to a convincing and statement-worthy 68-58 win over No. RV/14 Cal State San Marcos on ASI night, led by the super duo of Dawnyel Lair and Nala Williams (pictured) who combined for 33 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists and 11 steals.

Coupled with Cal State LA's loss at Cal State East Bay tonight, the Toros clinch a first-round bye in the upcoming CCAA tournament with three games left in the regular season.

The Toros scored the game's first six points and never looked back, taking a double-digit lead at 13-3 six and a half minutes into the game, with that 13th point courtesy of a Lair free throw.  The lead ballooned to 21-9 after Danyell Booker converted a layup in the paint, enabling CSUDH to take a 21-12 lead after one while draining 9 of their 13 shots, good for a 69.2 success rate from the floor.

Defense took center stage in the second quarter as the Toros held the Cougars to just four points while adding 11 of their own, including a Kelsey Bell layup with 1:12 left in the frame to account for a 32-16 lead entering the break.

The visitors regrouped after intermission, shaving their deficit to 32-22 at the 7:48 mark and getting it to single digits at 39-30 three minutes later.

The 3-pointer proved advantageous for CSUSM as the Cougars hit four from downtown compared to none for the hosts, outscoring CSUDH by eight and getting to within 47-39 after three.

The fourth quarter mirrored the first as the Toros scored the first six points to take a 53-39 lead, with a Lair offensive board and putback pushing CSUDH's lead to 58-45 with 6:21 left in regulation.

A Williams free throw put the Toros up 62-48 three minutes later, all but putting the game away.

The Cougars got to within 10 at 64-54 with 1:23 left, but a Booker free throw and Williams pull-up kept CSUSM at arm's length in the eventual 10-point win.

Williams finished with a game-high 18 points while all-everything Lair added 15 points, 12 boards and seven steals, the latter two being game highs.

The Toros shot a sizzling 46% from the floor and a solid 73.1% from the charity stripe while the Cougars were held to 31.6% from the field in the loss.

CSUDH hosts crosstown rival Cal State LA for Homecoming on Saturday, with tipoff set for 1 pm, also honoring three seniors in Bell, Lair and Deejanae Poland before the game.

About Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics
The Toros are proud to be a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competing at the Division II level, bringing excitement and tradition to the campus through 10 different sports (4 Men's, 6 Women's).  The program boasts 4 NCAA Championships, 2 NAIA National Titles, 10 NCAA West Region crowns and 34 CCAA Championships.  CSUDH is one of 12 universities that competes in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the most prominent Division II conference in the nation with 155 NCAA National Championships, far more than any other conference in the nation.