CARSON – The Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros secured their spot in the CCAA Tournament with a 71-62 win over the San Francisco State Gators.
 
With this win, the Toros remain in first place in the CCAA conference with an overall record of 19-4 and CCAA record of 14-3. The Gators fall to overall 14-11 and 8-9 in CCAA play.
 
The Toros set the tone early, establishing a 38-29 lead by halftime. Their offensive strategy, coupled with disciplined defense, allowed them to build a significant advantage in the first half. Despite San Francisco State's efforts to narrow the gap, scoring 33 points in the second half, Cal State Dominguez Hills matched their intensity, adding 33 points of their own to maintain their lead and secure the win.

"It was good to see us get back to guarding tonight and valuing the defensive end" said coach Steve Becker. "Holding a team to 62 this time of year doesn't happen unless guys are committed to defending, and I thought we did a good job of that tonight. San Francisco State is well coached and has no quit in them. Happy to get this win and continue building."
 
The Toros' balanced attack was evident in their distribution of scoring and overall team statistics. They shot an impressive 28-54 from the field and 12-27 from three-point range, while outrebounding San Francisco State with 40 rebounds to their opponent's tally.
 
Andre Ball and Jacob Washington tied as top scorers for the Toros, each contributing 15 points to the victory. Ball's efficient shooting night saw him go 6-9 from the field, including 2-3 from beyond the arc, while also grabbing six rebounds. Washington matched Ball's scoring output entirely from three-point range, hitting 5-9 attempts, and collected four rebounds, highlighting the Toros' long-range threat.
 
Jeremy Dent-Smith also played a pivotal role, scoring 11 points on 4-7 shooting, including 3-5 from three-point territory. Dent-Smith's all-around game was on full display as he dished out four assists, grabbed six rebounds, and recorded 2 steals, contributing significantly on both ends of the floor.
 
Jakob Alamudun added 10 points, demonstrating his scoring ability by going 5-10 from the field. Alongside his scoring, Alamudun contributed six rebounds.
 
The Toros return to the Torodome Thursday, February 15^th as they take on Cal State San Marcos with tip off set for 7:30pm.