ARCATA, Calif. — The Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros battled but came up short in a tough 80-90 road loss to Cal Poly Humboldt on Saturday afternoon at Lumberjack Arena. The Toros dropped to 14-4 overall and 11-1 in CCAA play, while the Lumberjacks improved their record to 10-7 overall and 6-6 in conference action.

The first half was a back-and-forth contest, with the Toros controlling the pace early. Dominguez Hills shot 46.7% from the field, highlighted by strong performances from Jeremy Dent-Smith and David Cheatom, who combined for 21 points in the opening frame. The Toros' defense forced six turnovers while limiting Humboldt's offense to 45.2% shooting. Despite their efforts, Dominguez Hills went into halftime with a narrow 37-33 lead.

In the second half, the Lumberjacks surged offensively, shooting 55.2% from the field and converting 18 of 21 free throws to take control of the game. The Toros kept the game close behind Dent-Smith's offensive heroics and Cheatom's consistency in the paint. However, Humboldt's late-game execution and dominance on the boards proved too much to overcome.

Dent-Smith led the Toros with a game-high 30 points on 10-for-26 shooting, including 4-for-9 from three-point range, and added two rebounds and two steals. Cheatom provided a spark off the bench with 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting and grabbed three rebounds. Adam Afifi contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and four blocks, while DJ Guest chipped in nine points, four rebounds, and four assists. Jordan Hilstock was key on the glass, pulling down nine rebounds to go with seven points and a steal.

The Toros shot 45.9% from the field overall but struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 72% of their attempts. Dominguez Hills was out-rebounded 32-30 and allowed 38 points in the paint, while their 10 turnovers resulted in nine points for the Lumberjacks.

The Toros will look to bounce back as they return home to face Sonoma State in another CCAA matchup on Thursday, January 30, at 7:30 p.m.