CARSON, Calif. – The No. 14 Cal State Dominguez Hills men's basketball team battled to the final buzzer but came up short in an 86-79 loss to No. 25 Chico State on Saturday afternoon at the Torodome. The Toros, now 21-5 overall and 18-2 in CCAA play, honored their eight seniors before tipoff in their final regular-season home game.

Dominguez Hills controlled much of the first half, building a lead behind hot perimeter shooting and strong defensive play. Jeremy Dent-Smith led the offensive charge, hitting four three-pointers in the opening period as the Toros carried a 40-36 advantage into the break. The defense held Chico State to 41.7% shooting in the first 20 minutes while forcing multiple turnovers.

The second half saw a momentum shift as Chico State found its rhythm, shooting 54.8% from the field and converting key shots down the stretch. Despite a late push from the Toros, including clutch buckets from Dent-Smith and Alex Garcia, the Wildcats sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final seconds.

Dent-Smith finished with a game-high 28 points, going 6-for-11 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Garcia added 11 points and two blocks, while Jordan Hilstock also contributed 11 points, knocking down three three-pointers. DJ Guest provided a spark off the bench with 11 points and five rebounds, and Adam Afifi controlled the glass with a team-high 11 rebounds.

The Toros shot 40% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range, but Chico State's 13 made free throws in the second half proved to be the difference.

Dominguez Hills now turns its focus to the final two games of the regular season on the road, beginning with San Francisco State on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. as they look to close out conference play on a strong note.