CARSON, Calif. – The No. 2 Cal State Dominguez Hills women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season in a hard-fought 75-71 defeat against CCAA opponent Chico State on Saturday afternoon at the Torodome. The Toros, who entered the matchup as the only undefeated team in NCAA Division II, now stand at 27-1 overall and 19-1 in conference play.
The game was tightly contested from the start, with both teams exchanging leads throughout. Chico State came out strong in the first quarter, taking a 22-17 lead behind efficient three-point shooting. The Toros responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 19-17, as Nala Williams and Cristina Jones controlled the tempo offensively. At halftime, the Toros trailed 39-36 in what was shaping up to be a battle.
Dominguez Hills surged ahead in the third quarter, using defensive pressure and transition play to take a 57-53 lead heading into the final period. The Toros held Chico State to just 22.2% shooting in the quarter while forcing multiple turnovers. Williams led the charge with a strong inside presence, while Teagan Thurman provided key rebounds and second-chance points.
The fourth quarter, however, proved to be the difference, as Chico State outscored the Toros 22-14. Despite Dominguez Hills fighting until the final seconds, the Wildcats hit clutch shots down the stretch, including back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute, to secure the upset victory.
Williams led all scorers with 29 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including four three-pointers. She also contributed three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Joe'l Benoit added 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Jones chipped in eight points, four rebounds, and three steals. Thurman finished with eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds, while Asia Jordan recorded six points and five rebounds.
As a team, Dominguez Hills shot 39.5% from the field and 25% from three-point range while forcing 22 Chico State turnovers. However, the Toros struggled from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, hitting just one of their final nine attempts.
The Toros will look to bounce back in their final two CCAA regular-season games on the road, beginning with a matchup against San Francisco State on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 5:30 p.m.
