EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Cal State Dominguez Hills men's basketball team continues to make history, overcoming a double-digit deficit to take down No. 2 seed West Liberty, 84-79, in the 2025 NCAA Division II Elite Eight at the Ford Center on Tuesday. In their first-ever Elite Eight appearance, the Toros delivered a resilient performance to earn a spot in the Final Four, where they will face No. 3 seed Dallas Baptist on Thursday, March 27, at 3 p.m. PDT.

CSUDH ( holding its best record in program history) faced an early challenge as West Liberty's fast-paced offense pushed the tempo, helping the Hilltoppers build an early lead. The Toros struggled to find their rhythm, trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half. Despite the slow start, David Cheatom kept the Toros within striking distance, scoring key baskets to keep the deficit manageable.

At halftime, West Liberty led 44-38, but the Toros had momentum after closing the half on a 7-2 run.

The Toros came out of the locker room with renewed energy, tightening up defensively and controlling the boards. Jeremy Dent-Smith and DJ Guest sparked the offense early in the second half, cutting the deficit to just three points within the first five minutes.

CSUDH continued to chip away before Cheatom and Jordan Hilstock took over in the final stretch. Down 74-69 with under four minutes remaining, the Toros went on a 12-2 run, capped off by a clutch three-pointer from Cheatom to give CSUDH its first lead since the opening minutes.

Down the stretch, strong free-throw shooting and key defensive stops sealed the victory, as the Toros held West Liberty to just 35 second-half points while outscoring the Hilltoppers 46-35 in the final 20 minutes.

Toros Stat Leaders

• David Cheatom: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 8-of-10 free throws

• Jeremy Dent-Smith: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 three-pointers

• Adam Afifi: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 6-of-13 FG

• DJ Guest: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5-of-6 FG

• Jordan Hilstock: 10 points, 6 rebounds

The Toros won the rebounding battle 43-34 and shot 50% from the field, using their size and defensive intensity to take control in the second half.

Next Up:

With the win, CSUDH advances to the Final Four for the first time in program history, where they will face No. 3 seed Dallas Baptist on Thursday, March 27, at 3pm PDT at the Ford Center. The winner will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game on Saturday.

The Toros continue their historic run, proving they belong among the nation's best. One more win stands between them and a shot at the national title.