Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team dug itself too big of a hole Wednesday night in a California Collegiate Athletic Association contest against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

 

The Golden Eagles fell behind by as many as 34 points and, despite a strong finish, fell to the Toros, 78-60, Wednesday in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (4-13, 2-10 CCAA) dropped both games to Cal State Dominguez Hills (6-11, 5-7 CCAA).

 

Jazzi Johnson had a game-high 19 points for the Golden Eagles, while Jameiz Terrell added 13 points. Brandi McCann led five Toros in double figures with 15 points. Whitney Gantt and Neka Mison had 14 points each, while Kayla Montalvo added 12 points and MacKenzie Mathias had 10 points.

 

Cal State Dominguez Hills was extremely effective on offense, shooting 50.9 percent for the game, including 44 percent from behind the 3-point arc. The Toros knocked down 11 of their 25 tries from behind the arc, while Cal State L.A. was just 3-of-14.

 

The Toros also owned a 44-35 edge on the boards and were able to overcome a late flurry of turnovers.

 

Cal State L.A. shot just 33.8 percent, including just 29.6 percent in the first half. The Golden Eagles were 13-of-22 from the free-throw line, while the Toros were 9-of-15.

 

The Toros broke the game open in the latter stages of the first half. The Toros scored the first seven points of the contest and never trailed. After back-to-back baskets by Brionna Baker cut a nine-point deficit to just five points, 20-15, with 6:40 to go in the half, Cal State Dominguez Hills went on a 19-4 run to close out the half. Montalvo hit a pair of 3-pointers during the run, while Gantt hit one. A pair of free throws by Gantt gave the Toros a 39-19 lead at halftime.

 

Jordan Kuzma opened the second half with a basket for the Golden Eagles, but Cal State Dominguez Hills scored the next four points and ultimately opened up its largest lead of the game, 75-41, with 3:44 to go.

 

Cal State L.A., though, never quit. Johnson and Terrell fueled a late-game push that began in earnest after a Cal State Dominguez Hills timeout and ended with a 3-pointer by McClintick in the waning seconds. Johnson and Terrell combined for 15 of the Golden Eagles' final 18 points over the final three minutes.

 

Cal State L.A. will play its second of three home games this week against Sonoma State on Friday.