Coyotes Find "Ray" of Hope in Second Half, CSUSB Takes 66-50 Men's Win over Toros
December 14, 2001

Complete Box Score

SAN BERNARDINO -- Trailing 39-36 to Cal State Dominguez Hills with 11:19 to play in the game, Cal State San Bernardino was looking for someone to pull them out of their doldrums. They found a "Ray" of hope in reserve wing Lance Ray.

The 6-4 junior from Twentynine Palms was inserted in the lineup and immediately hit a 3-pointer to tie the game and the Coyotes went on a 20-0 run over the next six minutes as they defeated the Toros 66-50 before 780 fans in Coussoulis Arena Friday night.

The loss dropped CSUDH to 1-4 overall, 0-3 in the CCAA. The Coyotes, ranked No. 1 in the West Region and No. 6 in the nation, improved to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Ray was unstoppable, hitting eight of 11 from the field, including four of five from three-point range and collecting six rebounds -- all in the second half for his best performance in two seasons and one the Coyotes needed. He scored 13 of the Coyotes 20 points in that victory run. Ray had 24 in a win over the Toros on Feb. 18, 2000.

With Earl Rowland and Kevin Blunt, a senior from San Bernardino's Pacific High School, doing the damage, the Toros led at the half 28-26.

Rowland finished with 14 points and three rebounds to go with four assists while Blunt, the team's leading scorer at 19.3 per game coming in, finished with 13 points. He matched his CCAA-leading rebound average with nine boards before fouling out late in the second half.

Lamar Lawrence contributed seven rebounds to the Toros cause.

The Toros outshot the Coyotes, 41 percent to 38 percent but the Coyotes had a 34-30 edge on the boards. James Taylor had 10 points and five rebounds while Glenn Summerall had 11 points and three assists.

But it was Ray that was the star of the night.

the Toros next head for Cal Poly Pomona, and the Coyotes stay home Saturday night to face Cal State L.A.