Sonoma State Hits Free Throws Down the Stretch, Defeat Toros Women, 72-63
Sonoma State gets 31 points at the foul line in CCAA conference win
January 18, 2003

Complete Box Score

CARSON, Calif.-Sonoma State scored 31 of its points at the free-throw line en route to a 72-63 California Collegiate Athletic Association win Saturday night over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the Torodome.

Cal State Dominguez Hills drops to 5-7 overall and 3-5 in CCAA play, while Sonoma State is now 10-3 and 5-3 in league action. It was the first time this year the Toros have lost two games in a row.

CSUDH opened up the game taking a seven point lead, 13-6, after a jumper in the paint by freshman standout Tameka Blue (Watsonville, CA) with 13:37 left in the half. But Sonoma went on an 8-0 run over the next 3:25 to take its first lead of the game, 14-13, after two free throws from Shannon Taylor.

Both teams traded baskets over the next three possessions before the Seawolves would go on a 14-7 run to close out the first half and take a 30-24 lead into the locker room.

SSU came out strong in the early going of the second period and took a nine-point lead at the 16:18 mark after a 3-point basket from Julie Strong making it 40-31. The Toros trimmed the lead down to three points, 46-43, over the next five minutes capped by Teresa Cooper's (Simi Valley/Simi Valley HS) first three-point basket of the game with 11:14 remaining.

Sonoma built the lead quickly back up to eight points in the next minute and a half before the Toros would go on a run to take a brief lead. Down 53-45 with 9:43 on the clock, CSUDH used a 10-1 run to take a 55-54 advantage with 6:44 left. Toros guard Adriana Mendez (Santa Ana/Century HS) nailed two shots and Cooper drained her second long-range shot to highlight the run.

However, the Seawolves would take the lead for good in their next possession, 56-55, on an Elizabeth Carr baseline jumper with 6:18 left. The Toros got as close as one point twice three times over the next four minutes but would never take the lead again. SSU went 6-for-7 at the foul line to close out the game and the 72-63 league win.

Sonoma was led in the win by Tara Whiteside's 16 points on 5-8 from the floor. Three players tied for a game-high seven rebounds on a Seawolf team that outrebounded the Toros 43-35 on the night.

For the Toros, sophomore guard Octavia Askew's (Van Nuys/Birmingham HS) career-high 18 points led all scorers. Askew went 6-10 from the field including 3-5 from behind the 3-point arc. She also tied for a game-high seven rebounds. Blue chipped in with 14 points while Cooper added 11.

Cal State Dominguez Hills, who closed out a four-game homestand this evening, is on the road for the next four games. The Toros travel to Cal State Bakersfield next Friday, January 24. Tip-off is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. start.