Toros Win Men's Basketball Season Opener, 77-70 Over Hope International
Antoine Griffin leads CSUDH with 20 points to break eight-game losing streak
November 21, 2003

Complete Box Score

FULLERTON, Calif.--Senior point guard Antoine Griffin (Long Beach, CA) poured in 20 points to lead Cal State Dominguez Hills to a 77-70 season-opening win over tournament host Hope International University Friday night at Darling Pavilion.

The Toros are 1-0 to start the season while snapping an eight-game losing skid dating back to last year. Hope International falls to 0-4 and has now lost 40-straight games dating back to the 2001-02 season.

CSUDH jumped out to an early 13-5 lead in the first five minutes of the game behind three consecutive treys by Griffin. The Toros had leads of nine points three times in the first half, the latest with 8:35 left after a bucket by Griffin.

However, the Royals went on a 6-0 run over the next minute to trim their deficit to 29-26 with 7:40 left in the half. Both squads would trade baskets over the next three minutes before Hope took its first lead of the game, 39-37, with 3:00 minutes left in the first half. A strong Toro defense and baskets by Charles Logan (Moreno Valley, CA) and Jamel Gay (Carson/Artesia HS) would give CSUDH a 41-39 lead heading into the locker room.

HIU scored the first five points of the second half before back-to-back baskets by center Ryan Meilleur (Lakewood/Artesia HS) made it 45-44 Toros. But the Royals answered with a 16-4 run over the next eight minutes to take a 60-49 lead with 10:10 remaining.

CSUDH answered with an 8-0 run of their own to make it 60-59 at 7:51 after a nice spinning layup by Geovanny Aispuro (Long Beach, CA). A basket by Griffin and a dunk by Eric Crookshank (Vallejo, CA) tied the game, 65-65, with 5:06 on the clock.

Meilleur gave the Toros a lead they would not relinquish after an offensive putback making it 71-67 with 2:43 left. Hope trimmed the lead to 71-70 with just a little over a minute to play, but CSUDH closed out the game with the final six points, including a game-ending monstrous dunk by Crookshank to seal the victory.

Griffin led all with 20 points while dishing out a game-high eight assists. Meilleur finished with 16 points and seven rebounds followed by Crookshank with 10 points and a game-high nine boards.

Jared Lloyd led the Royals with 20 points and Tony Roberts led the squad with six rebounds.

Cal State Dominguez Hills continue action tomorrow night at the Hope International Tournament taking on Azusa Pacific who were winners over No. 2-ranked Cal Poly Pomona, 78-68.