Zipporah Chase Leads Toros to 74-65 Victory Over Cal State Stanislaus
Natasha Gray adds double-double as CSUDH snaps five-game skid
January 17, 2004

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills sophomore Zipporah Chase (Los Angeles, CA/Carson HS) sunk 10-of-16 free throws en route to a team-high 24 points while freshman Natasha Gray (Long Beach, CA/LB Poly) added 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Toros snapped a five-game skid by handing Cal State Stanislaus a 74-65 defeat Saturday night at the Torodome.

CSUDH improves to 7-6, 3-5 CCAA, while CSUS falls to 5-8, 2-6 CCAA.

The two teams traded runs at the game's outset as the visitors took a 9-0 lead, only to have CSUDH answer with seven-consecutive points of its own. Thanks to a Chase jumper at the 9:19 mark, the Toros took their first lead of the contest at 18-17. Both teams played nip-and-tuck the remainder of the half tying three times in the process, until a Monique Marquez (Rialto, CA/Eisenhower HS) off-balance layup with :17 gave the Toros a 34-32 lead at the half.

CSUDH tightened its defense after intermission, holding CSUS to two baskets while increasing its lead to 42-37 on an Octavia Askew (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham HS) jumper with just over five minutes elapsed in the second half.

The Warriors would find their offense, taking a 44-42 lead on a jumper by Aprile Powell with 12:16 left in regulation. Joi Cooper (Long Beach, CA/Chaparral HS) came off the bench, making a bucket and two free throws after intermission to spark the Toros offense. Chase and Powell took over for their respective teams down the stretch, each answering the other with bucket after bucket. A Chase 3-point play with 2:39 left in the game gave CSUDH a 64-61 advantage, fouling out CSUS' 6'5" Shavaki Jackson and giving the Toros added momentum.

Clutch free throw shooting by CSUDH down the stretch, highlighted by Marquez's 5-of-6 shots from the charity stripe, sealed the victory for the Toros to give them their first victory in six games.

Keesha Aldridge (Aiea, HI/Aiea HS) was huge on the boards for CSUDH, grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds in 29 minutes of play, while Askew and Marquez contributed respective totals of 12 and 10 points.

For CSUS, Powell tallied game-high honors of 25 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with seconds left in the contest.

As a team, the Toros held CSUS to 35.5% shooting after intermission, outscoring the Warriors 40-33 in the decisive second frame. CSUDH also enjoyed a healthy advantage at the charity stripe by sinking 24 free throws compared to just six by CSUS, 10 coming by way of Chase.

Cal State Dominguez Hills travels to Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona next weekend, before returning home to battle UC Davis and Chico State in conference doubleheaders the weekend of January 30 and 31.