Inspired Effort by Toros Men Falls Short, As CSUDH Drops CCAA Contest, 77-69
January 23, 2004

Courtesy Cal State San Bernardino Sports Information Office

Complete Box Score

SAN BERNARDINO -- Cal State San Bernardino won its 25th straight home game Friday night, defeating an inspired Cal State Dominguez Hills team 77-69 before 1,102 fans in Coussoulis Arena but the Coyotes had to work hard for the W.

The victory improved the first-place Coyotes to 9-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and 13-1 on the season with their 12th straight victory in 2003-04. It kept them a game ahead of Cal State Bakersfield, a 79-59 winner over Grand Canyon.

CSUSB will host Cal State L.A., knocked off 65-50 by Cal Poly Pomona Friday night, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. The Toros, now 6-8 overall and 4-5 in the CCAA, will take on the Broncos at the CPP gym.

In preserving the nation's fourth-longest home win streak, the Coyotes struggled to try and put away the younger, but very aggressive Toros. Jonathan Levy, the CCAA's leading scorer at 19.6 points a game, settled for 16 Friday night but made only three of 12 field goal attempts. The Coyotes shot just under 40 percent for the game (19 of 48) but made up for it at the free throw line, sinking 29 of 38 (76 percent).

Eric Swan had 12 points for the Coyotes while Trenell Eddings and Curtis Willliams came off the bench to each score 12 in support of the victory. Point guard T.K. Reed had a personal best nine rebounds to go with five assists and two steals.

Eric Crookshank, an athletic 6-6 forward, was the main show for the Toros with 25 points and eight rebounds, playing all 40 minutes. Point guard Antoine Griffin pumped in 19 points and had five assists and four steals.

The Toros went on top early, leading 19-13 at the 12 minute mark of the first half. However, the Coyotes clawed their way back by outscoring the Toros 23-11 over the final 12 minutes to take a 36-30 halftime lead on Swan's three-pointer just before the buzzer.

The resilient Toros came out sharp in the second half, tying the game at 36 and then retaking the lead 41-39 on a trey by Griffin with 15:35 remaining. A few minutes later, Eddings hit back to back three-pointers to give the Coyotes a 53-45 edge.

After Malik Harris brought the Toros to within four points with 4:27 left at 63-59, the Coyotes had a mini-burst as Swan hit a jumper followed by a three-pointer by Williams and two free throws by Dumas Martin for an 11-point bulge at 70-59 with 2:48 to go in the game.

However, the Toros reeled off six straight points to trail 70-65 with 1:05 left.

It was 74-66 when Saul Lankster swished a three. With 29 seconds left, and trailing 75-69, Crookshank was called for basket interference on a ball sitting on the Toros rim and then Levy was fouled and made both free throws for the final 77-69 margin.