Toros Fall to University of Hawaii-Hilo, 69-63, Despite Norman's Game-High 19 Points
December 23, 2004

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills senior Les Norman (Lebanon, IL/Coppin State) scored a game-high 19 points, including 5-for-6 from the charity stripe, but visiting University of Hawaii-Hilo outrebounded the Toros 43-27 and boasted four players who scored in double figures as the Vulcans withstood a late Toro rally to take Thursday night's non-conference matchup, 69-63.

Les Norman scored 19 points in the Hawaii-Hilo game Thursday night in the Torodome. Photo by Michael Foo

With the loss, CSUDH falls to 1-8, while UHH improves to 9-1.

The Toros started quickly, taking a 15-8 lead at the 13:27 mark of the first half. The visitors would answer back, however, outscoring CSUDH 9-2 to knot the contest at 17-17 just three minutes later. UHH would continue its hot hand, scoring eight-consecutive points to boost its lead to 25-17 with 6:54 left in the first 20-minute frame.

After a Quishawn Harrell (Long Beach, CA/LA Valley College) bucket would cut the lead to six points, UHH would bump its lead to 31-21 with 2:42 remaining, and head into the locker room with a 38-29 cushion.

The Vulcans would continue their steady play after intermission, taking their biggest lead of the night at 38-25 with just over five minutes elapsed in the second frame. Will White (San Diego, CA/Southwest JC), seeing action for the first time this year, would connect on a jumper to trim the lead to 48-37 at the 14:42 mark, and two free throws by Saul Lankster (Long Beach, CA/Centennial HS) would cut the lead to single digits.

The Toros, behind a three-point play by Mike Steed (Antelope, CA/Center HS) and two free throws by Norman, eventually would claw to within two points at 53-51, but the Vulcans would not relinquish their advantage, boosting the advantage to 60-53 on two West Hawthorne free throws at the 7:14 mark. A Norman lay-up again would trim the UHH lead to just three points, but UHH's Brian Graham would nail a 3-pointer with 2:55 remaining, and two free throws by Justin Dobson, the last with :16 remaining, would close the scoring at 69-63, giving the Vulcans the six-point victory.

Lankster followed Norman's effort with 14 points of his own, while connecting on 3-of-6 from behind the 3-point line. UHH's Dobson led all Vulcans with 15 points, followed by Joe Marsh, Graham, and Osadonor Esene, who each chipped in 10 points in the win. The Vulcans pulled down 16 more boards than the Toros, led by Steven McMaryion's eight rebounds, which contributed to 19 second-chance points, compared to just six for the Toros.

The Toros kick off the 2005 calendar year on the road for consecutive weekends, playing at Cal State Bakersfield / Cal State L.A. (January 7-8) and Cal State Stanislaus / Chico State (January 14-15) before hosting UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino the weekend of January 21-22.