Cal State Dominguez Hills Women's Basketball Ranked No. 6 in Western Region
Bailey, Blue and Blankenship lead a balanced Toro attack
January 19, 2005

Carson, CA -- The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s basketball team, on the heels of three-consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) victories to kick off the 2005 calendar year, has been ranked No. 6 in the first NCAA Regional rankings, it was announced this afternoon by the NCAA.

Led by junior Tameka Blue (Watsonville, CA/Santa Cruz HS) and freshmen sensations Alana Bailey (Altadena, CA/John Muir HS) and Brittney Blankenship (Palmdale, CA/Palmdale HS), the Toros are tied for first place atop the highly-competitive CCAA, sporting a 7-5 overall and 5-1 conference mark.

Bailey, in her first campaign on the Carson campus, is averaging team-high totals of 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest, shooting a solid 55.1% from the field. Blue, in her third year in Cardinal Red & Gold, is averaging 11.8 ppg, excelling with a .385 shooting percentage from the floor and .412 from behind the arc, while Blankenship rounds out the balanced attack with 10.9 point and 5.6 rebound per game averages, the latter good for second-best on the squad.

As a trio, Bailey, Blue and Blankenship have combined for 53% of the scoring and 37% of the rebounding, also adding a 72% success rate from the foul stripe. Just last weekend, the Toros won at both Cal State Stanislaus and No. 24-ranked Chico State, with the Wildcats currently occupying the No. 2 slot in the West Region.

Eight teams per region quality for the postseason, at which time pairings, locations and times will be announced.

This No. 6 ranking marks the first time CSUDH has been ranked since January 6, 1998, when the Toros were positioned at No. 8. The complete West Region follows.

CSUDH hosts UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino in key conference games on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Tipoff for both contests is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Torodome.

                        Region Record       Overall Record
1. Seattle Pacific            11-0             14-1
2. Cal State Chico            10-2             11-2
3. Western Washington          9-1             13-1
4. Cal State Bakersfield       7-2             10-3
5. Cal State San Bernardino    6-2             10-3
6. Cal State Dominguez Hills   7-1              7-5
7. St. Martin's                5-1             10-3
8. UC San Diego                6-2              8-5
9. Montana State-Billings      5-3             11-3
10. Cal Poly Pomona            6-3              9-4