Balanced Toros Attack Spells Doom for Hope International in Men’s Basketball, 91-65
Junior Malave’s 20 points leads five Toros in double-figure scoring
December 17, 2005

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills junior Mario Malave’s (Emeryville, CA/Bakersfield College) game-high 20 points led a quintet of Toros who scored in double figures as CSUDH shot 57.4% from the field in its dominant 91-65 victory over Hope International on Saturday night in the Torodome. With the win, the Toros improve to 2-5 on the year, while the Royals remain winless, falling to 0-7.

The Toros jumped to a 10-5 lead with just under three minutes elapsed in the first half on a pair of Durwin Williams (Compton, CA/Glendale JC) free throws, starting a CSUDH run over the next 12 minutes which saw the Toros outscore Hope 29-13 and race to a 39-18 lead with just over four minutes left in the first frame. Malave led all scorers in the first half with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting while Williams and Shamont Brown’s (Jamaica, NY/Riverside CC) respective nine and eight points contributed to the Toros’ 58.3% first-half shooting, staking CSUDH to a commanding 47-26 lead entering the locker room.

CSUDH continued its hot hand after intermission as consecutive Malave buckets would push the Toros lead to 58-34 with 15:42 remaining in regulation. The Royals would cut the deficit to 58-38 on a Travis Hardeman jumper, but the Toros would click offensively all night long, pushing its lead to 70-40 at the 10:15 mark courtesy of a Mike Steed (Antelope, CA/Center HS) layup. Hope International would put together a mini-run over the next five minutes, outscoring CSUDH 15-6 to cut the Toros’ lead to 76-55, but consecutive 3-pointers by Steed and Murphy Cooper (Compton, CA/ Compton JC) would push the lead back up to 29 with 4:22 left in the game, allowing the Toros to cruise the rest of the contest in taking the game, 91-65.

Steed chipped in 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, while Cooper (13), Brown (12) and Williams (11) rounded out the Toros double-digit scorers. Williams also collected a game-high 10 boards on the evening, giving the Compton native the game’s sole double-double. Hardeman matched Malave’s output with 20 points, while Wes Hagger and Bryan Fincham chipped in 16 and 10 points, respectively, in the HIU loss. The Toros held the Royals to 38.5% from the field while enjoying a decisive 23-8 advantage in the assist department, led by Steed’s five dimes.

The Toros take a week off before hosting Dominican University in the final game of the 2005 calendar year on Friday, December 30. CSUDH then begins 2006 with a CCAA Conference home weekend, hosting Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State L.A. the week of January 6-7.