CSUDH Men's Basketball Weekly
January 16, 2007

This Release in PDF

On Tap: The Toros play their only two CCAA Conference games of January this weekend, hosting perennial powers Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino. First tip for both contests is scheduled for 7:30 pm in the Torodome.

Last Week’s Recap: The Toros ended their five-game road swing by splitting a pair of conference contests, book ending their quintet of games with wins.

In Saturday’s triumph at Cal State L.A., Jonathan Toliver tallied 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field to lead four Toros in double-figure scoring as the Toros connected for 45.9% of their shots from the field while holding the host Golden Eagles to just 38.9% shooting from the floor. CSUDH built a 13-point lead just before intermission, and kept CSULA at least 10 points down for nearly the entire second half in their 15-point win. Jamaal Barnes was ferocious on the boards, pulling down 11 to lead all players.

The Toros shot a respectable 44.4% from the floor on Friday, but dropped a 16-point decision to host and Division I-bound Cal State Bakersfield. Carlos Rivers was the only Toro in double-figure scoring with 13 points, while the ‘Runners countered with three players who scored at least 10 points as CSUB out-rebounded CSUDH 31-21, and went to the line nine more times than the Toros, enjoying a 10 point advantage at the charity stripe.

Toros Amongst the CCAA’s Best...: Here’s how the Toros compare with the CCAA’s with games played through January 13:

• Blocks - Trevon Bryant (2nd, 1.3 bpg), Jamaal Barnes (T10th, 0.7 bpg), Demetrius Love (13th, 0.6 bpg), Gabe Bernard (T19th, 0.4 bpg)
• 3-Pt. FG% - Jonathan Toliver (5th, 44%)
• Rebounds - Jamaal Barnes (6th, 6.7 rpg), Shamont Brown (13th, 5.3 rpg)
• FG% - Shamont Brown (7th, 55%)
• 3-Pt. FG Made - Jonathan Toliver (8th, 2.2), Carlos Rivers (11th, 1.8)
• Assists - Jonathan Toliver (T17th, 2.7 apg)
• Scoring - Shamont Brown (19th, 12.5 ppg)
• Steals - Carlos Rivers (T20th, 1.1 spg).

...And as a Team:

• Blocked Shots - 2nd (3.9 bpg)
• FG% Defense - 2nd (42%)
• Rebounding Margin - 5th (+1.5)
• Scoring Defense - 5th (67.3 papg)
• Assist/Turnover Ratio - 5th (0.94)
• Turnover Margin - T5th (+1.3)
• Rebounding Defense - 6th (33.3 drpg)
• Rebounding Offense - 6th (34.8 orpg)
• Scoring Margin - 6th (+1.7 ppg)
• Steals - 7th (6.6 spg)
• FG% - 7th (45%)
• Assists - 8th (14.1 apg)
• 3-Pt. FG% - 9th (35%)
• Scoring Offense - 9th (69.0 ppg)
• 3-Pt. FG% Defense - 10th (37%)
• FT% - 11th (64.5%).

What a Difference a Month Makes: After posting a 5-1 record in December, the Toros have gone just 1-3 in January, picking up their first win last Saturday at Cal State L.A.

In posting 5-consecutive wins after an 82-72 loss to Cal State Stanislaus on December 1, the Toros shot over 50% from the field in victories over Chico State (51%), Hawai’i Hilo (51%), The Master’s College (53%) and UC San Diego (50%), and used a stifling defensive effort to scrape out a 70-69 overtime win at Grand Canyon in which CSUDH held the ‘Lopes to 35.7% shooting in the 2nd half, and 33.3% in the extra period.

In 2007, however, Sonoma State connected for 46% of its shots, including JT Tipton’s 8-for-15 effort en route to 26 points (10-of-11 FTs), and Humboldt State drilled 51.9% second half shots in its comeback win, while Cal State Bakersfield made 45.7% of its attempts, including 50% in the second half in the ‘Runners blowout win as CSUDH dropped its first three of the new year.

Eighty-sixed by the 60s: Not surprisingly, four of the Toros’ five losses have come when CSUDH has scored in the 60s, while its most recent loss came last Friday in a 66-50 decision at Cal State Bakersfield, the Toros’ lowest point total of the year. The Toros opened the season scoring 67 and 65 points in respective losses to then top-5 ranked University of Montevallo and Seattle Pacific, and dropped games at Sonoma State and Humboldt State after scoring 62 and 64 points two weeks ago.

Ironically, the Toros have also won two games when scoring in the 60s, taking a 68-60 win over Chico State on December 2, and a 60-51 win over UC San Diego two weeks later.

Same Number, Different Result: It was the best of times for number 66, and it was the worst of times for number 66. While scoring exactly the same number of points in both games last weekend at Cal State Bakersfield and at Cal State L.A., the results couldn’t have been more different.

In the 16-point loss to CSUB, the hosts tallied 10 more rebounds, including 6 more on the offensive end, while connecting on four more 3-point shots than CSUDH. In what proved to be the most significant stat in the loss, however, was the difference at the charity stripe where the ‘Runners connected for 14-of-16 free throws compared to just 4-of-7 for the Toros.

Conversely, the Toros matched just about every offensive Golden Eagle effort in taking a 14-point win at CSULA. The biggest stat came at CSUDH’s defensive end as CSULA managed just 38.9% shooting from the field. The Toros, on the other hand, connected for 45.9% from the floor, ending up with 7 more makes than their opponent.

Planting the “Steed”: After missing CSUDH’s first five games with an injury, junior Mike Steed has begun 2007 where he left off in 2006. Providing stability, scoring and defense, Steed has made his settling presence felt as the Toros have won four of seven games since his return.

After chipping in nine points in his season debut against The Master’s College on December 16, Steed contributed 12 points in wins over UC San Diego and Grand Canyon, 14-point and 15-point efforts in road losses two weekends ago, and 14 points in the win at CSULA last Saturday.

Over a span of seven games into his junior season, Steed is averaging 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per contest, better overall numbers than the 7.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks Steed posted during his sophomore season.

Arrested Development: After draining just over 60% of their free throws over their first six games, the Toros’ hard work in practice at the charity stripe was paying huge dividends as CSUDH brought its average up to 64.5% for the year, with CSUDH connecting for 16-for-22 free throws in the victory over UC San Diego (12/20) and a perfect 12-for-12 at Grand Canyon (12/28) to close the calendar year, needing each and every one of those points in the 70-69 overtime win.

In CSUDH’s four most recent contests, however, the Toros have regressed to their early season form, hitting just 59.3% (32-for-50) in dropping 3 of 4 games. Overall, the Toros trail their opponents’ collective of 74.9% from the foul stripe.

Assist to Toliver: After posting the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio on the 2005-06 squad, sophomore sensation Jonathan Toliver has one-upped himself this season, boasting 32 assists to just 17 turnovers, good for a team-best +1.88 ratio.

In fact, had Toliver notched just four more assists on the year to meet the league’s minimum of 3.0 assists per contest, Toliver’s efforts would put him 4th in the league Humboldt State’s Will Sheufelt (+2.73), Cal Poly Pomona’s Billy Hofman (+2.28) and Cal State San Bernardino’s Marlon Pierce (+1.95), with the latter two making trips to the Torodome this weekend.

Home Sweet Home: After posting a 7-7 record at home last season, the Toros have defended their home court 80% of the time thus far on the young season, winning four of five games. In Carson’s friendly confines, the Toros are averaging 74 points versus 64 for their opponents, while scoring just 65.4 points on the road compared to 69.7 points for their opponents on their home floor.

An even more startling set of numbers can been seen at the free throw line where CSUDH has gone to the line 103 times (67 made) in the Torodome, reaching the charity stripe just 97 times (62 made) on the road, a difference of 6.8% less free throws attempted by the Toros away from home in two more total games (5 home games vs. 7 road contests).

Conversely, opponents have gone to the free throw line 85 times in Carson and 134 times on their home court, draining 80% of their throws in the Torodome (68 makes) and 72% away (96 makes).

The Bryant Watch: After destroying the CSUDH single-single mark with 52 blocked shots last season and needing just 44 to establish himself as the Toros’ all-time career blocked shot leader entering the season, senior Trevon Bryant has collected 15 blocks in the Toros first 12 games, bringing him to within 29 for the record. After playing limited minutes in four games from December 28 through January 12 due to injury, Bryant regrouped with three blocks in the win at Cal State L.A. last Saturday in 20 minutes, the most action the 6’9” senior has seen since December 20.

Last season, Bryant tallied his 38th block on February 24, against Cal State San Bernardino, surpassing the previous mark of 37 blocks set by former Toro great Anthony Blackman during the 1988-99 campaign.

Around the CCAA Conference: Here’s a look at the rest of the conference schedule for this week: Thursday - San Francisco State @ Chico State, Sonoma State @ Cal State Bakersfield; Friday - Cal State San Bernardino @ UC San Diego, Cal State Monterey Bay @ Cal State Stanislaus, Humboldt State @ Cal State L.A.; Saturday - Cal State L.A. @ Sonoma State, San Francisco State @ Cal State Stanislaus, Cal State Monterey Bay @ Chico State, Humboldt State @ Cal State Bakersfield, Cal Poly Pomona @ UC San Diego.

Craig on the Mic: The voice of the Toros online, veteran broadcaster Craig Dunkin will webcast two games to begin 2007 in the January 19 game against Cal Poly Pomona, and the February 9 contest against Humboldt State. Tune in at www.TorosLive.com for all the play-by-play action.

What the Coaches Said: In a preseason poll conducted by the CCAA coaches, Cal State Dominguez Hills was predicted to finish 7th in the highly-competitive conference. CCAA-newcomer Humboldt State, which was tabbed by Street & Smith as No. 6 in its preseason poll but fell in its first two CCAA contests two weekends ago, was given 9 first-place votes to top the conference list, and was followed by Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Bakersfield and Sonoma State, which received 1 first-place nod apiece.

Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego preceded the Toros in 5th and 6th, respectively, while Cal State Stanislaus, Chico State, Cal State L.A., San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay rounded out the 12 CCAA schools.

The Time is Now: From the 2006-07 season preview: The 2006-07 Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s basketball team is ready. Ready with eight returning players on a team that improved by two wins in conference and four overall after welcoming 10 newcomers and a coach in just his second year with last season’s squad. Ready after winning its last two regular season games of the year. And ready after five of its losses on the year were by three points or less.

In 2005-06, juniors Carlos Rivers and Shamont Brown, who was named to the 2nd-team All-CCAA, led the Toro offense, averaging 13.4 and 12.0 points per game, respectively, while fellow junior transfer Trevon Bryant anchored a revamped defense that saw him establish the CSUDH record for blocks in a single-season with 52, with his 2.36 blocks per game average placing him 15th in the NCAA, giving head coach Damaine Powell (right) ample reason to smile as the season kicks off this week at the SPU Thanksgiving Classic.

“For the first time since I’ve been here, I know my personnel,” says Powell confidently. “We kind of got on a roll toward the end but by that time, the season was over. But we felt good about ourselves. Now, we’ve got some talent and experience, and we’re playing to that. We have the potential to have a breakthrough year.”