Blue Leads Toros to 61-56 Win Over UC San Diego
Watsonville native pours in game-high 18 points as CSUDH seizes first place in CCAA
January 21, 2005

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills junior Tameka Blue (Watsonville, CA/Santa Cruz HS) drained a game-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting as the Toros won a key match-up over visiting UC San Diego, 61-56.

The win pushes the Toros’ record to 8-5, 6-1 CCAA and, coupled with Chico State’s loss to Sonoma State, gives CSUDH sole possession of first place in the conference. With the loss, the Tritons fall to 8-6, 4-3 CCAA.

The teams played it close in the first 20-minute frame, exchanging leads six times in the period.

CSUDH, behind Blue’s 13 points, took control of the first half at the 4:50 mark as the junior point guard scored seven-consecutive points to give the Toros a 27-24 advantage.

A Brittney Blankenship (Palmdale, CA/Palmdale HS) free throw with 1:23 left would give CSUDH a 28-24 advantage entering the half.

After intermission, the Tritons would crawl back and take a 39-32 lead with 12:40 left in regulation. The Toros, however, would mount a comeback of their own, outscoring UCSD 18-11 over the next six minutes to tie the game at 50-50 on an Alana Bailey (Altadena, CA/John Muir HS) lay-up.

The squads would split the next 10 points, but a Blue jumper and free throw, followed by two Octavia Askew (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham HS) foul shots, would give the Toros the lead for good. CSUDH would hold the Tritons to one point over the final 2:50, securing the 61-56 victory.

Blankenship chipped in 11 points while Blue and Michelle Kribell (Buena Park, CA/Western HS) shared team-high honors with six boards apiece. Margaret Johnson led the Tritons with 15 points and a whopping 23 boards, 12 coming on the offensive end. Leora Juster contributed 11 points while Hillary Hansen pulled down nine rebounds in the Triton loss.

CSUDH hosts Cal State San Bernardino in another key conference match-up tomorrow night. First tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Torodome.