Toro Cagers Facing Two Crucial Games

The Cal State Dominguez Hills basketball team is facing a crisis in its drive to stay in the race for a postseason tournament berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

The Toros must beat the league’s two front-runners, first-place Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (7-1) at 8:05 tonight in Carson and second-place Bakersfield (6-2) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Carson.

Dominguez Hills (3-5) had won three straight but lost Tuesday to Chapman, which was in a four-way tie that included Dominguez Hills for the fourth playoff spot. Now the Panthers share that fourth spot with only Cal State Northridge, both at 4-4. UC Riverside (5-3) is alone in third place.

The Chapman game was the third in six days for both tired clubs.

Dominguez Hills (9-11 overall) shot 39% from the field in the first half and still led by a basket because Chapman made only 32%. But in the second half poor perimeter shooting cost the Toros. Leonard Eaton, a 48% shooter from three-point range, hit just 1 of 14.