CSDH Women Take Spotlight From the Men in Basketball

The basketball tables have turned at Cal State Dominguez Hills where the women’s team appears to have a better chance than the men to advance to postseason play as the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. race gets under way this weekend.

Both teams open at Cal Poly Pomona tonight, then visit UC Riverside on Saturday night. Although the Lady Toros are not expected to beat the 11th-ranked Lady Broncos (11-3) tonight at 5:45, for the first time in the school’s history Dominguez Hills (8-5) rates the best edge of gaining one of four CCAA postseason tournament berths.

The team, which finished last in the CCAA a year ago, has won more games than in 1989.

However, to borrow one of Coach Dave Yanai’s favorite phrases, it’s time for the men’s team “to refocus” on what it is supposed to do. The Toros (4-9) have the poorest record among CCAA teams. In its last two non-conference games the Toros shot just 33% from the floor.

In addition, the men’s team has to win at least five games or hand Yanai his worst record in 13 years at the school. Even with five victories, which will be hard to come by at its current rate, Dominguez Hills would finish with 20 losses for the first time. The Toros (4-9), who have shown moments of promise despite a starting lineup without a senior, bring a two-game losing streak into tonight’s 8:05 start.

Cal State Bakersfield (12-1), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (10-3) and UC Riverside (9-3) are the front-runners in the men’s race. If Yanai can get his troops back in formation, he feels Dominguez Hills can challenge for the fourth spot. But the Toros will feel heavy fire from Chapman College (8-5), Pomona and the CCAA’s most improved team, Cal State Los Angeles (6-6), which defeated the Toros, 45-42, in the consolation game of the Stanislaus Tournament in December.

Cal State Northridge (4-8) can’t be counted out just because of its record. To prepare for its move up to the Division I level next year, the Matadors have played a difficult schedule, with most of their losses coming to Division I opponents.

Pomona is heavily favored to wrap up its ninth consecutive CCAA women’s title, but not without a fight from Chapman (11-3). Rebuilding Cal State Los Angeles (6-8) and Dominguez Hills are slight favorites for the final two postseason spots, but that might be determined by how well those two play at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (6-8). UC Riverside (5-7) is struggling but could be a factor. Much like Northridge’s men’s team, the Lady Matadors (3-12) have a deceiving record because they also played against a majority of Division I schools in the preseason.