Committing a costly turnover nearing the end of the first half, the San Francisco State University Gators were unable to slow down the blazing California State University, Dominguez Hills Toros as they succeeded on a fast-break alley-oop dunk, a play that would be the dagger in the Gators’ hearts. 

Yesterday’s loss at home would be the Gators’ 10th straight as the Toros cruise to their fourth straight win and remain in second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference. The Gators remain in last.

Leading 10-7 after the first five minutes, the Gators showed fluid ball movement and aggressive defense to kick off the game. Sophomore forward Diego Martinez led this start with five points, including a pull-up three-pointer and a fast break layup. 

“We were really trying to get the ball side to side, we were trying to possess the ball and make them play defense,” said Head Coach Vince Inglima. “When we were driving, we were attacking into a crowd and they were causing us some trouble. I thought we had more success when we got them shifting side to side, and when we attacked, the gaps were bigger.” 

The Toros went on a 6-0 run to take back the lead. SFSU played tough defense, but the Toros’ offense proved to be superior in this stretch. 

As the shot clock ticked down, junior guard Milandev Chatha hit a heavily contested three-pointer to give the Gators a boost in momentum. Chatha added another four points, and the team retained a 21-16 lead with 10 minutes left in the half. After Chatha was subbed out, the game started to slip out of the Gators’ fingertips. 

“We had a lot of trouble generating offense after the first 10 minutes,” Inglima said. “I thought we had a nice flow early and they adjusted, and we didn’t really adjust very well to their adjustments as the game progressed.” 

Following Chatha’s substitution, CSUDH scored 18 unanswered points, including three 3-pointers from Toros senior guard Jayden Johnston. However, the Gators ended the first half with some much-needed urgency, scoring seven straight points to cut the Toros’ lead to just 10. 

CSUDH was automatic from the three-point range in the first half, draining 58% of their attempts. Gators sophomore guard Fed Pernell indicated how the team could have done better in preventing the Toros’ success from beyond the arc. 

“We just needed to close out harder and we had some miscommunication,” Pernell said. “We just need to talk more and hustle harder to our spots.” 

The Gators failed to stop the bleeding as the Toros started the second half on a 13-0 run before Martinez hit a three-pointer in transition. 

“We just get into periods of time where we get into shooting droughts, and then we give up buckets,” said junior guard Markees Williams. “We just have to play better in those moments and find ways to get stops. I think guys started to lose confidence in themselves as we started slipping downhill, and from that point on, it was just hard to climb back.”

With just under five minutes remaining, the Toros had their largest lead of the game with 28 points. As the final minute rolled around, the opponent’s fans roared with cheers as their team reigned supreme, 68-46. 

“We didn’t have our best shooting game. We had a lot of good opportunities, they just weren’t falling tonight,” Pernell said. “So, we just have to stay confident and keep shooting, and hopefully, next game, they’ll fall.”

The Gators’ performance in the paint was a nightmare as they were unable to get points at the basket, while the Toros dominated on the offensive boards the entire contest, leading to many second-chance opportunities for the opposition. 

“It’s just been the story for us this year, unfortunately,” said Assistant Coach Alex Gilat. “We have been struggling to complete stops and end possessions. We just cannot clean that up. We’ve emphasized it, watched it and tried to drill it. It’s just a matter of getting those stops and making that happen, but we weren’t able to do it.” 

Inglima also commented on the team’s rebounding failures, noting this is the fourth consecutive game where the Gators conceded 15 or more offensive rebounds. 

“It just really takes the wind out of your sails when they get 3-4 opportunities every time they’re down the court,” Inglima said. “It’s definitely an area we got to improve on and start being more physical in general.”

The Gators now sit at a 2-19 record, yet their mentality hasn’t wavered, and they are ready to cause chaos in the final stretch of the CCAA regular season. 

“We’re obviously underdogs, but I do believe that our record doesn’t reflect the struggle that some teams face when they see us,” Gilat said. “So, I want to continue bringing that and I want to disrupt some seasons in the CCAA in these next few weeks.”

The Gators are set to host the SFSU Alumni Game against the California State University, Los Angeles Golden Eagles on Saturday at 3 p.m.