CARSON, Calif. - The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team's late rally came up short in the closing moments as the Cougars fell to Cal State Dominguez Hills by a final score of 84-75 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action, Thursday night at The Torodome.
 
CSUSM drops to 18-9 overall and 12-7 in conference play. The Toros improve to 14-11 overall and 10-9 in the CCAA.
 
CSUDH shot 45.6 percent (31-68) from the floor, 33.3 percent (8-24) from behind the arc and 77.8 percent (14-18) from the charity stripe. The Cougars went 41.5 percent (27-65) on field goals, 40 percent (8-20) on 3-pointers and 72.2 percent (13-18) on free throws. CSUSM was outrebounded 49-30, including 17-9 on the offensive glass.
 
Junior guard Ethan Alvano led the Cougars with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Senior guard Tyson Kygar and junior guard Brian Wright pitched in 17 and 14 points, respectively. Vincent Golson was the Toros' leading scorer with 20 points. Justin Sadler had 11 rebounds for CSUDH.
 
CSUSM found itself trailing by 10 points on two occasions in the first half. Down 30-20, the Cougars went on a 10-0 run, capped off by a Kygar 3-pointer, to tie the game at 30-30. CSUSM went into halftime with a six point deficit, 40-34.
 
The Cougars started the second half on a 6-0 run, with all the points coming from Alvano, to even the score, 40-40. The Toros responded with a run of their own, scoring nine consecutive points as the Cougars trailed 49-40.
 
CSUDH eventually increased the margin to 12 points, 71-59, before CSUSM came back with eight unanswered to make it a four-point game, 71-67, with a little more than three minutes remaining. It would be the closest the Cougars would get as the Toros pulled away down the stretch and ultimately prevailed by nine.
 
CSUSM will cap its 2016-17 season with a road matchup against Cal State L.A. on Saturday, Feb. 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.