Cal State Dominguez Hills to Face Chapman in CCAA Opener

The Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s basketball team is at home in its California Collegiate Athletic Assn. opener at 8:05 tonight against Chapman College, then entertains Biola University Saturday night at 7:30 in a non-conference match.

Dominguez Hills (7-5) has won three of its last four games while Chapman (7-6) has lost four straight. Biola (13-3) defeated the Toros, 69-67, in double overtime in November to win the Cal Poly Pomona Tournament. The Eagles are coming off a 76-71 non-conference overtime victory over another CCAA opponent, Cal State Northridge.

Around the CCAA, UC Riverside (12-1) and Bakersfield (11-2) have enjoyed very successful preseasons while Northridge (9-4) and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (8-3) are right behind. Only Cal State Los Angeles (2-11) has posted a losing record, yet its pair of wins equals its 1988 total. Cal Poly Pomona is 6-6.

Coaches around the league say this year’s CCAA race will be more balanced than a year ago, when Bakersfield won.

“It’s a very mature conference,” said Riverside Coach John Masi. Riverside visits Dominguez Hills next Thursday.

Coach Dave Yanai of Dominguez Hills says he doesn’t see a breather in the conference schedule.

“We will face a tremendous test with Chapman,” Yanai said. “Bakersfield and Riverside are in a class by themselves.”

Chapman, under first-year Coach Rich Prospero, may be competing for the last season in the CCAA. Chapman is considering a drop to the Division III level.

The top four finishers in the CCAA race advance to a postseason tournament at the site of the first-place finisher.

The Chapman women’s team plays at Dominguez Hills in a CCAA opener at 5:45 p.m. Friday.