TURLOCK, Calif. —Stan State held the lead for more than 35 minutes Thursday night and carried a halftime advantage into the locker room, but Cal State Dominguez Hills made late plays in the final minutes to edge the Warriors 74–69 in CCAA action at Fitzpatrick Arena on Homecoming. The Warriors placed three players in double figures, led by Tahjae Ordonio's 16 points — all scored in the second half — while Malachi Johnson added 10 points and Malik Johnson recorded the first double-double of his career with 10 points, a career-high 11 rebounds, and five blocked shots.

Stan State moved to 12–13 overall and 8–11 in CCAA play, while Cal State Dominguez Hills improved to 20–6 overall and 15–4 in conference action.

First Half
Stan State set the tone early and controlled much of the opening half, limiting the Toros to 29.4 percent shooting while building a 28–24 halftime lead. The Warriors established an inside presence and converted second-chance opportunities while maintaining defensive pressure.

Malik Johnson anchored the paint defensively with multiple blocked shots, and the Warriors' energy on the glass allowed them to dictate tempo for much of the first 20 minutes.

Second Half
The Toros responded in the second half, shooting 53.3 percent after the break and gradually chipping away at the deficit. Ordonio caught fire from beyond the arc, connecting on four three-pointers in the half to keep Stan State in control through the middle portion of the period.

With just over a minute remaining, the game was tied at 69–69 before Cal State Dominguez Hills converted key free throws and a late transition basket to create separation. The Warriors had a final opportunity from beyond the arc, but the shot came up short in the closing seconds.

Warrior Notables
Tahjae Ordonio led the Warriors with 16 points, hitting 4-of-7 from three-point range, all in the second half.
Malik Johnson posted the first double-double of his career with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds while adding five blocked shots.
Malachi Johnson added 10 points and four rebounds.
Stan State totaled 15 assists in the contest, led by Jason Cibull's four assists with no turnovers. Malachi Johnson added three assists with just one turnover, while Mark Jones III contributed two assists with one turnover.
Stan State shot 48.1 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range.
Attendance was 709 at Fitzpatrick Arena.

Updated CCAA Standings
With three games remaining in the regular season, Stan State sits at 8–11 in CCAA play and 12–13 overall, currently in eighth place behind seventh-place Cal Poly Pomona (9–10). The Warriors are two games back of the group tied at 10–9 (Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Bernardino, and Cal State San Marcos) and three games behind Cal Poly Humboldt at 11–8. Stan State holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over both CSUMB and CSUSM, while CSUSB currently owns the tiebreaker over the Warriors. Cal State East Bay (19–0) has clinched the regular-season title, and Cal State Dominguez Hills (15–4) has secured a CCAA Tournament berth. The top six eligible teams will advance to the CCAA Men's Basketball Championships, scheduled for March 5–8 at Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona, with the tournament champion earning the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship.

Up Next
Stan State returns to Fitzpatrick Arena on Saturday at 3 p.m. to host Cal State Los Angeles on Senior Day, when the program will recognize Daniel Ameyaw, Jason Cibull, Javon Johnson, Tahjae Ordonio, and Jordan Smith. Cal State LA enters the matchup following an 86–69 loss at UC Merced on Thursday evening. The Warriors will then close the regular season on the road in the Bay Area, traveling to Cal State East Bay on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. before visiting San Francisco State on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.