UCD post Keith Johnson barely manages to keep the ball against the onslaught of CSUDH's Jair Fray (left) and John Dolan. Photo by Michael Brooks / Aggie

The Aggies used offensive rebounding and tough pressure defense to lead the game for the final 35 minutes before finally winning it 74-46 to improve to 13-3 in conference and 17-3 overall. The final 28-point advantage was their largest of the game, as UCD increased their lead steadily throughout.

"We looked at tape of (the Aggies) kicking our butts down at our place," CSUDH coach Larry Hauser said. "We put on the board that we had to rebound, but we couldn't keep them off of the boards."

The Aggies finished the game with a 44-28 rebounding advantage and had 19 offensive rebounds, five each by Jason Cox, Scott Darmstadt and Keith Johnson, who had a game-high total of 10 rebounds.

"It was the best job on the offensive boards that we've had all year," UCD head coach Brad Fogel said. "That's the first time we've had three different guys get five offensive rebounds."

The game was tied at 9 with 15 minutes to go in the first half before the Aggies went on a 22-7 run over the next 13 minutes to take a 15-point lead at 31-16. From there, UCD just padded its lead and the game was never in doubt.

Cox led all scorers with 17 points to go along with his fine work on the offensive boards, and kept the Aggies close in the opening minutes, hitting his first three shots as the rest of the team came out a little cold.

"Personally I was angry at myself from last night (the loss at home to CSULA) so I wanted to come out and have a big game," Cox said. "We try to crash the boards as often as we can and sometimes when a team doesn't give the extra effort and block out it makes it an easier game."

The Aggies were stunned by the Golden Eagles on Friday, losing on a putback with two seconds to play in overtime. Jerry Espinoza hit the shot which came off of Tracson McLeod's badly missed attempt to beat the buzzer. Espinoza picked up the rebound under the basket and found himself wide open for the game winner to give his team a 67-65 victory.

Jason Cox gets some stiff competition from the Toros as he drives for the hoop. Photo by Michael Brooks / Aggie

"We kind of bumped into that play," CSULA head coach Dave Yanai said. " It was not something we designed."

UCD led the game by a slim margin throughout the first half and part of the second before a 15-2 spurt by the Golden Eagles put them ahead 52-45. The Aggies stormed back a few minutes later as Cox blocked a shot which led to two free throws by Keith Jackson. After a defensive stop, Jackson hit a jump shot and Dante Ross converted a steal into two free throws to retake the lead for UCD at 59-58 with 3:25 remaining in regulation.

The game then seesawed back and forth for the rest of the second half until Ross, who led the Aggies in scoring with 17 points, drove down the lane and made an awkward looking lay-up to tie the score at 61 with 17 seconds to go. CSULA was unable to convert a three-point attempt and Ross' full court shot at the buzzer fell short to put the game into overtime.

The extra period opened with the Golden Eagles scoring four quick points and then each team blowing successive lay-ups before Jordan Moss began the scoring for UCD with 2:19 left in the game. Cox then hit two free throws to tie the score with 1:18 to go but neither team was able to manage any points until Espinoza's winning shot.

"We got some good looks and some good shots didn't haul," Fogel said. "On the last shot we panicked and overcommitted from the weak side and they got an open lay-up."

The Aggies face Grand Canyon on Friday and Cal Poly-Pomona on Saturday, both at the Rec Hall.