UAA’s Sylas Williams tries to break through the Cal State Dominguez Hills defense during a game in the 2026 NCAA DII Men’s Basketball West Regional Tournament quarterfinal round at Pioneer Gymnasium on Friday, March 13, 2026. (Photo by Catharyn Hayne/KLC fotos)
The UAA men’s basketball team dug out of a first-half hole to take a late lead against California State University-Dominguez Hills on Friday but couldn’t hang on for a victory in the opening round of the NCAA DII basketball tournament.
After holding a 53-52 lead with four minutes remaining, the Seawolves were outscored 17-5 down the stretch and fell to the Toros 69-58 in Hayward, California.
The Seawolves started slow, falling down 10-0 in the first three minutes, seven seconds of the game.
UAA battled back through much of the first half and when Sylas Williams made a pair of free throw in the final minute, the Seawolves trailed 33-30 at halftime.
Williams had an impressive game for UAA, leading both teams in scoring (19) and rebounding (11).
Once again in the second half CSU-Dominguez Hills built up a double-digit lead, forcing UAA to fight back.
UAA’s Akok Machar tries to get a shot off against defenders from Cal State Dominguez in the 2026 NCAA DII Men’s Basketball West Regional Tournament quarterfinal round at Pioneer Gymnasium on Friday, March 13, 2026. (Photo by Catharyn Hayne / KLC fotos)
At the 16:20 mark of the second half, the Toros led 41-30 but UAA continued to chip away. The Seawolves went on a 10-point run of their own to get back to within 41-40 at 13:39 when Williams hit a 3-pointer.
UAA snagged its first lead of the game at 45-43 with 10:39 remaining when Jesse Stines converted on his only bucket of the game.
UAA held that lead until inside the four minute mark, when the Toros took a 54-53 lead on a layup by DaSean Stevens.
From there CSU-Dominguez Hills pulled away and the Seawolves had no answer on offense. UAA finished the game shooting 31.1% from the field.
Hasaan Herrington was the only other UAA player to reach double figures with 14 points.
The Toros had four players in double figures led by Stevens with 16.
UAA finished its season with a 21-11 record and was 12-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
