The sands of the hourglass finally ran out Thursday for the Chico State women's basketball team along with the hope of reaching postseason play in 2015-16 The Wildcats fell in their final regular season home game, bowing to Cal State Dominguez Hills 69-49 at Acker Gym, and combined with Cal State L.A.'s win over Stanislaus State, the 'Cats are officially out of the hunt for a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament berth.
 
The Wildcats can hold their heads high despite the disappointing loss. The team showed the class that has come to embody the program by taking part in a prearranged and agreed upon demonstration of sportsmanship for Dominguez Hills' injured star Monay Lee. Chico State allowed Lee – who blew out her ACL last week and will be lost for the rest of the season – to score an uncontested layup in the game's opening seconds, making her the Toros' all-time leading scorer.

Sully Engels of the Chico State Sports Information Department captured Lee's record-setting bucket - and the ensuing celebration - on video. You can watch it HERE.
 
Thursday's loss – Chico State's fifth in a row – dropped the Wildcats to 10-15 overall and 5-14 in the CCAA. Cal State Dominguez Hills used the win to improve to 19-8 on the season and pull into a first place tie with Cal State East Bay with a 17-2 conference record.
 
Brooke Bowen was the lone Wildcat who scored in double figures Thursday, collecting 15 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. Irie Stokes came off the bench to score eight points, with McKena Barker scoring six points and grabbing a game-high eight rebounds. Chico State shot just 29.3 percent on the night, and was effectively done in by a third quarter that saw the 'Cats go nearly the entire quarter without a field goal.
 
After Lee's record-setting bucket opened the game, Dominguez Hills took immediate charge of the contest, building an early 16-6 advantage. A 3-pointer by Bowen and a pair of free throws by Tyler Prange kept the Wildcats close, and the Toros had to be content with a 19-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
Chico State played even with Dominguez Hills through the first five minutes of the second period, with Stokes and Sammy DeHart providing big points off the bench for the 'Cats. The Wildcats trailed 25-18 before the Toros went on a 10-4 run to close out the period and go into halftime up 35-22.
 
The game officially went south for the Wildcats in the third quarter, as Chico State produced just five points and missed 12 straight shots in the period until Sherise Porchia delivered a layup with just 19 seconds remaining. The 'Cats also committed nine turnovers in the quarter, which translated into some easy Dominguez Hills baskets and a hefty 51-27 Toros' lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
To their credit, the Wildcats didn't throw in the towel. They played the Toros tough in the final 10-minute stanza, outscoring Dominguez Hills 22-18. Chico State shot 8-for-13 in the period, with Stokes delivering three buckets and Barker and Haley Cremen converting two apiece. It wasn't nearly enough, though, to keep the Toros from rolling to the 69-49 victory and a sweep of the season series.
 
The Wildcats wrap up the 2015-16 campaign Saturday in Southern California, where they get to play the possible role of spoiler against Cal State L.A. The Golden Eagles (9-16, 7-12 CCAA) are battling San Francisco State for the eighth and final CCAA Championship Tournament berth, and if the 'Cats can come up with a road win to end the season it would damage Cal State L.A.'s postseason aspirations considerably. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.