Matadors Power Past Montana State in Radisson Thanksgiving Classic

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. ---Ashlee Guay scored 20 of her 24 points in the second half to help lead the CSUN women's baskteball team (5-0) to a 78-66 victory over Montana State in both teams' opening game of the 2014 Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Classic Friday afternoon. Trailing at the half, the Matadors out-scored the Bobcats 45-29 in the second half and Caroline Gilling helped CSUN pull away with a pair of later 3-pointers.

The victory over Montana State, CSUN's first against the Bobcats since 2000, sets up CSUN to face Texas Southern in the Championship game on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 2:30 p.m. IUPUI and Montana State will play in the consolation game at noon.

The Matadors' win Friday was a tale of two halves. In the first, Montana State shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from the field and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to take a 37-33 lead into halftime. It marked the first time this season that CSUN trailed after 20 minutes.

Conversely, CSUN managed a 33 percent (14-of-42) rate from the field in the first half. Janae Sharpe scored 11 points in the first half to keep the Matadors in the game.

In the second half, CSUN came out with much more energy and aggression. Guay was nearly unstoppable, finishing 8-of-14 from the field. She finished the game with a game-high 24 points and added three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 34 minutes.

"I realized I was not helping my team in the first half, so I needed to step it up. At halftime, Coach Flowers told us that we needed to start playing our game and not get on an island," Guay said. "We all came out and did better in the second half, not just me."

Trailing 46-42 with 16:07 left in the contest, the Matadors reeled off a 15-4 run that gave them the lead for good. Gilling, who finished with a career-high nine points, connected from downtown at 3:02 and 2:28 of the second half to help close out the game. She added a career-high five rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes off the bench.

"It felt good to finally be able to hit some 3-pointers. It really helped the team get the victory and that is something that makes me happy," Gilling said. "In the second, we were much more aggressive."

Camille Mahlknecht also had a strong second half for the Matadors. After going 1-for-3 with two points and a rebound in the first half, she totaled 13 boards, seven points and six blocked shots in the second half. She now has 241 career blocks, the seventh-most in Big West Conference history and two shy of tying for sixth with former UCSB Gaucho Lindsay Taylor.

Sharpe wound up as CSUN's second-leading scorer Friday, posting 15 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Cinnamon Lister was the third Matador to finish in double figures, scoring 11 points to go with four rebounds.

Jasmine Hommes was a force inside for Montana State all night. She had 12 of her 18 points in the first half and added three rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Alexa Dawkins added 12 and Kalli Durham finished with 11 for the Bobcats.

In all, the Matadors out-rebounded the Bobcats 54-40, including 25 offensive rebounds. The Matadors posted a season-low seven assists in the game, but scored 22 points off 14 Montana State turnovers.

The victory moved CSUN to 5-0, which is the best start to a season for the Matadors since the 1982-83 team started the year 8-0.

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Team Stats

Ashlee Guay

Janae Sharpe

Cinnamon Lister

Camille Mahlknecht

Players Mentioned

Caroline Gilling

Camille Mahlknecht

Janae Sharpe