California State University at Northridge
3-7
Vanguard
3-1
CSUN Snaps Slide With 70-58 Win Over Vanguard
12/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -
Three CSUN players scored in double figures as the Matadors (3-7) defeated the Vanguard University Lions (3-1) in a non-conference game on Saturday night at The Matadome. Stephan Hicks scored 17 points, Devonte Elliott had a season-high 14 and Landon Drew added 11 as the Matadors put a stop to a five-game losing streak.
"The last five games have been very frustrating, but in order to get another win you have to get the first one," said CSUN head coach Reggie Theus. "This gets us back on the winning track. We have a day or two off, we'll get some rest and be back working at it hard."
The Matadors never trailed in the contest and got out to a quick start by scoring the first 12 points of the game. Elliott and Drew were responsible for the early surge and Drew's 3-pointer just over four minutes in forced Vanguard to call a timeout trailing 12-0.
"I thought we did a really good job defensively. Rebounding, we controlled the boards," said Theus. "There really wasn't anything in this game that I was concerned with except our own mental state of mind with everything that is going on around us."
CSUN led by as many as 15 points in the first half before a 21-10 run by the Lions cut the margin to four points with 1:22 to play. Hicks made a free throw that was followed by a Vanguard basket before Stephen Maxwell threw down a dunk to send the Matadors into halftime ahead 33-28.
A layup by Maxwell with 16:32 left in the game helped CSUN extend its lead to 10 points once more and Vanguard could not get closer than seven points the rest of the way. The game turned into a free-throw competition for a stretch after Hicks stole the ball under the basket and put in a layup with 6:24 to go.
Over the next three minutes neither team was able to score a basket until three minutes later when Taelin Webb drew a foul and made a driving layup in traffic. It would stand as the final bucket of the night for the Matadors, who made six free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
In addition to 17 points, Hicks brought down six rebounds and had three steals in his 100th career game with the Matadors. Elliott had a season high with nine rebounds to go with his 14 points and also notched three blocks and two steals. Drew had a pair of assists to his credit and two rebounds in 24 minutes.
"When my shot falls it gives me another level of confidence," said Elliott. "I know that when I shoot and if I struggle, my teammates are there to rebound and help me out with that. We are all in this together and we try to lift each other up each and every play."
Tre Hale-Edmerson finished the night with four points, a season-high 11 rebounds, four blocks and three steals in a game-high 37 minutes of action. Maxwell had nine points and eight rebounds while Aaron Parks scored eight points and had four rebounds.
The Matadors will take a week off from competition before traveling to Oregon to face the Ducks on December 17th. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.
