UC Riverside Withstands CSUN Comeback to Slide by the Matadors, 75-72

PDF Box Score

En Español

Los Angeles, CA – The CSUN Matadors (6-12, 1-3 BWC) narrowly lost to the UC Riverside Highlanders (10-10, 1-3 BWC) Saturday night on The Blacktop @ The Matadome, 72-75. In the second game of an In-N-Out Doubleheader with the CSUN women's team, the Matadors held their own until the final seconds, when a comeback and final push weren't enough to slip by the Highlanders.

Junior Kendall Smith scored 17 points to lead the team on the night, and he was joined in double-figure scoring by senior Tre Hale-Edmerson (13 points), sophomore Micheal Warren (12) and sophomore Jerron WIlbut (11). Smith was 8-for-10 at the free throw line and also added four assists and Hale-Edmerson led the team with nine rebounds on the night.

With the start tonight, Hale-Edmerson moved into sole possession of the number two spot on CSUN's all-time games started list (112). He also moved onto the all-time games played list (117, T-9th) for the first time and moved up to seventh on the career minutes list (3,137).

"Thinking about the game off the top, I can't put my finger on any specific thing that was going on on the floor that we weren't doing. The thing for me was toughness," said Head Coach Reggie Theus. "We just have to keep working and keep battling…when the game's close like that it's always about little things.

"You're doing something right if, when you go on the road, the team has to beat you at the buzzer," Theus continued. "The character of the team is solid; we just have to do the hard things - the grimy things - when the game's on the line."

The game got off to an even start with the Highlanders staying slightly ahead through the first 11 minutes, until a 3-point play by Warren tied the game at 13. After that, the Highlanders pulled away and maintained a small lead, with the score 31-36 at the half. Warren led the Matadors with eight points and four rebounds in the first half, while Hale-Edmerson and sophomore Tavrion Dawson added six points apiece.

Junior Aaron Parks started things off for the CSUN offense in the second half with a layup, and two free throws by Smith and a layup by Warren put the Matadors within one, 37-38, about two minutes in. The game stayed close with the Matadors pulling within one twice more before the Highlanders widened the lead to as much as 10 with eight minutes to play.

Wilbut hit two key 3s to put the Matadors back within striking distance and another huge 3 by Hale-Edmerson tied the game at 67 with around three minutes to go.

Wilbut then continued the trend with another long ball and the Matadors had their first lead of the night with 2:07 to go, 70-68.

A basket by the Highlanders evened the game with a minute left on the clock and back-and-forths with free throws had UC Riverside up by three with 12 seconds to play. The Matadors called a timeout to solidify their strategy, but couldn't get the ball to the rim in the final seconds and lost by just a basket.

CSUN shot evenly with the Highlanders, 40 percent compared to 43, and scored the exact same number of points in the paint (30). UC Riverside had the Matadors beat with points off of turnovers (19 to 13) and outrebounded CSUN by nine. Otherwise, the Matadors bested the Highlanders at the free throw line (83 percent compared to 70) and on fast break points (eight to two).

Senior Jaylen Bland scored 24 points to lead UC Riverside, with seven baskets coming from beyond the 3-point arc. Senior Taylor Johns added 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

The Matadors continue their homestand with a game against Cal Poly in The Matadome on Thursday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN3. They then travel to Santa Barbara to play the Gauchos on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 4:00 p.m.

PHOTOS:

(1/17/2016) 011616 MBB vs. UC Riverside

UC Riverside Withstands CSUN Comeback to Slide by the Matadors, 75-72

Next Event

Team Stats

Kendall Smith

Tre Hale-Edmerson

Micheal Warren

Jerron Wilbut

Players Mentioned

Tavrion Dawson

Tre Hale-Edmerson

Aaron Parks

Kendall Smith

Micheal Warren