Sacramento State Edges CSUN, 66-61

Tuesday, December 19

Sacramento, CA

7:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

1-10

Sacramento State

3-8

CSUN

Sacramento State

Sacramento State Edges CSUN, 66-61

12/19/2017 10:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

SACRAMENTO, Calif.---A late 9-2 Sacramento State run proved to be the difference in CSUN's Men's Basketball's 66-61 defeat on Tuesday evening at the Nest. Tavrion Dawson led all Matador scorers with 14 to go with seven rebounds and two assists while Micheal Warren finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Leading by a pair with 4:24 left to play, the Matadors would go into a slump from the field, giving the Hornets an opportunity to take control down the stretch.

"This is a game we could have won and should have won," said head coach Reggie Theus. "Toughness wins on the road. We committed two turnovers down the stretch and we only shot five free throws. That costed us the game.

"I put a challenge out to our guys that if they don't come out with the right frame of mind, they make mistakes defensively, they don't have the right energy or they take a bad shot, they're coming out of the game," continued Theus about his decision to take out his starters early. "The non-starters have been playing hard and practicing hard, and I told them that if they play hard and together, and play well defensively, I'll put them in the game. Two games in row they have brought energy and focus. The starters came in after that and played much better."

CSUN's bench scored a season-high 22 points compared to the Hornet reserves who finished with 10 points. The Matadors shot 42.4 percent for the night while Sacramento State shot 40.0 percent. From the free throw line, the Hornets knocked down 14-of-21 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line. CSUN shot 80.0 percent from the charity stripe but only attempted five for the night, making four. A total of 10 lead changes occurred in the game.

The Matadors got off to a slow start in the first half as they connected on two of their first 10 shots to fall into an early 10-5 hole. Following a media timeout, Theus went to his bench and called on five substitutions. The bench brought the Matadors energy as Carl Brown promptly hit a 3-point shot at the 12:17 mark. On the next CSUN possession, Zeno Lake scored inside and Anthony Swan later brought CSUN closer with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 14-13. Jalon Pipkins knocked down yet another 3-pointer to bring CSUN within 18-16.

The Hornets though remained in front. Scoring leader Justin Strings scored 12 points in the first half. Strings capped off a 9-3 Hornet run with a layup to push the lead to 30-21 at the 5:05 mark.

With 2:24 left to play and the Matadors down nine, CSUN flipped the script and closed the half with an 8-0 spurt to close the gap. Warren scored five-straight points during the stretch and Jonathan Guevara hit a late 3-pointer to bring CSUN within 35-34 at the half.

Dawson came out strong in the second half, scoring the team's first six points to give CSUN its first lead of the game. His assist also to a streaking Reggie Theus Jr. put CSUN ahead 42-41.

The Hornets would surge back in front with six-straight points before the Matadors registered seven of their own moments later to take their biggest lead of 51-49 with 11:37 left to go. The teams traded leads down the stretch as Pipkins, Guevara and Warren each gave the Matadors separate leads. With 4:24 left to play, Gomez nailed a mid-range jumper to put the Matadors ahead 59-57.

The Gomez jumper would be the Matadors' last field goal for the game. Bryce Fowler evened the game with under four minutes to play and he later hit a 3-pointer late in the shot clock to give the Hornets the lead again. Dawson made two free throws to cut the deficit to 62-61 before Joshua Patton extended the lead to three with a slam dunk off an offensive rebound.

Looking for tie, the Matadors had solid looks from downtown in the final minute but CSUN missed three separate 3-pointers on the same possession. The Hornets would seal the game after two late free throws from Izayah Mauriohooho-Le'afa.

Five different Matador reserves scored in the contest. Guevara, Swan and Pipkins scored five apiece while Lake had four and Brown finished with three points.

CSUN returns to The Matadome on Saturday afternoon to host Idaho State and kick off a four-game homestand. Tip off is slated for 3 p.m.