California State University Northridge Athletics
Team Stats
PAC
CSUN
FG%
.431
.500
3FG%
.267
.444
FT%
.893
.679
RB
37
30
TO
13
16
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Photo by: Shae Hammond
Late Steal Sends Pacific Past CSUN, 79-77
12/16/2018 5:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---A costly Matador turnover with five seconds left, gave Pacific an opportunity to score the game-winning layup and beat CSUN Men's Basketball 79-77 on Sunday afternoon at The Matadome. Freshman Lamine Diane led the Matadors in scoring with 23 points to go with eight rebounds and four blocked shots while junior Rodney Henderson Jr. returned to the lineup and poured in 17 points including a 5-for-5 effort from 3-point range. CSUN led 77-74 with less than a minute to play but the Tigers scored the final five points to pick up the win.
"The number one thing is you have to be able to finish the game and we didn't finish it," said head coach Mark Gottfried. "We have to keep our heads up and we've got to bounce back. We have a lot of games left to play. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot to show for tonight. I thought our guys played hard, they played well at times and we've just got to finish the game a little better."
CSUN shot an even 50.0 percent from the field, knocking down 8-of-18 from 3-point range (44.4 percent). On the flip side, the Tigers were held to 43.1 percent shooting and 26.7 percent shooting from downtown (4-for-15). However, the Tigers would hit 25-of-28 from the free throw line (89.3 percent) while the Matadors went 19-for-28 (67.9 percent) for the night. Pacific also out-rebounded CSUN 37-30.
In a game with 10 leads changes and 10 ties, the teams went back-and-forth until the final buzzer. The Tigers build an 18-11 lead after a 10-3 run near the 12-minute mark but the Matadors would have an answer. Diane helped lead the comeback charge with 13 first-half points. In one-stretch, Diane scored eight-straight points to help cut the lead to 33-32 with 3:27 left to play.
Moments later, Darius Brown II knocked down a 3-pointer to even the game at 35-35. Brown briefly gave the Matadors a two-point lead on a pair of free throws but the Tigers roared back with five-straight points to lead by three. After Brown brought the Matadors two points closer, Elijah Harkless would hit a late free throw to square the game at 40-40 at halftime.
In the second half, the Matadors led for most of the way as Terrell Gomez hit the first shot of the period from downtown. Diane continued to give the Tigers' defenders fits as his bucket at the 14:21 mark gave the Matadors a 52-48 edge. Henderson Jr. caught fire in the second half, hitting four 3-pointers including on consecutive possessions to push the lead to six. The Matadors would eventually take a 63-54 lead after a technical foul was called on Tigers' head coach Damon Stoudamire.
Ahead by its biggest margin, CSUN would go cold from the field, making just one shot for over six minutes. Roberto Gallinat knocked down a 3-pointer to even the game at 65-65, and he later put his team up four, capping off a 15-2 run. Henderson Jr. finally broke the dry spell with seven-straight points. He hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, then he converted on a four-point play that put the Matadors in front 75-72.
The Matadors led by a point with a minute to play before Brown drove to the rim and scored a layup to make it a 77-74 game. However, the Matadors committed a costly foul on a 3-point shot attempt, giving Gallinat a chance to tie the score. CSUN had possession in the final seconds but Brandon McGhee swiped the ball from Brown and found Gallinat for a layup with two seconds left. Brown fired one last shot from near halfcourt as the buzzer sounded, coming up short, giving the Tigers the win.
Brown posted 11 points and seven assists in the game while Gomez added 11 points. Making his return to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 3, Harkless chipped in with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting.
For the Tigers, Anthony Townes had a game-high 24 points while Gallinat finished with 22 including going 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
The Matadors hit the road next week for a Wednesday meeting with New Mexico State. Tip off is slated for 6 p.m. PST.
Â
"The number one thing is you have to be able to finish the game and we didn't finish it," said head coach Mark Gottfried. "We have to keep our heads up and we've got to bounce back. We have a lot of games left to play. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot to show for tonight. I thought our guys played hard, they played well at times and we've just got to finish the game a little better."
CSUN shot an even 50.0 percent from the field, knocking down 8-of-18 from 3-point range (44.4 percent). On the flip side, the Tigers were held to 43.1 percent shooting and 26.7 percent shooting from downtown (4-for-15). However, the Tigers would hit 25-of-28 from the free throw line (89.3 percent) while the Matadors went 19-for-28 (67.9 percent) for the night. Pacific also out-rebounded CSUN 37-30.
In a game with 10 leads changes and 10 ties, the teams went back-and-forth until the final buzzer. The Tigers build an 18-11 lead after a 10-3 run near the 12-minute mark but the Matadors would have an answer. Diane helped lead the comeback charge with 13 first-half points. In one-stretch, Diane scored eight-straight points to help cut the lead to 33-32 with 3:27 left to play.
Moments later, Darius Brown II knocked down a 3-pointer to even the game at 35-35. Brown briefly gave the Matadors a two-point lead on a pair of free throws but the Tigers roared back with five-straight points to lead by three. After Brown brought the Matadors two points closer, Elijah Harkless would hit a late free throw to square the game at 40-40 at halftime.
In the second half, the Matadors led for most of the way as Terrell Gomez hit the first shot of the period from downtown. Diane continued to give the Tigers' defenders fits as his bucket at the 14:21 mark gave the Matadors a 52-48 edge. Henderson Jr. caught fire in the second half, hitting four 3-pointers including on consecutive possessions to push the lead to six. The Matadors would eventually take a 63-54 lead after a technical foul was called on Tigers' head coach Damon Stoudamire.
Ahead by its biggest margin, CSUN would go cold from the field, making just one shot for over six minutes. Roberto Gallinat knocked down a 3-pointer to even the game at 65-65, and he later put his team up four, capping off a 15-2 run. Henderson Jr. finally broke the dry spell with seven-straight points. He hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, then he converted on a four-point play that put the Matadors in front 75-72.
The Matadors led by a point with a minute to play before Brown drove to the rim and scored a layup to make it a 77-74 game. However, the Matadors committed a costly foul on a 3-point shot attempt, giving Gallinat a chance to tie the score. CSUN had possession in the final seconds but Brandon McGhee swiped the ball from Brown and found Gallinat for a layup with two seconds left. Brown fired one last shot from near halfcourt as the buzzer sounded, coming up short, giving the Tigers the win.
Brown posted 11 points and seven assists in the game while Gomez added 11 points. Making his return to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 3, Harkless chipped in with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting.
For the Tigers, Anthony Townes had a game-high 24 points while Gallinat finished with 22 including going 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
The Matadors hit the road next week for a Wednesday meeting with New Mexico State. Tip off is slated for 6 p.m. PST.
Â
2026 CSUN Athletics Giving Day
Friday, February 13
2026 CSUN Men's Volleyball Hype Video
Saturday, January 24
2025 CSUN Women's Volleyball Hype Video
Thursday, December 11
2025-26 CSUN Men's Basketball Hype Video
Thursday, December 11











