CSUN's Rally Falls Short Against UCSB

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (6-22, 3-12 BWC) dug a 19-point hole to UC Santa Barbara before cutting the lead to five in the second half, however the Gauchos pulled away down the stretch for a 82-73 victory on Saturday evening at The Matadome. Tavrion Dawson just missed a double-double, finishing with a team-high 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Terrell Gomez registered 18 points and six assists while Lyrik Shreiner chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds.

"I told our guys that you play with that kind of energy and that kind of effort, and you get the game to five and have a chance to win the game, there's nothing negative you could say about anything in terms of how we played tonight other than the fact that we started off the game shooting poorly," said head coach Reggie Theus. "33 percent [shooting] in the first half is what really dug is in the hole. When you look at this game, it was really about the fact that we played hard, and [despite] being in the situation we're in, they showed no quit."

The Gauchos shot 58.5 percent from the field including 60.0 percent in the second half while the Matadors shot an impressive 62.1 percent in the second half as they finished with a 46.8 percentage for the game. UCSB knocked down 11 3-pointers (on 22 attempts) compared to CSUN's 9-for-25 shooting from 3-point range. The Gauchos also out-rebounded CSUN 35-26.

After the Gauchos made the first shot of the game, Carl Brown knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Matadors the 3-2 lead. The lead, however, would be the team's only advantage of the night. UCSB went on a 9-0 run to take a 11-3 lead near the 15:58 mark. The Big West leader in points per game, Max Heidegger hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to double-digits (19-8).

The Matadors trimmed the deficit to 21-15 after a 7-2 spurt, capped off by a trey from Gomez. The Gauchos though would not let the Matadors get any closer in the half as they took control near the midway mark of the period. A 10-4 run including back-to-back jumpers from Leland King II quickly gave the Gauchos a 35-21 lead. Marcus Jackson would push the lead to 16 points at the 1:34 mark but Gomez hit the final shot of the half to pull CSUN to within 39-25 at intermission.

In the second half, Brown converted on an old-fashioned 3-point play and Reggie Theus Jr. hit a free throw that trimmed the deficit to 42-31. The Gauchos though answered with an 8-0 run, punctuated by consecutive treys from Gabe Vincent, to lead 50-31 at the 16:33 mark.

Despite the large hill to climb, the Matadors continued to keep fighting. Five-straight CSUN points quickly cut the lead to 14. Gomez later knocked down a 3-pointer, bringing CSUN to within 56-45. Off the bench, the Matadors received a spark from Blair Orr who came into the game and quickly knocked down a jumper. The Matadors then cut the lead to 56-49 on a reverse layup from Orr.

After King II pushed the lead to 61-52, Orr scored again on a driving layup, and Shreiner later scored down low make it a 61-56 game. Theus Jr. would also throw down an emphatic dunk during the stretch.

However, UCSB would make the key plays in the final minutes. Jackson connected from downtown on a key possession, making it a 69-59 game at the 3:36 mark. Vincent also knocked down a 3-pointer, and King II stretched the lead back to 10 on a jumper from mid-range. Dawson cut the lead to seven in the final minute but it would not be enough as the Gauchos held on for the win.

In 10 minutes of action, Orr scored a career-high six points on Saturday to go with three rebounds and a block.

"[Blair Orr] had a really impactful 10 minutes," said Theus. "It's the second game in a row, he's changed the momentum of the game. Blair is bringing savvy, toughness and effort. I'm sure he probably thinks he played 30-40 minutes himself. I'm happy to see a guy who is consistent with his effort, his attitude, his character. He never complains, never says much, and when you call him he's ready to go. And I respect that."

With the loss, and UC Riverside's (3-11) defeat at UC Davis on Saturday, the Matadors are still a half game behind for the final postseason spot for the Big West Tournament. The Highlanders have the tiebreaker by virtue of a victory over Cal State Fullerton. CSUN could wipe away that tiebreaker with a win over the Titans on Wednesday. UCR's remaning games this season include Cal Poly (4-10) and Long Beach State (7-6).

The Matadors conclude their regular season schedule with Cal State Fullerton next Wednesday at The Matadome. The team will celebrate Senior Night by honoring its senior class in a special ceremony. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN3.

CSUN's Rally Falls Short Against UCSB

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Team Stats

Tavrion Dawson

Terrell Gomez

Lyrik Shreiner

Carl Brown

Players Mentioned

Carl Brown

Tavrion Dawson

Terrell Gomez

Blair Orr

Lyrik Shreiner

Reggie Theus Jr.