Matadors Fall in the Final Seconds to Bethesda

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Daniel Estes made a three-point play with 38 seconds left to play to help lift Bethesda past CSUN 82-80 on Wednesday at The Matadome. Elijah Hardy scored a career-high 27 points and would make 7-of-13 from 3-point range while Darius Beane added 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Atin Wright chipped in with 12 points and six assists and Christian Gray posted 10 points and nine rebounds. CSUN rallied from 13 points down to take a late lead but it would not be enough to pull out the win.

The Flames shot 42.1 percent for the game while the Matadors finished with a 41.1 shooting percentage. Bethesda made 12-of-35 from 3-point range (34.3 percent) compared to CSUN, which made 9-of-30 (30.0 percent). At the free throw line, CSUN connected on 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) while Bethesda hit 6-of-8 (75.0 percent). In the rebounding department, the Matadors had a slight advantage at 46-45.

GAME BREAKDOWN
The Matadors got off to a slow start, missing their first eight shots as the Flames stormed out to an 8-0 lead. Atin Wright finally put the Matadors on the scoreboard at the 15:51 mark of the first half but the Flames would build a double-digit lead in the stanza. Bethesda attempted 20 3-point shots in the first half, making six while the Matadors shot just 38.2 percent in the period.

Hardy gave the Matadors much needed life in the first half, tallying 16 of his 27 points. The 6-1 guard made his first four 3-pointers and helped CSUN pull to within 33-28 with 4:40 left to play. However, Bethesda would increase its lead back to double digits following an 11-2 run near the end of the half. CSUN closed the period with four-straight points but looked up at a 44-35 deficit at intermission.

CSUN continued its run with four consecutive points to start the second half to cut the lead to 44-39 but Josiah Woods knocked down a 3-pointer to slow the Matador momentum. Woods scored 15 of his team-high 26 points in the second half and finished with seven 3-point makes. The Matadors closed to within three with 13:35 to play before Woods hit another 3-pointer for Bethesda.

The Matadors though continued to fight down the stretch, looking to close the gap. Beane gave the Matadors offense off the bench, scoring all of his 13 points in the second half. After Beane hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, Hardy gave CSUN its first lead with 2:32 left to play with a trey of his own, which closed a 15-6 run. The teams traded leads in the closing moments of the game as Woods gave Bethesda a lead on a 3-pointer only to have Hardy put CSUN back in front with another 3-point shot.

The Matadors led 80-79 in the final minute but Estes converted on a 3-point play in the lane. Hardy and Wright missed 3-point shots late in regulation before the Matadors received one last shot when Fidelis Okereke was fouled with less than one second to play. Okereke though missed the first free throw and missed the second intentionally but the Matadors were unable to secure an offensive rebound after a lane violation, clinching a Bethesda win.

GAME NOTES
Hardy's nine field goals made and seven 3-pointers were both career highs. He also added five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Okereke chipped in with seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks for CSUN.

For Bethesda, Woods finished with 26 points while Sam Skipper scored 18 points and Estes had 15 points and 14 rebounds.

ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"I don't want to take anything away from Bethesda. Every loose ball, every offensive rebound, every defensive rebound, every hustle play they made, which speaks volumes of us not being ready to compete. The bottom line is they outworked us."

UP NEXT
CSUN takes a week off before starting Big West Conference play at UC Irvine on Dec. 30. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

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Team Stats

Elijah Hardy

Darius Beane

Atin Wright

Christian Gray

Players Mentioned

Darius Beane

Christian Gray

Elijah Hardy

Fidelis Okereke

Atin Wright