Friday, February 26
Bakersfield, Calif.
7:00 pm
California State University at Northridge
8-10, 4-7BWC
58
at
84
CSU Bakersfield
15-9, 9-6BWC
1
2
F
CSUN
22
36
58
CSU Bakersfield
47
37
84
Team Stats
CSUN
CSUB
FG%
.390
.545
3FG%
.286
.360
FT%
.750
1.000
RB
31
36
TO
14
8
STL
5
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
4
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Heidi Eligio
Matadors Drop Opener at CSU Bakersfield
2/26/2021 9:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (8-10, 4-7 Big West) could not overcome a rough first half as the Matadors dropped their series opener at CSU Bakersfield, 84-58, on Friday night at the Icardo Center. TJ Starks scored a game-high 27 points on 12-of-20 shooting while Alex Merkviladze added eight points and six rebounds. The Matadors trimmed a 28-point deficit to 12 points near the midway point of the second half but the Roadrunners pulled away down the stretch to take game one.
The Matadors shot 39.0 percent for the night and made 6-of-21 shots from 3-point range (28.6 percent). CSUN also converted on 6-of-8 attempts at the free throw line. CSUB would shoot 54.5 percent for the game and knock down 9-of-25 shots from downtown (36.0 percent). The Roadrunners had the edge in rebounds, 36-31, and points in the paint, 44-28, in the contest.
FIRST HALF
The Roadrunners blitzed the Matadors at the outset of the game, scoring the game's first seven points. CSUN committed two turnovers to start the half before Starks put the Matadors on the scoreboard with a jumper at the 18:22 mark. Starks would make his first four field goals to kick off the game and his layup with 14 minutes to play cut the CSUB lead to 13-9. Merkviladze brought CSUN even closer with a jumper on the Matadors' next possession.
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With CSUB's lead down to two, Shaun Williams and Taze Moore knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to quickly extend the lead to eight. Merkviladze drained a 3-pointer with 10:31 left to play to bring CSUN to within 23-17 but the Roadrunners took control from that point on to close the half. CSUB orchestrated a 12-2 run, capped by back-to-back baskets from Justin McCall. The lead swelled to 22 points following a 3-pointer from De'Monte Buckingham with under two minutes on the clock. McCall wrapped up the half with a 3-point play, which would close a 24-5 Roadrunner run. In the period, CSUB shot 63.6 percent from the field while CSUN shot just 32.1 percent.
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SECOND HALF
The Matadors flipped the script with a spirited second-half start to cut into the big 'Runner lead. After a 3-pointer from Williams, the Matadors went on to score on eight consecutive possessions. In an 18-2 CSUN run, Starks scored nine points including a 3-pointer to make it a 50-35 game. Fidelis Okereke would bring CSUN even closer on a dunk and Amound Anderson drilled a 3-pointer to cut the CSUB lead to 52-40 with 13:24 on the clock. After four-straight Roadrunner points, CSUN went on a 6-2 run, capped by an Atin Wright bucket to again trim the deficit to 12 points (58-46).
Buckingham collected a timely 3-pointer with 9:03 on the clock and added another basket two minutes later to cap a CSUB 7-0 run. Moments later, Williams would drill two-straight baskets from 3-point range that put the Matadors in a 71-49 hole. A CSUN comeback was not in the cards down the stretch as the 'Runners extended their lead to many as 28 points in the final minute of play.
GAME NOTES
Off the bench, Anderson tallied six points, four assists, three rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes. Okereke added six rebounds and three points. Darius Brown II dished out five assists and recorded three steals to go with four points. With his 27 points on Friday, Starks has now scored 993 career points.
For CSUB, five scored in double figures led by Williams' 19 points. McCall and Moore added 13 points apiece.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH MARK GOTTFRIED
"Well, number one, they were terrific in the first half. My goodness, they made every shot. They were more physical than we were, it took our guys a minute to get a grasp of how physical they played. We came back in the second half, I thought we played pretty well. But in the first half, we got into too big a hole. We got it down to 12 one time, we're knocking on the door, and I thought we ran out of gas a little bit there. They are a good team. They look like an older, bigger, stronger team than us in just about every position on the floor. We've got to get regrouped, get back here tomorrow and see if we could do a better job."
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UP NEXT
CSUN looks to split the season series with CSU Bakersfield on Saturday night. Tip-off for game two is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN3. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister are on the call in an audio broadcast at GoMatadors.com/Radio beginning at 6:50 p.m.
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#UniteTheValley
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The Matadors shot 39.0 percent for the night and made 6-of-21 shots from 3-point range (28.6 percent). CSUN also converted on 6-of-8 attempts at the free throw line. CSUB would shoot 54.5 percent for the game and knock down 9-of-25 shots from downtown (36.0 percent). The Roadrunners had the edge in rebounds, 36-31, and points in the paint, 44-28, in the contest.
FIRST HALF
The Roadrunners blitzed the Matadors at the outset of the game, scoring the game's first seven points. CSUN committed two turnovers to start the half before Starks put the Matadors on the scoreboard with a jumper at the 18:22 mark. Starks would make his first four field goals to kick off the game and his layup with 14 minutes to play cut the CSUB lead to 13-9. Merkviladze brought CSUN even closer with a jumper on the Matadors' next possession.
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With CSUB's lead down to two, Shaun Williams and Taze Moore knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to quickly extend the lead to eight. Merkviladze drained a 3-pointer with 10:31 left to play to bring CSUN to within 23-17 but the Roadrunners took control from that point on to close the half. CSUB orchestrated a 12-2 run, capped by back-to-back baskets from Justin McCall. The lead swelled to 22 points following a 3-pointer from De'Monte Buckingham with under two minutes on the clock. McCall wrapped up the half with a 3-point play, which would close a 24-5 Roadrunner run. In the period, CSUB shot 63.6 percent from the field while CSUN shot just 32.1 percent.
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SECOND HALF
The Matadors flipped the script with a spirited second-half start to cut into the big 'Runner lead. After a 3-pointer from Williams, the Matadors went on to score on eight consecutive possessions. In an 18-2 CSUN run, Starks scored nine points including a 3-pointer to make it a 50-35 game. Fidelis Okereke would bring CSUN even closer on a dunk and Amound Anderson drilled a 3-pointer to cut the CSUB lead to 52-40 with 13:24 on the clock. After four-straight Roadrunner points, CSUN went on a 6-2 run, capped by an Atin Wright bucket to again trim the deficit to 12 points (58-46).
Buckingham collected a timely 3-pointer with 9:03 on the clock and added another basket two minutes later to cap a CSUB 7-0 run. Moments later, Williams would drill two-straight baskets from 3-point range that put the Matadors in a 71-49 hole. A CSUN comeback was not in the cards down the stretch as the 'Runners extended their lead to many as 28 points in the final minute of play.
GAME NOTES
Off the bench, Anderson tallied six points, four assists, three rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes. Okereke added six rebounds and three points. Darius Brown II dished out five assists and recorded three steals to go with four points. With his 27 points on Friday, Starks has now scored 993 career points.
For CSUB, five scored in double figures led by Williams' 19 points. McCall and Moore added 13 points apiece.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH MARK GOTTFRIED
"Well, number one, they were terrific in the first half. My goodness, they made every shot. They were more physical than we were, it took our guys a minute to get a grasp of how physical they played. We came back in the second half, I thought we played pretty well. But in the first half, we got into too big a hole. We got it down to 12 one time, we're knocking on the door, and I thought we ran out of gas a little bit there. They are a good team. They look like an older, bigger, stronger team than us in just about every position on the floor. We've got to get regrouped, get back here tomorrow and see if we could do a better job."
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UP NEXT
CSUN looks to split the season series with CSU Bakersfield on Saturday night. Tip-off for game two is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN3. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister are on the call in an audio broadcast at GoMatadors.com/Radio beginning at 6:50 p.m.
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#UniteTheValley
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