Four Score in Double Figures, CSUN Takes Opener with UC Davis, 80-77

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---TJ Starks scored a team-high 18 points and Darius Brown II tallied 15 points as CSUN Men's Basketball (7-7, 3-4 Big West) held off UC Davis for an 80-77 win on Friday at The Matadome. Starks was 9-of-11 from the free throw line while he registered four assists and three steals. Brown II added six assists and three steals to go with 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range. CSUN held a double-digit lead in the second half before a late run by the Aggies cut the lead to two but a timely basket from Brown II and a key stop in the final seconds gave the series opener to the Matadors.

Vante Hendrix tied a season-best in points with 14 on 4-of-5 shooting while Festus Ndumanya chipped in with 11 points in a reserve role.

CSUN shot a season-high 51.0 percent from the field and made 8-of-18 from 3-point range (44.4 percent). The Aggies finished with an even 50.0 shooting percentage but struggled from downtown, making 3-of-16 3-point shots (18.8 percent). The teams combined to shoot 63 free throws in the game with UC Davis going 26-of-30 (86.7 percent) and CSUN converting on 22-of-33 (66.7 percent). UC Davis out-rebounded CSUN 32-22 but the Matadors had the edge in points of turnovers (19-13).

FIRST HALF
The first half would see 14 lead changes in a back-and-forth 20 minutes. The Aggies jumped out to a 10-4 lead after the first five minutes but the Matadors responded with an 11-2 run, helped by two 3-pointers from Atin Wright. After the Matadors' flurry, neither side led by more than four points for the remainder of the half. Brown II led the Matadors in scoring in the half with eight points on a perfect shooting effort as he made all three of his field goals and both of his free throws.

The seesaw battled continued in the period as Caleb Fuller gave the Aggies a one-point lead with a layup before Brown II sank a 3-pointer to give the Matadors a 25-23 edge on the ensuing possession. Fuller scored the next four Aggie points but the Matadors responded with a 6-0 run to take a 31-27 lead. Elijah Pepper would give UC Davis its final lead of the half at 32-31 with 2:41 on the clock. CSUN kept the Aggies off the scoreboard for the remainder of the half while it scored the final five points to take a 36-32 lead. Ndumanya closed the half with a late bucket off an assist from Alex Merkviladze.

SECOND HALF
The game remained close in the early stages of the second half until a 16-3 CSUN run stretched the lead from one to 14 at 54-40 with 11:34 on the clock. Starks led the Matadors offensively during the stretch, scoring 11 points while Hendrix knocked down a 3-pointer. Fuller would power the Aggies' offense with a huge half as he scored 19 of his game-high 30 points in the period. Five-straight points from Fuller followed by baskets from Elijah Pepper and BJ Shaw quickly trimmed the CSUN lead to eight at the midway mark of the half.

The Matadors' lead stood at 71-60 with 5:29 left to play before the Aggies made another push. A 6-0 run capped by free throws from Fuller trimmed the Matador lead to five. Merkviladze gave the Matadors a much-needed hoop at the 3:38 mark but the Aggies continued to find their way to the free throw line and convert as Fuller and Ezra Manjon cut the lead to 74-70. CSUN took a three-point lead into the final minute of play when a timely 3-pointer from Brown II near the end of the shot clock gave the Matadors a 78-72 edge. Fuller continued to hit key shots including a 3-pointer and two late free throws that brought the Aggies to within 79-77. Starks split two free throws with six seconds left and the Matadors held firm defensively on the final play, not allowing the Aggies to get a shot up as the final horn sounded.

GAME NOTES
Brown II and Ndumanya finished 4-of-5 from the field on Friday while Ron Artest III made 3-of-4 field goals for six points. Off the bench, Fidelis Okereke had four points and four rebounds in 19 minutes before fouling out. Atin Wright chipped in with six points on 2-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

For the Aggies, Fuller scored 30 points on 7-of-11 field goals and 15-of-17 shooting from the free throw line. Manjon added 19 points.

ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH MARK GOTTFRIED
"If we make shots at the end of the game and defend without fouling and putting them at the line at the end of the game, then we probably win the game by a bigger margin. Their foul shooting kept the game close for them. Overall, our guys played hard, we had a lot of guys not practice this week. I thought they stepped up and played and did a nice job. Fidelis came in and did a nice job, Festus did a good job and a lot of guys stepped up and made nice plays."

UP NEXT
CSUN goes for the season sweep of UC Davis on Saturday when the teams meet again inside The Matadome. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. on BigWest.TV with Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister on the call.

Matador fans can tune in for a virtual pre-game event starting 30 minutes before tomorrow's game. Fans will have the opportunity to get a live look at warm-ups, a performance from the CSUN Dance Team, hear from a member of the Matadors' coaching staff and catch up with a men's basketball alum. To watch the virtual pre-game event, click here.

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Team Stats

TJ Starks

Darius Brown II

Vante Hendrix

Festus Ndumanya

Players Mentioned

Ron Artest III

Darius Brown II

Vante Hendrix

Alex Merkviladze

Festus Ndumanya

Fidelis Okereke

TJ Starks

Atin Wright