Friday, March 5
Northridge, Calif.
4:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
9-11, 5-8BWC
68
vs
72
UC Riverside
12-7, 7-4BWC
1
2
F
UC Riverside
39
33
72
CSUN
36
32
68
Team Stats
UCR
CSUN
FG%
.455
.413
3FG%
.400
.333
FT%
.714
.667
RB
36
37
TO
14
10
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Heidi Eligio
UC Riverside Outlasts CSUN, 72-68
3/5/2021 6:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (9-11, 5-8 Big West) took a two-point lead with two minutes to play but UC Riverside (12-7, 7-4 Big West) scored the game's final six points to defeat the Matadors 72-68 on Friday at The Matadome. TJ Starks led the way for CSUN with 19 points and six assists while Alex Merkviladze tallied 17 points and 13 rebounds. Fidelis Okereke scored a career-high 11 points and added seven rebounds.
The Matadors shot 41.3 percent for the game and made 6-of-18 from 3-point range (33.3 percent). CSUN also converted on 10-of-15 from the free throw line (66.7 percent). On the flip side, the Highlanders shot 45.5 percent from the field while UCR made 12-of-30 from beyond the 3-point arc (40.0 percent). CSUN edged UCR in the rebounding department, 37-36. In total, there were 10 ties and 12 lead changes in the contest.
FIRST HALF
Both teams struggled early in the first half as the Highlanders went 1-for-7 while the Matadors made 2-of-8 shots to begin the game. The Highlanders would surge ahead 13-8 after a 3-pointer from Will Tattersall. Merkviladze followed with a 3-pointer of his own on the ensuing possession. Okereke would get the Matador bench on their feet with an emphatic dunk despite a UCR foul to even the game at 15-15.
The game remained tight until UCR went on a 9-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Flynn Cameron, to take a 32-23 lead. Darius Brown II would score the Matadors' next five points to pull CSUN to within four. The Highlanders made seven from beyond the 3-point arc in the opening stanza including receiving a trey from George Willborn III that pushed the lead to seven. The Matadors would make a push in the final minutes of the half as an 8-2 run quickly closed the gap to one. Starks' layup with 1:09 made it a 37-36 game but the Highlanders received two late free throws from Zyon Pullin to take a 39-36 lead into the break.
SECOND HALF
Out of the intermission, Starks scored back-to-back jumpers and later found Amound Anderson on a 3-pointer to bring CSUN even at 43-43. Anderson would give CSUN its first lead of the second half on a driving layup with 14:21 left to play (48-47). Near the midway mark of the half, Pullin drained a 3-pointer but Brendan Harrick answered with a jumper to hand CSUN a one-point lead. The Matadors led 56-53 but went scoreless for three-plus minutes, giving the Highlanders a chance to reclaim the lead. Pullin wrapped up an 8-0 run with a 3-point basket to put UCR ahead 61-56.
Merkviladze ended the dry spell with a traditional 3-point play before Starks tied up the game at 61-61 on a free throw with 4:48 left to play. Moments later, Dominick Pickett knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Highlanders the lead but Brown II answered with a trey of his own to tie the game once more. The seesaw battle continued as Merkviladze pushed the Matadors in front on a layup only to see Jock Perry tie the game on a second-chance layup. Starks would give CSUN a 68-66 edge on a mid-range jumper but Pickett gave UCR the lead again at 69-68 on another 3-pointer.
CSUN would get three opportunities to take the lead in the closing minutes including attempts from Starks and Brown II but each shot went off the mark. Cameron drilled two free throws to extend the UCR advantage to 71-68. On the Matadors' final possession, CSUN committed a turnover in the backcourt. With a second to play, Willborn III made a free throw to ice the game for the Highlanders.
GAME NOTES
Friday's loss ensures the Matadors will open next week's Big West Tournament on Tuesday at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. CSUN would have to win four games in five days to win the conference tournament. The Matadors' seeding and first-round opponent in the tournament will be determined after Saturday's regular season finale.
Merkviladze recorded his second double-double of the season while he made 6-of-11 from the field. Brown II and Anderson also finished with eight points apiece. Miles Brookins returned to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 5 and played six minutes.
For the Highlanders, Pullin scored a team-high 17 points while Cameron added 14 points.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH MARK GOTTFRIED
"I thought we played really hard. Sometimes, in late-game situations like today, it comes down to making plays. Sometimes, it's experience or inexperience. We missed some foul shots and had enough chances. We had some things that we could have done a little differently. Pickett made the two threes, which were huge for them.
Our kids played really hard, we've just got to be a little better down the stretch. What happens in basketball and all sports, the little things kind of add up. Missed foul shots, or maybe a missed defensive assignment, or not executing exactly right. The kids played hard and we had enough chances but we didn't get it done."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up the regular season when it takes on UC Riverside again on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will air on BigWest.TV with Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister on the call.
#UniteTheValley
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The Matadors shot 41.3 percent for the game and made 6-of-18 from 3-point range (33.3 percent). CSUN also converted on 10-of-15 from the free throw line (66.7 percent). On the flip side, the Highlanders shot 45.5 percent from the field while UCR made 12-of-30 from beyond the 3-point arc (40.0 percent). CSUN edged UCR in the rebounding department, 37-36. In total, there were 10 ties and 12 lead changes in the contest.
FIRST HALF
Both teams struggled early in the first half as the Highlanders went 1-for-7 while the Matadors made 2-of-8 shots to begin the game. The Highlanders would surge ahead 13-8 after a 3-pointer from Will Tattersall. Merkviladze followed with a 3-pointer of his own on the ensuing possession. Okereke would get the Matador bench on their feet with an emphatic dunk despite a UCR foul to even the game at 15-15.
The game remained tight until UCR went on a 9-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Flynn Cameron, to take a 32-23 lead. Darius Brown II would score the Matadors' next five points to pull CSUN to within four. The Highlanders made seven from beyond the 3-point arc in the opening stanza including receiving a trey from George Willborn III that pushed the lead to seven. The Matadors would make a push in the final minutes of the half as an 8-2 run quickly closed the gap to one. Starks' layup with 1:09 made it a 37-36 game but the Highlanders received two late free throws from Zyon Pullin to take a 39-36 lead into the break.
SECOND HALF
Out of the intermission, Starks scored back-to-back jumpers and later found Amound Anderson on a 3-pointer to bring CSUN even at 43-43. Anderson would give CSUN its first lead of the second half on a driving layup with 14:21 left to play (48-47). Near the midway mark of the half, Pullin drained a 3-pointer but Brendan Harrick answered with a jumper to hand CSUN a one-point lead. The Matadors led 56-53 but went scoreless for three-plus minutes, giving the Highlanders a chance to reclaim the lead. Pullin wrapped up an 8-0 run with a 3-point basket to put UCR ahead 61-56.
Merkviladze ended the dry spell with a traditional 3-point play before Starks tied up the game at 61-61 on a free throw with 4:48 left to play. Moments later, Dominick Pickett knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Highlanders the lead but Brown II answered with a trey of his own to tie the game once more. The seesaw battle continued as Merkviladze pushed the Matadors in front on a layup only to see Jock Perry tie the game on a second-chance layup. Starks would give CSUN a 68-66 edge on a mid-range jumper but Pickett gave UCR the lead again at 69-68 on another 3-pointer.
CSUN would get three opportunities to take the lead in the closing minutes including attempts from Starks and Brown II but each shot went off the mark. Cameron drilled two free throws to extend the UCR advantage to 71-68. On the Matadors' final possession, CSUN committed a turnover in the backcourt. With a second to play, Willborn III made a free throw to ice the game for the Highlanders.
GAME NOTES
Friday's loss ensures the Matadors will open next week's Big West Tournament on Tuesday at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. CSUN would have to win four games in five days to win the conference tournament. The Matadors' seeding and first-round opponent in the tournament will be determined after Saturday's regular season finale.
Merkviladze recorded his second double-double of the season while he made 6-of-11 from the field. Brown II and Anderson also finished with eight points apiece. Miles Brookins returned to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 5 and played six minutes.
For the Highlanders, Pullin scored a team-high 17 points while Cameron added 14 points.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH MARK GOTTFRIED
"I thought we played really hard. Sometimes, in late-game situations like today, it comes down to making plays. Sometimes, it's experience or inexperience. We missed some foul shots and had enough chances. We had some things that we could have done a little differently. Pickett made the two threes, which were huge for them.
Our kids played really hard, we've just got to be a little better down the stretch. What happens in basketball and all sports, the little things kind of add up. Missed foul shots, or maybe a missed defensive assignment, or not executing exactly right. The kids played hard and we had enough chances but we didn't get it done."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up the regular season when it takes on UC Riverside again on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will air on BigWest.TV with Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister on the call.
#UniteTheValley
Â
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