Matadors Knock Off Cal Poly to Notch First Conference Win

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Onyi Eyisi scored a career-high 20 points to help CSUN (5-8, 1-0 Big West) defeat Cal Poly (3-9, 0-1 Big West) 68-55 in a conference game on Saturday at The Matadome. Elijah Hardy posted 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Kailen Rains and Atin Wright tallied 11 points apiece. After trailing at the half, the Matadors took the lead early in the second half and pulled away down the stretch for the win.

The Matadors shot an even 50.0 percent in the second half to finish with a 43.6 shooting percentage for the game. CSUN also made 8-of-21 from the 3-point range (38.1 percent) and hit 12-of-16 at the free throw line (75.0 percent). Cal Poly was held to 34.0 percent shooting and made 5-of-22 from 3-point range (22.7 percent). The Mustangs out-rebounded the Matadors 38-30.

GAME BREAKDOWN
CSUN made its first three shots to begin the game and would jump out to a 7-2 lead. After the strong start though, the Matadors missed their next seven attempts from the field while the Mustangs went on an 11-2 run to pull ahead by four points (13-9). Cal Poly maintained its lead throughout most of the first period behind 15 points from Kyle Colvin and led by as many seven points near the six-minute mark.

The Matadors would turn the half around with a late charge before intermission. After four consecutive points from Eyisi, Kailen Rains drilled a 3-pointer to complete a 7-0 run. Eyisi continued to find success in the middle, scoring with a layup before putting the Matadors in front 30-29 with two free throws. The Matadors held a one-point lead in the final minute of the half but Cal Poly made two late free throws to take a 33-32 advantage at halftime.

After yielding the first four points to start the second half, the Matadors would clamp down defensively and hold the visitors without a point over a pivotal nine-minute stretch. During the scoreless string, the Matadors scored 18 consecutive points as five different players found the bottom of the net. Wright, who missed most of the first half due to foul trouble, scored six points while Hardy and Rains knocked down 3-pointers. Wright finished off the 18-0 run with fastbreak layup to put the Matadors on top 50-37 with 10:29 left to play.

Cal Poly would trim the CSUN lead to eight on an 8-4 spurt but Hardy made it a double-digit game again on a jumper with six minutes to play. CSUN never led by less than 10 points over the final minutes of the game as the Matadors continued to find balanced scoring. After Hardy and Rains drilled 3-pointers, Eyisi completed a three-point play with 1:46 left to play, giving the Matadors their biggest lead of the night at 15 points (66-51).

GAME NOTES
Eyisi finished with eight rebounds while he made 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Rains, who went 3-of-3 from 3-point range, posted a new career-high in points with 11. Wright scored all of his 11 points in the second half and would also collect three assists.

For Cal Poly, Colvin scored a game-high 24 points to go with eight rebounds.

ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"I think for the most part, it always takes a while for us to get going for whatever reason but I thought in the second half, we were better on the glass. The thing that was impressive, we played together. 14 assists and four turnovers. It's good to see everybody happy because we won and happy for each other."

UP NEXT
CSUN is scheduled to visit Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, Jan. 13 with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ while Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister are on the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio.

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Players Mentioned

Onyi Eyisi

Elijah Hardy

Kailen Rains

Atin Wright