Saturday, December 10
Northridge, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
2-7,0-0Big West
63
vs
70
Northern Colorado
5-5,0-0Big Sky
1
2
F
Northern Colo.
37
33
70
CSUN
33
30
63
Photo by: Connor Clark
Northern Colorado Edges CSUN, 70-63
12/10/2022 9:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball held Northern Colorado to 35 percent shooting but could not overcome the Bears down the stretch in a 70-63 defeat on Saturday at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Atin Wright scored a team-high 19 points while Dionte Bostick added 18 points. De'Sean Allen-Eikens nearly came away with a double-double as he finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. The Matadors overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half before Northern Colorado pulled in front in the final minutes.
The Bears came out fast by knocking down three early baskets from 3-point range to race out to an 11-4 start. Caleb Shaw hit another three at the 13:36 mark of the first half to give Northern Colorado a 13-point edge (19-6). CSUN made just 2-of-9 from the field to begin the game but would fight back with a 10-3 run to pull to within six.
UNC though built a 32-20 lead near the six-minute mark before the Matador defense took control. After picking up a steal, Wright drained a 3-pointer on the fast break. Wright would score eight unanswered points during a three-minute span where CSUN held Northern Colorado without a point. John Wade III also collected a steal and a dunk on the break to complete a Matador 11-0 run with 2:32 to play. CSUN had an opportunity to take the lead with under a minute to play but committed a turnover. Matt Johnson II would make CSUN pay with a late 3-pointer before halftime to give Northern Colorado a 37-33 edge.
After intermission, Dearon Tucker brought the Matadors to within two before CSUN went cold from the field. During a six-minute stretch, the Matadors missed nine consecutive baskets while the Bears surged ahead by double digits with an 11-1 run.
CSUN finally ended the dry spell with a Bostick 3-pointer as the Matadors began to chip away at the lead once again. After Allen-Eikens scored in the paint, Wright took over offensively. The 6-1 guard scored nine-straight points including a traditional 3-point play to cap a CSUN 14-0 run, giving the Matadors a 50-48 edge.
The Bears though had an answer after falling behind. UNC earned its way to the free throw line on four of five possessions while the Bears also picked up a 3-pointer from Johnson to take a 58-50 lead. CSUN made one final push in the final five minutes of the game, eventually pulling to within four on two occasions but the Bears responded each time with 3-pointers. Bostick brought the Matadors to within 68-63 with under a minute to play, however, the Bears held on in the final seconds.
GAME NOTES
The Matadors (2-7) shot 38.5 percent for the game while they made 4-of-17 from 3-point range (23.5 percent) and 9-of-18 at the free throw line (50.0 percent). Northern Colorado (5-5) shot 35.2 from the floor but converted on 11-of-28 from 3-point range (39.3 percent). The Bears earned 27 trips to the free throw line, making 21 (77.8 percent). UNC out-rebounded CSUN 43-37. The Matadors though outscored the Bears in points in the paint, 36-12.
Onyi Eyisi made his return to the court on Saturday after missing the last two games due to injury and finished with two points and five rebounds in 12 minutes. John Wade III had four points, three rebounds, two steals and a block in 23 minutes of action while Dearon Tucker chipped in with six points and three rebounds.
For Northern Colorado, Daylen Kountz scored a team-high 19 points.
ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"What I told the guys is 'as hard as it is right now, and it's painful, we're not there yet.' We're not there yet to where we could come out and beat a good basketball team that is mature and plays its game on both ends of the floor. It's no excuses, it's just facts. When you have 10 new guys and two of them are out, you get exploited in certain situations. We've been on the road, played good teams and we've competed. I can't fault their effort. We have to get to a point sooner than later when there's crucial stops that need to be made, we need to make them. I don't like being 2-7 but what I do like is we are competing."
UP NEXT
CSUN will be off next week for finals but returns to action on Monday, Dec. 19 to host Idaho at 7 p.m. The game will be the second game of a CSUN Basketball doubleheader as the game follows CSUN Women's Basketball and Sacramento State at 4 p.m. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call for the men's game on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#UniteTheValley
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The Bears came out fast by knocking down three early baskets from 3-point range to race out to an 11-4 start. Caleb Shaw hit another three at the 13:36 mark of the first half to give Northern Colorado a 13-point edge (19-6). CSUN made just 2-of-9 from the field to begin the game but would fight back with a 10-3 run to pull to within six.
UNC though built a 32-20 lead near the six-minute mark before the Matador defense took control. After picking up a steal, Wright drained a 3-pointer on the fast break. Wright would score eight unanswered points during a three-minute span where CSUN held Northern Colorado without a point. John Wade III also collected a steal and a dunk on the break to complete a Matador 11-0 run with 2:32 to play. CSUN had an opportunity to take the lead with under a minute to play but committed a turnover. Matt Johnson II would make CSUN pay with a late 3-pointer before halftime to give Northern Colorado a 37-33 edge.
After intermission, Dearon Tucker brought the Matadors to within two before CSUN went cold from the field. During a six-minute stretch, the Matadors missed nine consecutive baskets while the Bears surged ahead by double digits with an 11-1 run.
CSUN finally ended the dry spell with a Bostick 3-pointer as the Matadors began to chip away at the lead once again. After Allen-Eikens scored in the paint, Wright took over offensively. The 6-1 guard scored nine-straight points including a traditional 3-point play to cap a CSUN 14-0 run, giving the Matadors a 50-48 edge.
The Bears though had an answer after falling behind. UNC earned its way to the free throw line on four of five possessions while the Bears also picked up a 3-pointer from Johnson to take a 58-50 lead. CSUN made one final push in the final five minutes of the game, eventually pulling to within four on two occasions but the Bears responded each time with 3-pointers. Bostick brought the Matadors to within 68-63 with under a minute to play, however, the Bears held on in the final seconds.
GAME NOTES
The Matadors (2-7) shot 38.5 percent for the game while they made 4-of-17 from 3-point range (23.5 percent) and 9-of-18 at the free throw line (50.0 percent). Northern Colorado (5-5) shot 35.2 from the floor but converted on 11-of-28 from 3-point range (39.3 percent). The Bears earned 27 trips to the free throw line, making 21 (77.8 percent). UNC out-rebounded CSUN 43-37. The Matadors though outscored the Bears in points in the paint, 36-12.
Onyi Eyisi made his return to the court on Saturday after missing the last two games due to injury and finished with two points and five rebounds in 12 minutes. John Wade III had four points, three rebounds, two steals and a block in 23 minutes of action while Dearon Tucker chipped in with six points and three rebounds.
For Northern Colorado, Daylen Kountz scored a team-high 19 points.
ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"What I told the guys is 'as hard as it is right now, and it's painful, we're not there yet.' We're not there yet to where we could come out and beat a good basketball team that is mature and plays its game on both ends of the floor. It's no excuses, it's just facts. When you have 10 new guys and two of them are out, you get exploited in certain situations. We've been on the road, played good teams and we've competed. I can't fault their effort. We have to get to a point sooner than later when there's crucial stops that need to be made, we need to make them. I don't like being 2-7 but what I do like is we are competing."
UP NEXT
CSUN will be off next week for finals but returns to action on Monday, Dec. 19 to host Idaho at 7 p.m. The game will be the second game of a CSUN Basketball doubleheader as the game follows CSUN Women's Basketball and Sacramento State at 4 p.m. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call for the men's game on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#UniteTheValley
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Team Stats
UNC
CSUN
FG%
.352
.385
3FG%
.393
.235
FT%
.778
.500
RB
43
37
TO
9
4
STL
0
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
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