Sunday, December 4
Northridge, Calif.
2:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
Whittier
Photo by: Will Navarro
CSUN Returns Home to Take on Whittier on Sunday
12/2/2022 2:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FULL GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (1-5) returns to Premier America Credit Union Arena to play its first home game in 27 days this Sunday afternoon. The Matadors take on Whittier with tip-off set for 2 p.m. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
LAST TIME OUT
The Matadors dropped a low-scoring 55-46 decision at Boise State on Tuesday to close the opening month of the season. CSUN shot a season low in field goal percentage (30.6) but managed to stay within striking distance with the defending Mountain West Conference champion. The 55 points allowed were the lowest by a CSUN Division I opponent this season.
The Matadors held a one-point lead in the final seconds of the first half before Boise State converted on two late free throws for a 28-27 lead. CSUN though struggled from the field throughout the second half, shooting just 23.1 percent as the Matadors could not catch the Broncos down the stretch.
De'Sean Allen-Eikens led the way with 11 points while Atin Wright and Ethan Igbanugo had 10 points apiece. Igbanugo had three of the team's five 3-point field goals in his first start as a Matador.
MATADOR HEADLINES
Starting point guard Dionte Bostick is off to a strong start in his first season with the Matadors. He ranks in eighth place in The Big West in points per game (14.5) while he ranks in 10th in blocks per game (0.8), 11th in field goal percentage (38.3) and 13th in assists per game (2.7). Bostick's backcourt mate Atin Wright is 12th in The Big West in scoring average (13.5). Wright is also second in free throw percentage (87.5) and seventh in steals per game (1.8). In the rebounding department, Onyi Eyisi is in sixth place in the league in rebounds per game (7.2).
De'Sean Allen-Eikens has cracked the 600-point plateau for his career this season. In just 58 games, Allen-Eikens has scored 624 career points for a 10.8 average. Allen-Eikens, who is in his first season at CSUN, is third on the team in points per game (10.5) on 48.8 percent shooting.
CSUN opens a home heavy stretch this Sunday as the Matadors play four of five games at home. After a midweek trip to Fresno State on Dec. 7, the Matadors open their longest homestand of the season on Dec. 10 against Northern Colorado. CSUN wraps up non-conference play with home games against Idaho (Dec. 19) and San Diego (Dec.22).
CLOSE GAMES A PLENTY
Tuesday's loss at Boise State represented the Matadors' fourth game already this season decided by 10 points or fewer. Unfortunately, CSUN fell to 0-4 in those such games. The Matadors have also fallen by one point (Tennessee State), six points (Utah Tech) and seven points (California Baptist). Despite the 1-5 overall record, the Matadors have just a -0.7 scoring differential on the year.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUN has played Whittier just two times in program history, both of which as a Division II member in the 1960s. The Matadors hosted the Poets on Dec. 27, 1963 in a 85-75 victory while the teams played again in a neutral-site game on Dec. 20, 1968 which Whittier won by a 100-95 margin.
SCOUTING WHITTIER
Whittier competes at the NCAA Division III level. The Poets are 3-2 overall this season with a 0-1 mark in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The team plays UC Santa Cruz on Saturday before heading to CSUN on Sunday. The matchup with the Matadors will be an exhibition game for Whittier. Head coach Mark Jensen is in his sixth season leading the program. In 2021-22, the Poets went 11-14 overall on the season.
Three Poets are scoring in double figures led by Bryant Howing at 15.6 points per game. Ethan Battistini is a close second in the scoring department at 15.0 points per game while Kunal Bagga is averaging 12.6 points. Battistini is the team's top rebounder at 9.0 in just 19.0 minutes per game. Through five games, the Poets are averaging 87.8 points and have 48 3-pointers as a team.
#UniteTheValley
Â
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (1-5) returns to Premier America Credit Union Arena to play its first home game in 27 days this Sunday afternoon. The Matadors take on Whittier with tip-off set for 2 p.m. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
LAST TIME OUT
The Matadors dropped a low-scoring 55-46 decision at Boise State on Tuesday to close the opening month of the season. CSUN shot a season low in field goal percentage (30.6) but managed to stay within striking distance with the defending Mountain West Conference champion. The 55 points allowed were the lowest by a CSUN Division I opponent this season.
The Matadors held a one-point lead in the final seconds of the first half before Boise State converted on two late free throws for a 28-27 lead. CSUN though struggled from the field throughout the second half, shooting just 23.1 percent as the Matadors could not catch the Broncos down the stretch.
De'Sean Allen-Eikens led the way with 11 points while Atin Wright and Ethan Igbanugo had 10 points apiece. Igbanugo had three of the team's five 3-point field goals in his first start as a Matador.
MATADOR HEADLINES
Starting point guard Dionte Bostick is off to a strong start in his first season with the Matadors. He ranks in eighth place in The Big West in points per game (14.5) while he ranks in 10th in blocks per game (0.8), 11th in field goal percentage (38.3) and 13th in assists per game (2.7). Bostick's backcourt mate Atin Wright is 12th in The Big West in scoring average (13.5). Wright is also second in free throw percentage (87.5) and seventh in steals per game (1.8). In the rebounding department, Onyi Eyisi is in sixth place in the league in rebounds per game (7.2).
De'Sean Allen-Eikens has cracked the 600-point plateau for his career this season. In just 58 games, Allen-Eikens has scored 624 career points for a 10.8 average. Allen-Eikens, who is in his first season at CSUN, is third on the team in points per game (10.5) on 48.8 percent shooting.
CSUN opens a home heavy stretch this Sunday as the Matadors play four of five games at home. After a midweek trip to Fresno State on Dec. 7, the Matadors open their longest homestand of the season on Dec. 10 against Northern Colorado. CSUN wraps up non-conference play with home games against Idaho (Dec. 19) and San Diego (Dec.22).
CLOSE GAMES A PLENTY
Tuesday's loss at Boise State represented the Matadors' fourth game already this season decided by 10 points or fewer. Unfortunately, CSUN fell to 0-4 in those such games. The Matadors have also fallen by one point (Tennessee State), six points (Utah Tech) and seven points (California Baptist). Despite the 1-5 overall record, the Matadors have just a -0.7 scoring differential on the year.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUN has played Whittier just two times in program history, both of which as a Division II member in the 1960s. The Matadors hosted the Poets on Dec. 27, 1963 in a 85-75 victory while the teams played again in a neutral-site game on Dec. 20, 1968 which Whittier won by a 100-95 margin.
SCOUTING WHITTIER
Whittier competes at the NCAA Division III level. The Poets are 3-2 overall this season with a 0-1 mark in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The team plays UC Santa Cruz on Saturday before heading to CSUN on Sunday. The matchup with the Matadors will be an exhibition game for Whittier. Head coach Mark Jensen is in his sixth season leading the program. In 2021-22, the Poets went 11-14 overall on the season.
Three Poets are scoring in double figures led by Bryant Howing at 15.6 points per game. Ethan Battistini is a close second in the scoring department at 15.0 points per game while Kunal Bagga is averaging 12.6 points. Battistini is the team's top rebounder at 9.0 in just 19.0 minutes per game. Through five games, the Poets are averaging 87.8 points and have 48 3-pointers as a team.
#UniteTheValley
Â
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballTexas State vs. Eastern Washington
Saturday, November 20
Texas State vs. Dixie State
Friday, November 19
A Conversation With Mark Gottfried
Friday, June 19
Preseason chat with Terrell Gomez
Thursday, October 03