Wednesday, January 11
Northridge, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
3-13,0-5Big West
54
vs
62
UC Davis
9-7,2-2Big West
1
2
F
UC Davis
28
34
62
CSUN
31
23
54
Photo by: Connor Clark
UC Davis Edges CSUN, 62-54
1/11/2023 9:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball dropped a 62-54 decision to UC Davis on Wednesday at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Dionte Bostick registered a team-high 18 points, four assists and three steals. The Matadors led by eight in the second half but could not hold off the Aggies in the closing minutes of the contest.
The Aggies raced out to an 8-0 lead to kick off the game before the Matadors scored the next five straight. After Elijah Pepper extended the lead to 12-5 on a three, the Matadors went on an 8-0 run, capped by an Onyi Eyisi putback. CSUN's best run of the first half came during a 10-0 run, which included 3-point baskets from Ethan Igbanugo and Atin Wright, for a Matador 23-14 lead.
The Matadors held a nine-point edge (27-18) with 4:20 left before halftime but the Aggies would chip away at the lead in the closing minutes of the period. Elijah Pepper drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five then Christian Anigwe scored a late hoop to trim the Matador advantage to 31-28.
After intermission, CSUN went without a field goal for the first three minutes of the second half before Wright broke the dry spell with a jumper. The Matadors would hold the Aggies scoreless for a three-minute stretch while the lead stretched to seven points on a Fidelis Okereke layup. Bostick gave the Matadors a 44-36 edge, their biggest of the second half, on a jumper in the paint with 11:34 remaining.
UC Davis though rallied down the stretch. Four different Aggies swished baskets in a 10-0 run that gave the visitors a 46-44 lead. Okereke responded with a traditional 3-point play for a CSUN lead but Kane Milling knocked down a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Aggies back in front.
Dearon Tucker pulled the Matadors to within one at 52-51 with 3:10 left to play but it would be the last made field goal for the Matadors until the final play of the game. Robby Beasley stretched the lead to three then Pepper picked up two key steals leading to Aggies points as CSUN trailed by a 58-51 margin with two minutes to play. During a key sequence with under a minute to play, the Aggies picked up two offensive rebounds on a single possession which would take key seconds off the game clock. Ade Adebayo picked up another steal in the closing moments to help secure a 62-54 win.
GAME NOTES
CSUN (3-13, 0-5 Big West) shot 42.0 percent for the game while making 5-of-14 from three (35.7 percent) and 7-of-10 at the free throw line (70.0 percent). On the flip side, UC Davis (9-7, 2-2 Big West) finished 37.3 percent from the floor. The Aggies made 9-of-30 from 3-point range and 15-of-20 at the foul line (75.0 percent). UC Davis out-rebounded CSUN 42-24 while collecting 20 offensive rebounds. The Matadors tied a season high in steals with 10.
Ethan Igbanugo had nine points off the bench while Dearon Tucker, Fidelis Okereke and Atin Wright had seven apiece. Okereke also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block.
For UC Davis, Robby Beasley had a game-high 23 points.
ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"I thought defensively, with the pace and the way we wanted to play, everything was good. All you have to do is look at 42-24 (in rebounding) and 20 offensive rebounds. We couldn't rebound it versus the zone, we couldn't rebound it when we were in man (to man defense). In the first half, I thought out energy and quickness to the ball was good. The guys are trying to do the best they can but, like I told them, 'the only we get out of this rut is you have to work harder and you have to play harder.'"
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up the week with another home test against UC Irvine on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on Spectrum SportsNet with Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister on the call.
#UniteTheValley
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The Aggies raced out to an 8-0 lead to kick off the game before the Matadors scored the next five straight. After Elijah Pepper extended the lead to 12-5 on a three, the Matadors went on an 8-0 run, capped by an Onyi Eyisi putback. CSUN's best run of the first half came during a 10-0 run, which included 3-point baskets from Ethan Igbanugo and Atin Wright, for a Matador 23-14 lead.
The Matadors held a nine-point edge (27-18) with 4:20 left before halftime but the Aggies would chip away at the lead in the closing minutes of the period. Elijah Pepper drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five then Christian Anigwe scored a late hoop to trim the Matador advantage to 31-28.
After intermission, CSUN went without a field goal for the first three minutes of the second half before Wright broke the dry spell with a jumper. The Matadors would hold the Aggies scoreless for a three-minute stretch while the lead stretched to seven points on a Fidelis Okereke layup. Bostick gave the Matadors a 44-36 edge, their biggest of the second half, on a jumper in the paint with 11:34 remaining.
UC Davis though rallied down the stretch. Four different Aggies swished baskets in a 10-0 run that gave the visitors a 46-44 lead. Okereke responded with a traditional 3-point play for a CSUN lead but Kane Milling knocked down a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Aggies back in front.
Dearon Tucker pulled the Matadors to within one at 52-51 with 3:10 left to play but it would be the last made field goal for the Matadors until the final play of the game. Robby Beasley stretched the lead to three then Pepper picked up two key steals leading to Aggies points as CSUN trailed by a 58-51 margin with two minutes to play. During a key sequence with under a minute to play, the Aggies picked up two offensive rebounds on a single possession which would take key seconds off the game clock. Ade Adebayo picked up another steal in the closing moments to help secure a 62-54 win.
GAME NOTES
CSUN (3-13, 0-5 Big West) shot 42.0 percent for the game while making 5-of-14 from three (35.7 percent) and 7-of-10 at the free throw line (70.0 percent). On the flip side, UC Davis (9-7, 2-2 Big West) finished 37.3 percent from the floor. The Aggies made 9-of-30 from 3-point range and 15-of-20 at the foul line (75.0 percent). UC Davis out-rebounded CSUN 42-24 while collecting 20 offensive rebounds. The Matadors tied a season high in steals with 10.
Ethan Igbanugo had nine points off the bench while Dearon Tucker, Fidelis Okereke and Atin Wright had seven apiece. Okereke also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block.
For UC Davis, Robby Beasley had a game-high 23 points.
ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"I thought defensively, with the pace and the way we wanted to play, everything was good. All you have to do is look at 42-24 (in rebounding) and 20 offensive rebounds. We couldn't rebound it versus the zone, we couldn't rebound it when we were in man (to man defense). In the first half, I thought out energy and quickness to the ball was good. The guys are trying to do the best they can but, like I told them, 'the only we get out of this rut is you have to work harder and you have to play harder.'"
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up the week with another home test against UC Irvine on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on Spectrum SportsNet with Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister on the call.
#UniteTheValley
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Team Stats
UCD
CSUN
FG%
.373
.420
3FG%
.300
.357
FT%
.750
.700
RB
42
24
TO
19
15
STL
7
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
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