Monday, December 11
Northridge, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
7-3,0-0Big West
80
vs
75
Utah Tech
5-5,2-0WAC
1
2
F
Utah Tech
36
39
75
CSUN
35
45
80
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Pulls Out Gritty 80-75 Win Over Utah Tech
12/11/2023 9:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---Five scored in double figures as CSUN Men's Basketball pulled out a hard-fought 80-75 victory over Utah Tech on Monday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Dionte Bostick led all scorers with 19 points to go with four rebounds while Keonte Jones had 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four blocks. CSUN outscored Utah Tech 10-5 over the final 1:38 of the game to edge the Trailblazers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Dionte Bostick capped an 8-0 run in the early going for a 12-5 CSUN lead. The Matadors maintained their lead near the midway point of the first half before the Trailblazers scored five in a row to take a 19-18 edge. The teams would trade leads, but the Matadors would go on an 8-0 run down the stretch of the first half for a 31-25 edge. Bostick nailed a three with 1:42 left in the first half for a 35-30 CSUN lead but the Trailblazers closed the half on a 6-0 run including a late bucket from Aric Demings that gave Utah Tech a 36-35 edge.
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After a back-and-forth start to the second half, CSUN would orchestrate a 17-0 run, which was coupled with 10 consecutive defensive stops. During the run, five different Matadors scored points as Bostick closed the run with a putback layup for a 54-39 lead. Utah Tech though began to fight back and quickly put together a 10-1 run to close the gap to six. Moments later, Jordan Brinson and De'Sean Allen-Eikens scored back-to-back CSUN baskets to push the lead back to 59-49 with 8:08 to play.
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However, the Trailblazers would not go away quietly. Utah Tech chipped away and pulled to within 65-61 with 4:51 to play. After a Jones three-point play, Utah Tech scored seven unanswered and tied the game on a layup from Tanner Christensen with 2:50 on the clock. The score would be deadlocked at 70-70 with under two minutes before CSUN received a timely basket from Jasman Sangha in traffic. On the ensuing possession, Christensen appeared to have a dunk to tie the game but Jones soared high for a blocked shot at the rim. Jones then followed that up with a traditional three-point play on the other end in a thrilling sequence. CSUN made five free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
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NOTES OF THE GAME
"We're still learning, we're up and down. You see how good we could be. That was one of the best eight-minute segments I've been a part of with these guys -- just defending and rebounding, pushing your break and playing together. That was really fun. Then we got complacent and kind of let them back in. It's going to take time to turn this thing. We're getting there, I like where we're at. Obviously, you want it all now but that's not realistic."
UP NEXT
CSUN will take a week off for finals before making a midweek trip to UCLA on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network while Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call in an audio broadcast at GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
HOW IT HAPPENED
Dionte Bostick capped an 8-0 run in the early going for a 12-5 CSUN lead. The Matadors maintained their lead near the midway point of the first half before the Trailblazers scored five in a row to take a 19-18 edge. The teams would trade leads, but the Matadors would go on an 8-0 run down the stretch of the first half for a 31-25 edge. Bostick nailed a three with 1:42 left in the first half for a 35-30 CSUN lead but the Trailblazers closed the half on a 6-0 run including a late bucket from Aric Demings that gave Utah Tech a 36-35 edge.
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Bostick buries his second triple and CSUN regains the lead.#GoMatadors x @iBostickDionte pic.twitter.com/KqF5kQOSze
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) December 12, 2023
After a back-and-forth start to the second half, CSUN would orchestrate a 17-0 run, which was coupled with 10 consecutive defensive stops. During the run, five different Matadors scored points as Bostick closed the run with a putback layup for a 54-39 lead. Utah Tech though began to fight back and quickly put together a 10-1 run to close the gap to six. Moments later, Jordan Brinson and De'Sean Allen-Eikens scored back-to-back CSUN baskets to push the lead back to 59-49 with 8:08 to play.
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.@DeseanEikens always finds a way.
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) December 12, 2023
He's up to 11 points as he extends CSUN's lead to 10.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/TvIRxTghXd
However, the Trailblazers would not go away quietly. Utah Tech chipped away and pulled to within 65-61 with 4:51 to play. After a Jones three-point play, Utah Tech scored seven unanswered and tied the game on a layup from Tanner Christensen with 2:50 on the clock. The score would be deadlocked at 70-70 with under two minutes before CSUN received a timely basket from Jasman Sangha in traffic. On the ensuing possession, Christensen appeared to have a dunk to tie the game but Jones soared high for a blocked shot at the rim. Jones then followed that up with a traditional three-point play on the other end in a thrilling sequence. CSUN made five free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
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KEONTE JONES WOW ??
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) December 12, 2023
Huge block on the defensive end followed by a three-point play.#GoMatadors x @Jelly_Keonte pic.twitter.com/LQdKFG8S64
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 7-3 on the season while Utah Tech falls to 5-5.
- The Matadors would shoot 46.7 percent while they made 4-of-14 shots from 3-point range (28.6 percent) and 20-of-29 free throw attempts (69.0 percent). The Trailblazers finished shooting 41.9 percent while going 10-of-30 from three (33.3 percent) and 13-of-20 at the free throw line (65.0 percent).
- On the glass, CSUN out-rebounded Utah Tech 43-34. The Matadors also led in points in the paint, 48-28.
- There were 11 lead changes and seven ties in the game.
- Also scoring in double figures for CSUN were De'Sean Allen-Eikens with 13, Dearon Tucker with 11 and Jordan Brinson with 10 points.
"We're still learning, we're up and down. You see how good we could be. That was one of the best eight-minute segments I've been a part of with these guys -- just defending and rebounding, pushing your break and playing together. That was really fun. Then we got complacent and kind of let them back in. It's going to take time to turn this thing. We're getting there, I like where we're at. Obviously, you want it all now but that's not realistic."
UP NEXT
CSUN will take a week off for finals before making a midweek trip to UCLA on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network while Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call in an audio broadcast at GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
UTTECH
CSUN
FG%
.419
.467
3FG%
.333
.286
FT%
.650
.690
RB
34
43
TO
13
15
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
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