Thursday, December 21
Northridge, Calif.
1:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
2-8,0-0Big West
74
vs
77
LMU
5-6,0-0WCC
1
2
3
4
F
LMU (CA)
26
12
18
21
77
CSUN
23
14
13
24
74
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Falls to LMU
12/21/2023 3:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—CSUN Women's Basketball fell to the LMU Lions, 77-74, on Thursday afternoon in Premier America Credit Union Arena. Talo Li-Uperesa got a new career high as she scored 18 points. Three Matadors scored in the double digits: Li-Uperesa's 18, Ferguson's 12, and Amundsen's 10.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors opened the game with a layup by Li-Uperesa. The Lions quickly returned with their own shot, but CSUN kept its momentum going with a jumper by Ana Carolina De Jesus, 4-2. The Lions refused to fold as they took the lead from CSUN, but the Matadors jumped back in front with two layups by Kayanna Spriggs for an 8-5 lead. The Lions quickly took back the lead with a 12-point run to lead 17-8. The Matadors refused to stay down as Kaitlyn Elsholz and Laney Amundsen both made a 3-pointer, followed by a layup from Spriggs as the Lions' lead stood at 26-18. The first quarter ended at 26-23 with the Matadors closing the distance with a layup by Amiyah Ferguson in the last seven seconds.
The Lions opened the second quarter with a basket, but the Matadors didn't let up the pressure as they trailed only 31-27. Both teams went without scoring for nearly two minutes. The Matadors continued their rally with a layup from De Jesus and a jumper from Elsholz to pull within 33-31. CSUN kept up the pressure as it kept the game close at 38-37 at halftime. LMU opened the third quarter with a three, but CSUN stayed close behind, 41-39. The Lions completed a 9-0 run before the Matadors struck with a layup by Spriggs to trail 50-41. CSUN kept its momentum with Amundsen making a four-point run play to pull to within 54-45. The third quarter ended with the Matadors just behind the Lions, 56-50.
The Matadors opened the final quarter with a four-point run, 56-54. LMU though scored the next five points to take a seven-point lead. The Matadors refused to fold as Li-Uperesa and Erica Adams both made a layup to make it 63-58. LMU tried to disrupt the Matadors' momentum, but Adams kept it going with a basket to bring CSUN to 65-60. LMU would stretch to a 73-64 lead with 1:48 left to play before CSUN rallied to cut the lead to 76-74 after two late threes from Ferguson and a layup from Li-Uperesa. After the Lions made a free throw, Ferguson missed a last second three to tie the game.
NOTES OF THE GAME
"I think it was the [threes] and the offensive rebounding. They're number 45 in the country in offensive rebounding. We gave up 13, which means that we're going to have to play defense a lot of times for two possessions. Sometimes the offensive rebounds were kickouts for threes. I can't fault our effort today, it was a lot better so hopefully we're going to build off of this."
UP NEXT
CSUN continues its homestand with its Big West opener against Cal Poly on Thursday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m. in the Premier America Credit Union Arena. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors opened the game with a layup by Li-Uperesa. The Lions quickly returned with their own shot, but CSUN kept its momentum going with a jumper by Ana Carolina De Jesus, 4-2. The Lions refused to fold as they took the lead from CSUN, but the Matadors jumped back in front with two layups by Kayanna Spriggs for an 8-5 lead. The Lions quickly took back the lead with a 12-point run to lead 17-8. The Matadors refused to stay down as Kaitlyn Elsholz and Laney Amundsen both made a 3-pointer, followed by a layup from Spriggs as the Lions' lead stood at 26-18. The first quarter ended at 26-23 with the Matadors closing the distance with a layup by Amiyah Ferguson in the last seven seconds.
The Lions opened the second quarter with a basket, but the Matadors didn't let up the pressure as they trailed only 31-27. Both teams went without scoring for nearly two minutes. The Matadors continued their rally with a layup from De Jesus and a jumper from Elsholz to pull within 33-31. CSUN kept up the pressure as it kept the game close at 38-37 at halftime. LMU opened the third quarter with a three, but CSUN stayed close behind, 41-39. The Lions completed a 9-0 run before the Matadors struck with a layup by Spriggs to trail 50-41. CSUN kept its momentum with Amundsen making a four-point run play to pull to within 54-45. The third quarter ended with the Matadors just behind the Lions, 56-50.
The Matadors opened the final quarter with a four-point run, 56-54. LMU though scored the next five points to take a seven-point lead. The Matadors refused to fold as Li-Uperesa and Erica Adams both made a layup to make it 63-58. LMU tried to disrupt the Matadors' momentum, but Adams kept it going with a basket to bring CSUN to 65-60. LMU would stretch to a 73-64 lead with 1:48 left to play before CSUN rallied to cut the lead to 76-74 after two late threes from Ferguson and a layup from Li-Uperesa. After the Lions made a free throw, Ferguson missed a last second three to tie the game.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN narrowly out shot LMU in field goal percentage at 47.5% to the Lions' 43.1%. The Matadors also led in free throw percentage at 71.4% to their 47.4%.
- LMU had a higher three-pointer percentage with 41.4% to the Matadors' 40.0%, and out-rebounded the Matadors 42-32.
- CSUN led in blocks (6-1), fastbreak points (18-9), and points off turnovers (21-17).
"I think it was the [threes] and the offensive rebounding. They're number 45 in the country in offensive rebounding. We gave up 13, which means that we're going to have to play defense a lot of times for two possessions. Sometimes the offensive rebounds were kickouts for threes. I can't fault our effort today, it was a lot better so hopefully we're going to build off of this."
UP NEXT
CSUN continues its homestand with its Big West opener against Cal Poly on Thursday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m. in the Premier America Credit Union Arena. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
LMU
CSUN
FG%
.431
.475
3FG%
.414
.400
FT%
.474
.714
RB
42
32
TO
14
14
STL
6
8
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballPeter J. Accardy Pool Naming Campaign
Wednesday, October 29
CSUN Women's Soccer vs. UC Riverside Recap
Tuesday, September 30
CSUN Men's Basketball Big West Championship Preview
Friday, June 06
CSUN Baseball Robert J. Hiegert Field
Friday, June 06