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
Scoring
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
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