Monday, February 20
Northridge, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
6-22,3-14Big West
76
vs
96
UC Riverside
19-10,12-5Big West
1
2
F
UC Riverside
49
47
96
CSUN
34
42
76
Photo by: Connor Clark
Matadors Fall to UC Riverside at Home
2/20/2023 10:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (6-22, 3-14 Big West) fell to UC Riverside (19-10, 12-5 Big West) 96-76 on Monday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Atin Wright had a game-high 24 points while De'Sean Allen-Eikens added 14 points and six rebounds.
The Highlanders made their first four shots to begin the game to stake to a 12-3 lead. CSUN though battled back early beginning with a basket from Fidelis Okereke. Dearon Tucker would drill a jumper then Wright earned his way to the free throw line where he made two to complete a 9-0 CSUN run. Allen-Eikens also scored for CSUN with a drive in the lane to even the game up at 14-14 with 12:29 left before halftime.
UCR though responded with a 10-2 run, closed by Zyon Pullin with a jumpshot. After Lachlan Olbrich nailed a 3-pointer the lead would grow to nine points for UCR at 30-21. The Matadors fell behind by 13 points but scored seven in a row with four coming from Allen-Eikens. CSUN would trail 38-32 with 2:40 remaining in the first half but the Highlanders ended the half on an 11-2 run with Nate Pickens closing the period with a three for a 49-34 lead.
The second half started much like the first with the Highlanders opening on a 7-2 run to quickly extend the lead to 20 points (56-36). CSUN was able to trim the deficit to 16 points on two occasions but UCR had answers each time.
The lead swelled to 27 points when Jamal Hartwell II drained a 3-pointer for an 82-55 advantage. CSUN's bench cut into the big lead in the closing minutes with Cam Slaymaker drilling a shot and Arman Pezeshkian picking up three points as well as a steal but it was not enough to overcome the Highlanders.
GAME NOTES
CSUN shot 50.9 percent for the game, a season-high in Big West play, while the Matadors made 2-of-13 from 3-point range (15.4 percent) and 20-of-30 at the free throw line (66.7 percent). In contrast, UC Riverside would shoot 56.3 percent from the floor to go with 12-of-26 shooting from three (46.2 percent) and 12-of-19 shooting at the free throw line (63.2 percent). Each team finished with 30 rebounds on the night. Second chance points went UC Riverside's way at 21-7.
Atin Wright made 11-of-14 from the free throw line while hitting 6-of-14 field goals. Ethan Igbanugo chipped in with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting. Off the bench, Fidelis Okereke had eight points and four rebounds and Cam Slaymaker added seven points.
For UCR, Lachlan Olbrich scored a team-high 22 points.
ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"We weren't up to the fight. I was disappointed in our lack of competitiveness throughout but Riverside is playing extremely well. They are very deep and balanced. Like I said in the pre-game show, their level of physicality and how they play has always caused us problems. I've talked about it all summer, the commitment to the weight room, the commitment to play through physicality, the commitment to play off two feet, the commitment to all of those little things. To the untrained eye, everything looks easy for Riverside. That's what happens when you have guys that are big, strong and skilled. They make the game look easy.
We've got to come back Wednesday and get after it. We have a tough-minded Bakersfield team coming in here on Thursday."
UP NEXT
CSUN stays at home and will play CSU Bakersfield on Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio starting at 6:50 p.m.
#UniteTheValley
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The Highlanders made their first four shots to begin the game to stake to a 12-3 lead. CSUN though battled back early beginning with a basket from Fidelis Okereke. Dearon Tucker would drill a jumper then Wright earned his way to the free throw line where he made two to complete a 9-0 CSUN run. Allen-Eikens also scored for CSUN with a drive in the lane to even the game up at 14-14 with 12:29 left before halftime.
UCR though responded with a 10-2 run, closed by Zyon Pullin with a jumpshot. After Lachlan Olbrich nailed a 3-pointer the lead would grow to nine points for UCR at 30-21. The Matadors fell behind by 13 points but scored seven in a row with four coming from Allen-Eikens. CSUN would trail 38-32 with 2:40 remaining in the first half but the Highlanders ended the half on an 11-2 run with Nate Pickens closing the period with a three for a 49-34 lead.
The second half started much like the first with the Highlanders opening on a 7-2 run to quickly extend the lead to 20 points (56-36). CSUN was able to trim the deficit to 16 points on two occasions but UCR had answers each time.
The lead swelled to 27 points when Jamal Hartwell II drained a 3-pointer for an 82-55 advantage. CSUN's bench cut into the big lead in the closing minutes with Cam Slaymaker drilling a shot and Arman Pezeshkian picking up three points as well as a steal but it was not enough to overcome the Highlanders.
GAME NOTES
CSUN shot 50.9 percent for the game, a season-high in Big West play, while the Matadors made 2-of-13 from 3-point range (15.4 percent) and 20-of-30 at the free throw line (66.7 percent). In contrast, UC Riverside would shoot 56.3 percent from the floor to go with 12-of-26 shooting from three (46.2 percent) and 12-of-19 shooting at the free throw line (63.2 percent). Each team finished with 30 rebounds on the night. Second chance points went UC Riverside's way at 21-7.
Atin Wright made 11-of-14 from the free throw line while hitting 6-of-14 field goals. Ethan Igbanugo chipped in with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting. Off the bench, Fidelis Okereke had eight points and four rebounds and Cam Slaymaker added seven points.
For UCR, Lachlan Olbrich scored a team-high 22 points.
ACCORDING TO COACH TRENT JOHNSON
"We weren't up to the fight. I was disappointed in our lack of competitiveness throughout but Riverside is playing extremely well. They are very deep and balanced. Like I said in the pre-game show, their level of physicality and how they play has always caused us problems. I've talked about it all summer, the commitment to the weight room, the commitment to play through physicality, the commitment to play off two feet, the commitment to all of those little things. To the untrained eye, everything looks easy for Riverside. That's what happens when you have guys that are big, strong and skilled. They make the game look easy.
We've got to come back Wednesday and get after it. We have a tough-minded Bakersfield team coming in here on Thursday."
UP NEXT
CSUN stays at home and will play CSU Bakersfield on Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio starting at 6:50 p.m.
#UniteTheValley
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Team Stats
UCR
CSUN
FG%
.563
.509
3FG%
.462
.154
FT%
.632
.667
RB
30
30
TO
11
17
STL
8
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
11
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
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/ Men's Basketball
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