CSUN Hosts Defending Big West Champ UCSB Before Visiting UC Riverside

FULL GAME NOTES

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball opens a two-game week on Thursday by hosting defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara at 7 p.m. The Matadors wrap up the week with a road test at UC Riverside on Saturday at 5 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+ while Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
CSUN split its two games last week, starting with a 95-75 loss at UC Davis last Thursday. The Matadors had their seven-game winning streak snapped against the Aggies who led from start-to-finish. De'Sean Allen-Eikens had a team-high 19 points while Gianni Hunt added 12 points and Bryan Ndjonga scored a season-high 11 points. CSUN fell into a 21-4 hole at the start but managed to chip away at the deficit, eventually pulling to within 39-32. The Aggies though ended the first half on an 8-0 run and led by double-digits the rest of the way.

The Matadors would get back on the winning track and improve to 7-1 at home with a 76-71 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday afternoon. In a game with 16 ties and 11 lead changes, the Titans led 65-64 with 4:34 left to play before the Matadors ended the game on a 12-6 run. Keonte Jones topped the team in scoring with 17 points while Jasman Sangha and Dionte Bostick each had 15 points. Hunt added 11 points and four assists. Sangha scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.

KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING
CSUN stands at 13-4 overall this season with a 4-1 conference mark. The Matadors' 13 wins though 17 games is the program's best such start since 2007-08 when that team held the same record. The team's 4-1 league start is also the program's best since the 2007-08 campaign. Prior to losing to UC Davis, CSUN tied a school Division I record by winning seven consecutive games, which was set by the 2000-01 team that eventually advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Matadors are win shy of matching the win total of the past two seasons combined.

THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER
Much of the credit to CSUN's early success this season has hinged on the team's defense and rebounding. CSUN has held opponents to 39.2 percent shooting this season, which leads The Big West and is ranked 20th-best in the nation. The Matadors have also held 29.4 percent shooting from three to lead the conference as well. On the year, CSUN has limited the opposition to under 40 percent shooting in 11 games, winning nine times. In the rebounding department, CSUN tops The Big West in nearly every rebounding category including rebounds per game (42.5), offensive rebounds per game (12.9), defensive rebounds per game (29.6) and rebounding margin (+10.6), Nationally, CSUN is seventh in rebounds per game while its ninth in rebounding margin and 11th in defensive rebounds per game. In total, CSUN has out-rebounded its opponents in 15 of 17 games.

BIG WEST LEADERBOARDS
CSUN's leading scorer De'Sean Allen-Eikens enters the week fifth in the conference in points per game (18.6) while he ranks eighth in rebounding (5.7) and 10th in field goal percentage (51.8). Dionte Bostick is 10th on the scoring list at 15.4 points per game and sixth on the steals list at 1.6 per game. Keonte Jones is tied for first in The Big West in steals per game (2.1) while he is second in blocks per game (1.5), fourth in rebounds per game (7.0) and fifth in field goal percentage (56.8). As a team, CSUN is second in the conference in scoring (79.8) and steals per game (8.8).

SCOUTING UC SANTA BARBARA
Last season's Big West champion UC Santa Barbara comes in with a 10-6 overall record along with a 3-3 league record after an 0-3 start. In last week's action, UCSB held serve at home with wins over Cal State Bakersfield (66-64) and Long Beach State (85-76). Ajay Mitchell tops the team and ranks second in The Big West in scoring at 20.3 points per game while Yohan Traore is averaging 14.3 points. Ariel Bland is the team's top rebounder at 7.3 per game. As a team, UCSB is the top Big West team in field goal percentage (51.0) and 3-point percentage (37.9). Head coach Joe Pasternack is in his seventh season with the team.

Series History: UCSB leads CSUN 46-22 in the all-time series with victories in five of the last six meetings. However, the Matadors split the season series last season, upsetting the eventual Big West champion 72-67 at Premier America Credit Union Arena.

SCOUTING UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders hold a 7-11 overall record and 2-4 league record. UCR split its two games last week, defeating Cal Poly (71-56) before falling at Hawai'i (63-56). While the team is 0-9 on the road, UCR is 6-2 at the SRC Arena this season. Isaiah Moses leads the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game followed by Barrington Hargress at 11.1 points per game. Kyle Owens tops the squad in rebounding at 4.8 to go with averaging 8.8 points. As a team, UCR ranks fifth in The Big West in rebounds per game (36.7). Head coach Mike Magpayo is in his fourth season at the helm.

Series History: CSUN holds a 46-42 edge over UC Riverside in the all-time series, but the Highlanders have posted six consecutive wins. UCR swept the season series last year with two double-digit wins. CSUN is seeking its first win over UCR since winning 61-59 on Feb. 8, 2020.

#GoMatdors

CSUN Hosts Defending Big West Champ UCSB Before Visiting UC Riverside

Next Event

Players Mentioned

De'Sean Allen-Eikens

Dionte Bostick

Gianni Hunt

Keonte Jones

Bryan Ndjonga

Jasman Sangha