CSUN Squares off with CSUB, UC Irvine This Week

FULL GAME NOTES

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (13-6, 4-3 Big West) returns to action Thursday to take on Cal State Bakersfield inside Premier America Credit Union Arena before visiting UC Irvine on Saturday night. Both games will tip-off at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
CSUN suffered its first losing streak of the season with back-to-back double-digit losses last week. The Matadors had their six-game home winning streak snapped in a 97-69 defeat at the hands of defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara last Thursday. Keonte Jones scored a game-high 21 points to go with eight rebounds while Gianni Hunt added 12 points and eight assists. CSUN was held to 39 percent shooting while UCSB soared to 53 percent shooting in a near wire-to-wire win.

The Matadors dropped an 82-63 decision at UC Riverside last Saturday. The Highlanders made 17 threes on the night including 12 in the second half. UCR broke open a three-point lead at the half with a 30-7 run to begin the second half. CSUN was held to a season low in points (63) and field goal percentage (36.9). De'Sean Allen-Eikens led CSUN with 17 points while Hunt added 15 points.

BIG PICTURE
After a pair of losses this past week, CSUN sits in fourth place in The Big West standings with a 4-3 league record. UC Davis has taken over first place with a 7-1 record followed by UC Irvine and UC San Diego in a tie for second place with 6-1 marks. The Matadors still enter play this week with their best 19-game start to a season (13-6 record) since the 2007-08 season when that squad began at 15-4. CSUN can match its win total of the previous two seasons combined with their next victory.

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 40.2 percent shooting this season, which is second-lowest in The Big West. The Matadors have also held the opposition to 32.1 percent shooting from three, the third-lowest in the conference. 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 (41.6), defensive rebounds per game (28.9) and rebounding margin (+8.6), Nationally, CSUN is 11th in rebounds per game while its 17th in rebounding margin and 18th in defensive rebounds per game. In total, CSUN has out-rebounded its opponents in 15 of 19 games.

BIG WEST LEADERBOARDS
CSUN's leading scorer De'Sean Allen-Eikens enters the weekend fifth in the conference in points per game (17.9) while he ranks 10th in field goal percentage (49.5) and 11th in rebounding (5.4). Keonte Jones is up to fourth in The Big West in rebounds per game (7.0) and field goal percentage (57.0). Jones is also first in the league in steals per game (2.1), third in blocks per game (1.4) and 14th in points per game (13.1). Dionte Bostick is just outside the conference top 10 in scoring in 11th place at 14.7 points while he seventh in steals per game (1.5). As a team, CSUN is second in the conference in steals per game (8.5) and third in points per game (78.3).

SCOUTING CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
The Roadrunners (7-11, 2-5 Big West) have won two straight after beginning Big West play 0-5. CSUB picked up wins last week over UC Riverside (80-56) and Cal Poly (65-53). Bakersfield is seeking its first true road win of the season after dropping its first eight. Kaleb Higgins ranks eighth in The Big West in scoring at 16.3 points while he leads the squad in assists per game (3.6). Modestas Kancleris is the team's top rebounder at 6.1 to go with averaging 6.6 points. As a team, CSUB is third in the conference in blocks per game (7.2). Head coach Rod Barnes is his 13th season.

Series History: Bakersfield leads CSUN 27-25 in the all-time series. Last season, the teams split the season series with each side holding serve at home. CSUB knocked out CSUN of The Big West Championship first round in each of the past two seasons.

SCOUTING UC IRVINE
UCI comes in with a 13-6 overall record and 6-1 Big West record to go with a perfect 7-0 mark at the Bren Events Center. After winning six in a row to start league action, UCI suffered its first conference loss to UC Davis last Saturday (54-52). Justin Hohn leads the team in scoring at 13.6 points followed by Derin Saran at 10.3 points and Andre Henry at 10.1 points. Devin Tillis tops the team in the rebounding department, averaging 6.3 to go with scoring 9.5 points. A perennial defensive power in The Big West, UCI tops the league again in fewest points per game (65.7). Head coach Russell Turner is in his 14th season leading UCI.

Series History: UCI leads CSUN 42-25 all-time with wins in three-straight games. Last season, UCI swept the season series and won at the Bren Events Center 81-56. CSUN's last win in the series was a 72-70 win at UC Irvine in Mar. 2020.

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CSUN Squares off with CSUB, UC Irvine This Week

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Players Mentioned

De'Sean Allen-Eikens

Dionte Bostick

Gianni Hunt

Keonte Jones