Thursday, January 25
Northridge, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
13-7,4-4Big West
56
vs
64
Cal State Bakersfield
8-11,3-5Big West
1
2
F
CSU Bakersfield
22
42
64
CSUN
31
25
56
Photo by: Connor Clark
Cal State Bakersfield Edges CSUN, 64-56
1/25/2024 9:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball dropped a 64-56 decision to Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday evening at Premier America Credit Union Arena. De'Sean Allen-Eikens had a team-high 13 points to go with nine rebounds while Jasman Sangha had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. CSUN held a one-point lead with three-plus minutes remaining, but the Roadrunners ended the game on an 11-2 run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN put together an 11-2 run in the early going as Bryan Ndjonga hit a three for a seven-point lead. The Roadrunners would battle back to within 11-9, but Jasman Sangha scored in the paint for a four-point lead. Bakersfield would struggle from the field in the first half, shooting just 21.2 percent, but the Matadors would only lead by just two points with six minutes left to play in the first half. CSUN though hit its stride to close the first half, beginning with a 5-0 run to a take a 23-16 lead. Dionte Bostick later drained a three for a 26-18 lead at the three-minute mark. The Matadors closed the first half with a three-point play from Sangha for a 31-22 lead at the break.
The Matadors stayed in control in the early minutes of the second period. Keonte Jones brought the Matador fans to their feet with a thunderous dunk, plus a foul, to push the lead to the biggest of the night at 37-28 with 16:27 to play. CSUB though battled back again, pulling to within one at 39-38 on a 6-0 spurt. After comitting 11 turnovers in the first half, CSUN was hampered by giveaways in the second half with 14 in the period. During a three-minute stretch, CSUN turned the ball over four times alone. Bakersfield would take its first lead of the second half on a free throw from Cameron Wilbon with 11:11 to play.
Gianni Hunt stopped the bleeding with a three at the 10:49 mark, but the Matadors went the next six minutes without a field goal. The lead though switched six times during that stretch with CSUN staying within striking distance with six made free throws. Bostick threw down a dunk for a 52-51 lead with 4:07 to play, but CSUB responded with a basket from Kaleb Higgins. Mahmoud Fofana gave CSUN the lead right back at 54-53 at the 3:20 mark, but the Matadors would not make another field goal after that. Bakersfield took the lead at the free throw line then picked up a timely three-point play from Higgins for a 59-54 lead with a minute on the clock. De'Sean Allen-Eikens had a chance to cut the lead to three on a dunk, but the shot came up short. The Roadrunners would put the game away with three late free throws.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"They executed, we didn't. They defended, we didn't. We also turned the ball over. There were missed opportunities on our end -- a missed dunk that would have made it a one possession game. We're making way too many mistakes.
"We've got to work. We've got 12 games left. They're not going away, we have to go to work."
UP NEXT
CSUN opens a two-game road stretch on Saturday at UC Irvine. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN put together an 11-2 run in the early going as Bryan Ndjonga hit a three for a seven-point lead. The Roadrunners would battle back to within 11-9, but Jasman Sangha scored in the paint for a four-point lead. Bakersfield would struggle from the field in the first half, shooting just 21.2 percent, but the Matadors would only lead by just two points with six minutes left to play in the first half. CSUN though hit its stride to close the first half, beginning with a 5-0 run to a take a 23-16 lead. Dionte Bostick later drained a three for a 26-18 lead at the three-minute mark. The Matadors closed the first half with a three-point play from Sangha for a 31-22 lead at the break.
The Matadors stayed in control in the early minutes of the second period. Keonte Jones brought the Matador fans to their feet with a thunderous dunk, plus a foul, to push the lead to the biggest of the night at 37-28 with 16:27 to play. CSUB though battled back again, pulling to within one at 39-38 on a 6-0 spurt. After comitting 11 turnovers in the first half, CSUN was hampered by giveaways in the second half with 14 in the period. During a three-minute stretch, CSUN turned the ball over four times alone. Bakersfield would take its first lead of the second half on a free throw from Cameron Wilbon with 11:11 to play.
Gianni Hunt stopped the bleeding with a three at the 10:49 mark, but the Matadors went the next six minutes without a field goal. The lead though switched six times during that stretch with CSUN staying within striking distance with six made free throws. Bostick threw down a dunk for a 52-51 lead with 4:07 to play, but CSUB responded with a basket from Kaleb Higgins. Mahmoud Fofana gave CSUN the lead right back at 54-53 at the 3:20 mark, but the Matadors would not make another field goal after that. Bakersfield took the lead at the free throw line then picked up a timely three-point play from Higgins for a 59-54 lead with a minute on the clock. De'Sean Allen-Eikens had a chance to cut the lead to three on a dunk, but the shot came up short. The Roadrunners would put the game away with three late free throws.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN falls to 13-7 overall and 4-4 in conference while Cal State Bakersfield improves to 8-11 overall and 3-5 in Big West play.
- CSUN shot 40.0 percent for the game while going 3-of-16 from three (18.8 percent) and 17-of-29 from the free throw line (58.6 percent). Cal State Bakersfield shot just 36.2 percent but made 22-of-33 at the free throw line (66.7 percent). CSUB also missed all 11 attempts from three.
- The Matadors out-rebounded the Roadrunners 43-36.
- CSUN turned the ball over 24 times leading to 16 CSUB points off turnovers.
- Keonte Jones finished with eight points, five rebounds, four blocks and three assists in just 19 minutes before fouling out.
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"They executed, we didn't. They defended, we didn't. We also turned the ball over. There were missed opportunities on our end -- a missed dunk that would have made it a one possession game. We're making way too many mistakes.
"We've got to work. We've got 12 games left. They're not going away, we have to go to work."
UP NEXT
CSUN opens a two-game road stretch on Saturday at UC Irvine. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call at GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
Â
Team Stats
CSUB
CSUN
FG%
.362
.400
3FG%
.000
.188
FT%
.667
.586
RB
36
43
TO
13
24
STL
13
6
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF/C
/ Men's BasketballTexas State vs. Eastern Washington
Saturday, November 20
Texas State vs. Dixie State
Friday, November 19
A Conversation With Mark Gottfried
Friday, June 19
Preseason chat with Terrell Gomez
Thursday, October 03