CSUN Opens Big West Play Hosting UC Riverside, Visiting Cal Poly

GAME NOTES

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball opens Big West play this Thursday hosting UC Riverside on Spectrum SportsNet at 7 p.m. The week wraps up on the road with the Matadors visiting Cal Poly on Saturday at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.

Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister will call the action in audio broadcasts on GoMatadors.com/Radio.

FOR STARTERS
The Matadors enter Big West play with a 6-2 overall record after winning three of four games in Montana last week. This week's conference opener is the earliest the Matadors have ever begun league action in team history. After completing this week's action, CSUN will pause from Big West competition to resume non-conference play on Dec. 18 at USC. The team's final two non-conference games are set to take place at Premier America Credit Union Arena with the Matadors hosting Chicago State on Dec. 21 and La Sierra on Dec. 28.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
CSUN spent Thanksgiving week in Montana as the Matadors came away with three victories and a runner-up finish at the Stew Morrill Classic. The first three games of the trip were spent in Missoula where CSUN picked up wins over Utah Tech 89-79 and Denver 89-60. The Matadors would face host Montana in the championship game of the Stew Morrill Classic but came up short in an 83-75 loss. CSUN completed the road trip with a spirited 72-69 overtime victory over the defending Big Sky Champion Montana State last Saturday in Bozeman.

Both Marcus Adams Jr. and Keonte Jones were named to the All-Tournament Team at the Stew Morrill Classic as each were big parts of CSUN's success. Adams led CSUN in scoring in all three games of the Stew Morrill Classic, pouring in 25 points against Utah Tech, registering his first career double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds versus Denver and recording 17 points against Montana to average 20.3 points in the tournament. Jones averaged 18.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in the three games at the classic, highlighted by a 23-point performance in a come-from-behind effort against Utah Tech where CSUN trailed by double digits in the second half. In the finale of the tournament, Jones recorded a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort against Montana.

CSUN would close the weekend with perhaps its best win of the young season, outlasting Montana State in overtime. The Matadors knocked off a Bobcat team which has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons. The Matadors held the Bobcats to a 37.0 field goal percentage including 0-for-5 shooting in the overtime period. Adams again topped CSUN with 21 points while Jones had a stellar game of 11 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks. Senior Jordan Brinson also gave CSUN a lift off the bench, totaling seven points and six rebounds in 30 minutes.

KEONTE FILLING UP THE STAT SHEET
Senior Keonte Jones has been a big part of the Matadors' success in the early going as he leads the team in a host of categories including rebounds per game (9.1), assists per game (3.9), steals per game (2.3) and minutes per game (31.6) while ranking second in scoring at 15.6 points per game. In addition, Jones is shooting 50.6 percent from the floor to go with a 58.3 percentage from three. In the Big West, Jones enters the week ranked first in two categories, which include rebounds and blocks, as well as second in assists and 10th in scoring.

NEWCOMERS MAKING AN IMPACT
CSUN has turned to a host of newcomers this season with many already making a significant impact. Off the bench, sophomore Marcus Adams Jr. has soared to the scoring lead on the team at 16.0 points on 56.4 percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent shooting from three (13-for-35) to go with 5.6 rebounds per game. Junior Scotty Washington is third on the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game while ranking second in steals (10) and 3-point field goals made (11). In the assists department, senior Tyler Beard has 25 assists to rank second on the team followed by senior PJ Fuller II with 24. Fuller is averaging 7.5 points in his return to the court after missing all of last season. Junior Grady Lewis has also been a key contributor, averaging 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.

CSUN IN THE BIG WEST
The Matadors enter Big West play with the third-best record in the conference at 6-2 all while just playing one home game on the year. CSUN tops the league in rebounds per game (41.3) and blocks per game (3.9) as well as checks in at second in points per game (81.9), field goal percentage (48.0) and assists per game (16.1). Nationally, the Matadors' defense ranks 16th in Division I basketball in field goal percentage defense (36.7) and 19th in defensive rebounds per game (29.6).

SCOUTING UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders are an even 4-4 on the season and coming off an 80-68 defeat at Idaho last Saturday. UCR has a 2-4 record away from home this season, notching impressive victories over California Baptist (70-69) and Colorado State (77-75). Last season, the Highlanders went 16-18 overall and 10-10 in Big West play. The team was selected to finish fourth in the Big West by the league's head coaches prior to the year. The Highlanders average 71.6 points and surrender 75.0 points per game. Barrington Hargress, last season's Big West Freshman of the Year, tops the team and ranks second in the league in scoring at 18.8 points. Hargress also leads the squad in assists (34). Isaiah Moses is second in scoring at 11.3 points followed Kaleb Smith at 10.1 points per game.

Series History: CSUN leads UC Riverside 47-43 in the all-time series. In 2023-24, the teams split two meetings with each side holding serve at home. CSUN snapped a seven-game skid in the series with a 76-70 victory over UCR at Premier America Credit Union Arena on Feb. 3.

SCOUTING CAL POLY
The Mustangs are 5-4 on the season and have already eclipsed their entire win total from last season. Playing under first-year head coach Mike DeGeorge, Cal Poly is coming off a 97-90 victory over Stanford last Saturday. Prior to taking on CSUN, Cal Poly will visit UC Davis on Thursday. The Mustangs were picked to finish 11th in the Big West by the conference's head coaches. On the season, Cal Poly leads the Big West in scoring average at 82.3 points per game while in contrast, the team yields the most points per game (81.6). Owen Koonce, the reigning Big West Player of the Week, averages a team-best 15.8 points and 5.1 rebounds. Other top scorers include Isaac Jessup at 14.3 points and Jarred Hyder at 13.8 points.

Series History: Cal Poly holds a slight 57-56 edge in the all-time series, but CSUN has won three-straight meetings. The Matadors swept the season series last year, which included an 83-78 victory at Mott Athletics Center last December.

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CSUN Opens Big West Play Hosting UC Riverside, Visiting Cal Poly

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Players Mentioned

Marcus Adams Jr.

Tyler Beard

Jordan Brinson

PJ Fuller II

Keonte Jones

Grady Lewis

Scotty Washington