Saturday, February 24
Fullerton, CA
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
18-11,9-8Big West
65
at
60
Cal State Fullerton
12-16,5-11Big West
1
2
F
CSUN
28
37
65
Cal St. Fullerton
33
27
60
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Secures Most Wins Since '08 with Road Victory
2/24/2024 10:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FULLERTON, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball notched its 18th win of the season, the team's most in 16 seasons, in a 65-60 road triumph over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at Titan Gym. De'Sean Allen-Eikens led the way with 20 points while Dionte Bostick added 18 points including game clincher in the final seconds of the game. The Matadors also secured their ninth road win, the program's most since the 2007-08 campaign.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Allen-Eikens powered a 9-0 run that gave CSUN a 13-4 lead in the early going. The Matadors held the Titans to just two field goals over the first seven-plus minutes of the game, but Fullerton began to battle back behind the scoring of Dominic Brewton. Brewton hit a pair of threes to help key a comeback along with a pair of field goals near the midway point of the first half. With its lead down to 18-17, CSUN would score the next six points as Mahmoud Fofana gave the Matadors a 24-17 lead with 7:06 left in the first half. The Matadors' lead stood at 28-22 after a Gianni Hunt field goal, but the team went the final five-plus minutes of the first half without a point. Fullerton capitalized with an 11-0 run to close the half, capped by a Brewton three, for a 33-28 lead at intermission.
CSUN finally broke the scoring drought at the 17:27 point of the second half on a Keonte Jones layup. Jones converted later on a dunk to bring CSUN to within three, but the Titans scored the next six to build a 43-34 lead.
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The Matadors would regroup and begin to chip away at the lead. Allen-Eikens converted on a three-point play then Hunt set up Bostick on a fastbreak layup to cut the deficit to six. Bostick completed his own three-point play at the 11-minute mark, which was followed by a Hunt basket that brought CSUN to within 50-49.
After Brewton hit a basket for Fullerton, Bostick drained a three to even the game at 52-52 with 10:13 left to play. Bostick's three sparked a CSUN 8-0 run that was capped by a JasmanSangha three-point play. Bostick gave CSUN a 63-56 lead with 4:58 to play, but the Titans made one last push down the stretch. Fullerton scored the next four points while CSUN went scoreless until the final minute as the lead stood at 63-60. In need of a basket, CSUN turned to Bostick who made a crucial layup with nine seconds on the clock to seal a Matador win.
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NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"They are good players. We knew that when we brought them here. You've just got to stay the course. Everybody knows this in basketball. You go through ups and you go through downs. The important thing is in those down times, you stay with yourself, and when things aren't going your way you work harder. And that's what these guys are doing."
UP NEXT
CSUN opens a two-game homestand on Thursday, Feb. 29 against UC Irvine. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Allen-Eikens powered a 9-0 run that gave CSUN a 13-4 lead in the early going. The Matadors held the Titans to just two field goals over the first seven-plus minutes of the game, but Fullerton began to battle back behind the scoring of Dominic Brewton. Brewton hit a pair of threes to help key a comeback along with a pair of field goals near the midway point of the first half. With its lead down to 18-17, CSUN would score the next six points as Mahmoud Fofana gave the Matadors a 24-17 lead with 7:06 left in the first half. The Matadors' lead stood at 28-22 after a Gianni Hunt field goal, but the team went the final five-plus minutes of the first half without a point. Fullerton capitalized with an 11-0 run to close the half, capped by a Brewton three, for a 33-28 lead at intermission.
CSUN finally broke the scoring drought at the 17:27 point of the second half on a Keonte Jones layup. Jones converted later on a dunk to bring CSUN to within three, but the Titans scored the next six to build a 43-34 lead.
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Keonte AND ONE!
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) February 25, 2024
CSUN trailing by five early in the second half.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/tDYuSP2qHz
The Matadors would regroup and begin to chip away at the lead. Allen-Eikens converted on a three-point play then Hunt set up Bostick on a fastbreak layup to cut the deficit to six. Bostick completed his own three-point play at the 11-minute mark, which was followed by a Hunt basket that brought CSUN to within 50-49.
After Brewton hit a basket for Fullerton, Bostick drained a three to even the game at 52-52 with 10:13 left to play. Bostick's three sparked a CSUN 8-0 run that was capped by a JasmanSangha three-point play. Bostick gave CSUN a 63-56 lead with 4:58 to play, but the Titans made one last push down the stretch. Fullerton scored the next four points while CSUN went scoreless until the final minute as the lead stood at 63-60. In need of a basket, CSUN turned to Bostick who made a crucial layup with nine seconds on the clock to seal a Matador win.
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THE DAGGER FROM @iBostickDionte.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/6y6WmuP5lS
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) February 25, 2024
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 18-11 overall with a 9-8 Big West record. Cal State Fullerton falls to 12-16 overall and 5-11 in conference.
- The Matadors also secured a season sweep of Cal State Fullerton for the first time since 2016.
- CSUN shot just 38.8 percent for the game while making 2-of-18 shots from 3-point range (11.1 percent) and 11-of-16 from the free throw line (68.8 percent). Fullerton finished shooting 42.0 percent while hitting 7-of-20 from three (35.0 percent) and 11-of-13 from the free throw line (84.6 percent).
- Each team had 38 rebounds on the night.
- Mahmoud Fofana just missed out on a double-double as he finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Keonte Jones added seven rebounds and six points.
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"They are good players. We knew that when we brought them here. You've just got to stay the course. Everybody knows this in basketball. You go through ups and you go through downs. The important thing is in those down times, you stay with yourself, and when things aren't going your way you work harder. And that's what these guys are doing."
UP NEXT
CSUN opens a two-game homestand on Thursday, Feb. 29 against UC Irvine. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
CSUN
CSF
FG%
.388
.420
3FG%
.111
.350
FT%
.688
.846
RB
38
38
TO
7
17
STL
9
5
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballF
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