Thursday, March 14
Henderson, Nev.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
19-15,9-11Big West
68
vs
75
Hawai'i
20-13,11-9Big West
1
2
F
CSUN
30
38
68
Hawaii
36
39
75
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Falls to Hawai'i in Hard-Fought Battle, 75-68
3/14/2024 9:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HENDERSON, Nev.---CSUN Men's Basketball gave Hawai'i a battle for 40 minutes, but the Matadors fell just short 75-68 in a Big West quarterfinal game on Thursday at the Dollar Loan Center. De'Sean Allen-Eikens scored a team-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds in his final collegiate game while Dionte Bostick added 18 points and Keonte Jones tallied 15 points and 10 rebounds,
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HOW IT HAPPENED
 Less than 24 hours after CSUN won an overtime thriller over UC Santa Barbara, the Matadors would again play in another closely contested game. CSUN came out quickly, jumping ahead 10-3 after a Bostick jumper. After the Bows pulled to within two, Allen-Eikens drained a three for a 15-10 lead at the 12-minute timeout. Allen-Eikens carried the load offensively throughout the night as he made his first four field goals including a pair of threes. Hawai'i though battled back, eventually taking a 24-23 lead on a Jovon McClanahan jumper. Allen-Eikens answered for CSUN on a jumper in transition, but McClanahan scored moments later. Hawai'i went on a 7-0 run near the end of the first half and built as big a lead as eight until a late jumper from Bostick brought CSUN to within 36-30 at intermission.
CSUN pulled to within 38-36 early in the second half, but Juan Munoz sank a three on the next possession. Moments later, Jones finished on an acrobatic three-point play to again cut the lead to two, however, the Bows had an answer as threes from Justin McKoy and Munoz extended the lead to 47-39. Allen-Eikens threw down a dunk off a drive to the hoop that cut the deficit to 47-41 with 15:40 left to play. Hawai'i though scored six of the next eight points to extend to its biggest lead of the night at 53-43. CSUN would keep on battling down the stretch as an 8-0 run, closed by a Jones basket, cut the deficit to two.Â
CSUN again fell behind by seven but picked up back-to-back baskets from Jones to close the gap to 67-64 with 3:47 to play. Bostick would later bring the Matadors closer at 68-66 with 2:35 to go, but McClanahan answered with a driving basket late in the shot clock. A Bostick jumper at the 1:00 minute mark, pulled the Matadors to within 72-68, but a CSUN foul deep in the shot clock sent McKoy to the line where he made two. CSUN would be unable to convert again in the final seconds as Hawai'i held on for the close win.
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NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"It was a good game. I thought we played really hard. We came out on fire with a lot of gas and made some great plays to start the game. We just ran out of gas. Credit to Hawai'i. They played good basketball, made shots when they had to and that's what this time of year is about. You've got to make shots and Hawai'i did. They executed their offense and I thought they played great. They deserved to win, and that's a great team we lost to today.
"Those guys out there. That CSUN team played their hearts out. They played their hearts out last night and played their hearts out tonight, and just gave everything they could. Credit to them. I'm so proud of their effort. Wish we could have made some more baskets down the stretch but super proud of what they gave here."
POST-GAME COMMENTS
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#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
 Less than 24 hours after CSUN won an overtime thriller over UC Santa Barbara, the Matadors would again play in another closely contested game. CSUN came out quickly, jumping ahead 10-3 after a Bostick jumper. After the Bows pulled to within two, Allen-Eikens drained a three for a 15-10 lead at the 12-minute timeout. Allen-Eikens carried the load offensively throughout the night as he made his first four field goals including a pair of threes. Hawai'i though battled back, eventually taking a 24-23 lead on a Jovon McClanahan jumper. Allen-Eikens answered for CSUN on a jumper in transition, but McClanahan scored moments later. Hawai'i went on a 7-0 run near the end of the first half and built as big a lead as eight until a late jumper from Bostick brought CSUN to within 36-30 at intermission.
CSUN pulled to within 38-36 early in the second half, but Juan Munoz sank a three on the next possession. Moments later, Jones finished on an acrobatic three-point play to again cut the lead to two, however, the Bows had an answer as threes from Justin McKoy and Munoz extended the lead to 47-39. Allen-Eikens threw down a dunk off a drive to the hoop that cut the deficit to 47-41 with 15:40 left to play. Hawai'i though scored six of the next eight points to extend to its biggest lead of the night at 53-43. CSUN would keep on battling down the stretch as an 8-0 run, closed by a Jones basket, cut the deficit to two.Â
CSUN again fell behind by seven but picked up back-to-back baskets from Jones to close the gap to 67-64 with 3:47 to play. Bostick would later bring the Matadors closer at 68-66 with 2:35 to go, but McClanahan answered with a driving basket late in the shot clock. A Bostick jumper at the 1:00 minute mark, pulled the Matadors to within 72-68, but a CSUN foul deep in the shot clock sent McKoy to the line where he made two. CSUN would be unable to convert again in the final seconds as Hawai'i held on for the close win.
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NOTES OF THE GAME
- Picked to not make the Big West tournament prior to the season, CSUN finishes its Big West tournament run at 19-15, the program's most wins since 2007-08.
- CSUN shot 45.2 percent from the floor while going 3-of-17 from three (17.6 percent) and 9-of-13 from the free throw line (69.2 percent). Hawai'i shot 42.9 percent while making 10-of-24 threes (41.7 percent) and 17-of-25 free throws (68.0 percent).
- CSUN out-rebounded Hawai'i 37-36 on the night.
- Allen-Eikens closes the Big West Championship with 620 points on the season, the sixth-most by a Matador in team history.
- Jones' double-double was a team-best fifth of the season. Gianni Hunt led CSUN with eight assists to go with five points.
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"It was a good game. I thought we played really hard. We came out on fire with a lot of gas and made some great plays to start the game. We just ran out of gas. Credit to Hawai'i. They played good basketball, made shots when they had to and that's what this time of year is about. You've got to make shots and Hawai'i did. They executed their offense and I thought they played great. They deserved to win, and that's a great team we lost to today.
"Those guys out there. That CSUN team played their hearts out. They played their hearts out last night and played their hearts out tonight, and just gave everything they could. Credit to them. I'm so proud of their effort. Wish we could have made some more baskets down the stretch but super proud of what they gave here."
POST-GAME COMMENTS
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#GoMatadors
Team Stats
CSUN
Hawaii
FG%
.452
.429
3FG%
.176
.417
FT%
.692
.680
RB
37
36
TO
11
11
STL
3
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
18
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
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