Saturday, January 11
Northridge, Calif.
2:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
3-12,1-5Big West
56
vs
62
Cal State Bakersfield
1-15,1-5Big West
1
2
3
4
F
CSU Bakersfield
18
10
10
24
62
CSUN
16
16
9
15
56
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUB Defeats CSUN, 62-56
1/11/2025 4:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif -- CSUN Women's Basketball fell to the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners by a score of 62-56 in Big West action Saturday afternoon at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Erika Aspajo was a bright spot for the Matadors as she tallied a season-high 22 points on 9-17 shooting. Yves Cox had a near double-double at seven points and ten rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams went blow for blow, trading baskets until Bakersfield went on a mini 5-0 run capped off by an Alli Dioli three-point bucket with 3:16 remaining in the first period as CSUB led 16-10. CSUN rallied back to tie at 16 apiece thanks to a Jenna Kilty three pointer and an Aspajo layup. Alondra Lizama hit a free throw to get the game to even scoring. The Roadrunners added another basket as CSUB took a 18-16 lead heading into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, both teams again couldn't get a big upper hand as when one team scored, the other countered with points of its own. CSUN got its biggest lead of the game (six points) at that point with 2:51 remaining. The lead featured a 7-3 run with five of those points coming from Aspajo. The junior from Baracelona got her ninth point of the game on a free throw to make the score 29-23 in favor of the Matadors.
CSUB drained a shot from distance to cut the lead in half, before Karsen Marshall hit a shot from behind the arc of her own to push back the lead to six with 2:13 remaining. The Roadrunners would hit one more shot to make the score 32-28 heading into intermission.
2ND HALF
Bakersfield began the half on a 7-2 run to take the lead back. Two free throws by Ari Dizon at the 4:40 mark gave CSUB the lead at 35-34. Matadors wasted no time taking it back as CSUN followed with a 7-1 run. Once again, Aspajo accounted for five of the seven points in the run, as CSUN now led 41-35 with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter. A Roadrunners three-point bucket trimmed the lead to three as both teams geared up for the final period.
Unfortunately for the Matadors, CSUB had its highest scoring quarter in the fourth as the Roadrunners tallied 24 points on 8-13 shooting. Bakersfield also went 5-8 from the charity stripe.
The Matadors extended their lead to 10 to begin the period as Laini Dahlin hit a shot from distance with 7:53 left. The basket made the score 48-38. After that shot however, CSUB went full steam ahead with a 19-4 run, its biggest of the contest. It just happened to come at the wrong time for the Matadors.
Aspajo ended the run on a made jumpshot to cut the lead to three at 57-54 with 1:17 remaining in the game. Two made free-throws for CSUB bumped the lead back to five with time running out. Aspajo would drain a layup with 24 seconds left to make it a one-possession game at 59-56, but Bakersfield scored the final three points on a layup and a free-throw to ice the game and earn the win.
QUICK FACTS:
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH ANGIE NED
"I think ultimately Bakersfield did a really good job taking us out of our comfort zone defensively. On offense, we just weren't very organized. We weren't hustling for loose balls and we made extra plays for [CSUB]. Unfortunately, we just didn't have it tonight."
UP NEXT:
CSUN returns home to face Hawai'i on Thursday, Jan 16 at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Jill Painter-Lopez will be on the call for ESPN+.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams went blow for blow, trading baskets until Bakersfield went on a mini 5-0 run capped off by an Alli Dioli three-point bucket with 3:16 remaining in the first period as CSUB led 16-10. CSUN rallied back to tie at 16 apiece thanks to a Jenna Kilty three pointer and an Aspajo layup. Alondra Lizama hit a free throw to get the game to even scoring. The Roadrunners added another basket as CSUB took a 18-16 lead heading into the second quarter.
Aspajo AND ONE.
— CSUN Women's Basketball (@CSUNWBB) January 11, 2025
She somehow gets this one to fall as CSUN takes a 29-23 advantage.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/ma7jAwWAYn
In the second quarter, both teams again couldn't get a big upper hand as when one team scored, the other countered with points of its own. CSUN got its biggest lead of the game (six points) at that point with 2:51 remaining. The lead featured a 7-3 run with five of those points coming from Aspajo. The junior from Baracelona got her ninth point of the game on a free throw to make the score 29-23 in favor of the Matadors.
CSUB drained a shot from distance to cut the lead in half, before Karsen Marshall hit a shot from behind the arc of her own to push back the lead to six with 2:13 remaining. The Roadrunners would hit one more shot to make the score 32-28 heading into intermission.
2ND HALF
Bakersfield began the half on a 7-2 run to take the lead back. Two free throws by Ari Dizon at the 4:40 mark gave CSUB the lead at 35-34. Matadors wasted no time taking it back as CSUN followed with a 7-1 run. Once again, Aspajo accounted for five of the seven points in the run, as CSUN now led 41-35 with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter. A Roadrunners three-point bucket trimmed the lead to three as both teams geared up for the final period.
Unfortunately for the Matadors, CSUB had its highest scoring quarter in the fourth as the Roadrunners tallied 24 points on 8-13 shooting. Bakersfield also went 5-8 from the charity stripe.
The Matadors extended their lead to 10 to begin the period as Laini Dahlin hit a shot from distance with 7:53 left. The basket made the score 48-38. After that shot however, CSUB went full steam ahead with a 19-4 run, its biggest of the contest. It just happened to come at the wrong time for the Matadors.
Aspajo ended the run on a made jumpshot to cut the lead to three at 57-54 with 1:17 remaining in the game. Two made free-throws for CSUB bumped the lead back to five with time running out. Aspajo would drain a layup with 24 seconds left to make it a one-possession game at 59-56, but Bakersfield scored the final three points on a layup and a free-throw to ice the game and earn the win.
QUICK FACTS:
- As previously mentioned, Aspajo notched her highest scoring game in a Matador uniform with 22 points. Her previous high was 16 versus Cal State Fullerton (01/02).
- Cox tallied her third double-digit rebound game as she finished with 10.
- Kilty shot 50% (2/4) from beyond the arc, her fourth consecutive game that she has hit multiple three-pointers.
- With the defeat, CSUN falls to 3-12 on the season, 1-5 in Big West play.
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH ANGIE NED
"I think ultimately Bakersfield did a really good job taking us out of our comfort zone defensively. On offense, we just weren't very organized. We weren't hustling for loose balls and we made extra plays for [CSUB]. Unfortunately, we just didn't have it tonight."
UP NEXT:
CSUN returns home to face Hawai'i on Thursday, Jan 16 at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Jill Painter-Lopez will be on the call for ESPN+.
Team Stats
CSUB
CSUN
FG%
.361
.355
3FG%
.286
.211
FT%
.714
.615
RB
37
45
TO
12
14
STL
9
7
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
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