Thrilling Comeback Pushes CSUN Past Fullerton in Overtime

NORTHRIDGE, Calif --- CSUN Women's Basketball stormed back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime against Cal State Fullerton and ended up victorious by a score of 79-76 on Thursday at Premier America Credit Union Arena. The win was CSUN's first in conference play and first of the new year.

Morgan Edwards led the way with 22 points in the win. Erika Aspajo added a season-high 16 points to go along with eight assists and seven rebounds. Yves Cox tallied a career-high 14 rebounds. Jenna Kilty hit a three-point basket with six seconds remaining in the fourth to force overtime. CSUN grabbed 61 rebounds, its third most in a game in team history.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a couple made baskets from Fullerton to start the game, Aspajo got the scoring started with a driving layup at the 8:27 mark. Fullerton would then go on a 11-4 run capped off by a Madelynn Muniz three-point bucket to get the Titan lead to 15-6 with 3:04 remaining in the period. CSUN would then go on a mini 6-1 run which ended in a jumper made by Erica Adams. The Titans would get the last basket of the first quarter thanks to Aaliyah Stanton as Fullerton had a seven-point lead (19-12) to end the first.

In the second quarter, both teams went back and forth trading buckets as no team really had an edge in the period. A small 5-0 run by the Matadors got the lead to 27-25 after an Edwards layup cut the deficit to two with 4:55 remaining in the half. Fullerton countered with a 9-0 run ending with a Aixchel Hernandez jump shot to push the Titan lead back to 11 at 36-25 with 2:55 remaining. The scoring was dead even the rest of the half as CSUN trailed 41-30 heading into the break.

2ND HALF
Fullerton began the second half on a 7-2 run looking to put the game away early. Demonnie Lagway hit a layup at the 7:51 mark to push the lead to 16 at 48-32. The next two minutes, there would be good defense from both teams as Aspajo ending the scoring drought with two made free throws to cut the lead to 14 at the 5:56 mark. Then, CSUN rallied with a 5-0 run thanks to an Edwards shot from downtown. With both teams once again trading baskets, Fullerton ended the quarter with a buzzer-beating jumper to extend the Titan lead to 14 at 59-45 going into the fourth.

The fourth quarter is where the magic happened. After a couple made baskets from the Matadors, Fullerton countered with an 8-1 run, ultimately stretching the lead to 17 with 5:13 remaining in the game and seemingly putting this one out of reach for CSUN. The Matadors would then go on a 10-3 run, as Kilty drained a shot from the corner to make the Titan lead 10 with 2:28 left to go, scoring her first points of the contest.

Kilty would then hit another three-point shot, cutting the lead to seven with 50 seconds left to play. This time, however, she was fouled on the made shot, as the crowd roared, sending her to the line to complete the four-point play. The grad student from Oakland would make the free throw, trimming the lead to a two-possession score, as CSUN was then down by six.

The Matadors strategy was to then put Fullerton at the charity stripe, which it struggled to find consistency. Stanton made one of two free throws in the next possession. Yves Cox was sent to the line, but she only made one shot, keeping the lead to six with 42 seconds left. CSUN would grab its own miss free throw, and Edwards would then get fouled. Edwards would make one, narrowing the lead to five.

In Fullerton's next possession, CSUN would send Lagway to the free-throw line, and she would end up missing both free throws. Cox then hit a layup to get the lead down to three with 27 seconds left to go. After trading free throws, the Matadors found themselves with the ball with 11 seconds remaining and down three. Kilty would then drain another three pointer, her third of the quarter, to tie the game with six seconds left. A missed three-point attempt from the Titans sent the game into overtime.

OVERTIME
After both teams saw themselves score, Morgan Edwards hit a shot from distance to get CSUN its first lead of the game 78-76 with 2:05 remaining in extra time. Fullerton went ice cold in the extra period thanks to great defense by the Matadors. An Edwards free throw accounted for the next point as the Titans scored only three points, going 1-8 from the field. The final score would read 79-76, capping off a 17-point comeback win in favor of the home team.

CSUN won its first overtime game since March 2, 2024 at UC San Diego
Five Matador players scored in double-figures, the first time since Nov. 24, 2019 against Washington State.
Both Yves Cox (14) and Jenna Kilty (7) set career highs in rebounds.
Erika Aspajo once again had a solid all around stat line with 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
CSUN's 61 rebounds are tied for the third most in team history.

ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH ANGIE NED
"I am very proud of my team. Resiliency is one of our team values. To see our team compete, and rally together one possession at a time. The other team is gonna go on runs. If we just execute, and stay committed to our game plan, we are going to have a recipe for success. I am really proud of their efforts tonight.

UP NEXT:
CSUN hits the road to UC Davis on Saturday, Jan. 4. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Thrilling Comeback Pushes CSUN Past Fullerton in Overtime

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Team Stats

Morgan Edwards

Erika Aspajo

Yves Cox

Jenna Kilty

Players Mentioned

Erica Adams

Erika Aspajo

Yves Cox

Morgan Edwards

Jenna Kilty

Players Mentioned

Erica Adams

Erika Aspajo

Yves Cox

Morgan Edwards

Jenna Kilty