CSUN Drops Tough Road Battle at Long Beach State

LONG BEACH, Calif -- CSUN Women's Basketball fell 88-75 to Long Beach State, Thursday night at The Gold Mine. Five different Matador players scored in double figures as Kelly Tumlin and Nnenna Orji both led with 13 points. Erika Aspajo had 11, and Morgan Edwards and Jenna Kilty both had 10 for the Matadors.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN started the game on a 17-8 run thanks to three different players hitting three-point baskets. Edwards, Kilty, and Tumlin all drained shots from distance as CSUN began the game shooting 62.5% from the field. Edwards contributed seven of the team's first 17 points.

After the 17-8 run, Savannah Tucker from Long Beach State hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to cut the CSUN lead to six at the 3:39 mark.

CSUN responded with a bucket by Aspajo to push the lead back to eight with 2:45 remaining in the period.

A couple free-throws and a Tucker basket from distance for The Beach cut the lead to three with 27 seconds remaining in the first quarter. CSUN was up 19-16 going into the second period.

In the second quarter, Tumlin got the scoring started with a step-back shot from behind the arc. Both teams traded buckets, but CSUN responded with another three, its fifth of the game, this time from Aspajo at the 7:53 mark. That shot pushed the lead back to seven at 27-20. Aspajo hit a coast-to-coast layup to extend the lead to nine at 29-20 with 7:13 remaining in the second.

The game then went back-and forth with no team going on any major run, but the Matadors managed to keep their lead. CSUN got the lead to double-digits thanks to another Tumlin three-pointer, her third of the contest with 3:24 remaining in the half. That shot made the score 41-30. CSUN then went on a little run. A driving layup by Aspajo and a layup from Yves Cox bumped the lead to 15, CSUN's biggest advantage of the game so far with 2:51 left to play in the half. That basket made it a 10-0 run for the Matadors as the score read 45-30.

A layup from The Beach accounted for the rest of the scoring heading into the intermission. CSUN led 45-32 at the break, while scoring 26 points in the second quarter. Aspajo, the junior from Barcelona went 5-7 in the half, leading the team in points and assists with two. As a team, CSUN shot 52% from the field. On the flip side, CSUN held LBSU to 28% on the defensive end.

2ND HALF
LBSU began the third with a 16-4 run. Laini Dahlin ended the run with a corner three to push the lead back to five at 52-47 with 6:19 remaining in the third. Jada Crenshaw hit a pull-up jumper to make it a three-point lead before a media timeout at 4:35. After another bucket from The Beach, Cox hit a layup with both teams now trading buckets. After a defensive stop, Dahlin hit another three-point bucket from the same spot to push the lead back to six with 3:45 remaining in the third period, as the score read 57-51.

Both teams would hit baskets on their respective sides, but LBSU would rally with another run, this time 10-5, as LBSU cut the lead to as little as one with 1:23 left to go in the third. Long Beach would then take the lead, but CSUN would get it right back. A second-chance bucket from Alondra Lizama tied the game at 64 apiece, but the last possession off the third ended with a Jenna Kilty buzzer beater three from long-range got the lead to 67-64 heading into the fourth.

In the final period, LBSU kicked things off with an 11-3 run, regaining the lead for the first time since the first quarter at 75-70 with 7:36 remaining. CSUN would then call a timeout.

Out of the timeout, The Beach drained a bucket from downtown to push the lead to eight with 6:39 remaining in the game. The Matadors had trouble finding the bottom of the net, as LBSU pushed its lead to double-digits on a drive to the basket with 4:52 remaining as the score read 80-70. After another LBSU bucket, Edwards ended the scoring drought with a free-throw cutting the lead to 11. The time was not on the Matadors' side as The Beach started to pull away.

QUICK FACTS:

Orji dropped a season-high 13 points, while also tying her career high in the process. The grad student from Rancho Cucamonga drained five field-goals and three free-throws. She also had a season high nine rebounds.
Kilty and Tumlin both hit three shots from downtown, accounting for six out of the 10 buckets from three-point land.
Kilty broke her career-high in rebounds with eight. Beating her previous high of seven against Cal. State Fullerton on Jan. 2nd.
Aspajo notched her third-consecutive game in double figures with 11 points. She has scored 10 or more in eight games this season.
CSUN's 45-32 halftime lead is its biggest halftime lead so far this season.

ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH ANGIE NED:
"We did a good job playing together on both sides of the ball. Our defensive efforts and rebounding led to easy and early offensive opportunities for us in the first half."

UP NEXT
CSUN returns home to take on UC San Diego, Saturday afternoon at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Tip-off is slated for 2:00 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Jill Painter-Lopez will be on the call.
#GoMatadors

CSUN Drops Tough Road Battle at Long Beach State

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Team Stats

Kelly Tumlin

Nnenna Orji

Erika Aspajo

Jenna Kilty

Players Mentioned

Erika Aspajo

Yves Cox

Laini Dahlin

Morgan Edwards

Jenna Kilty

Alondra Lizama

Nnenna Orji

Kelly Tumlin

Players Mentioned

Erika Aspajo

Yves Cox

Laini Dahlin

Morgan Edwards

Jenna Kilty

Alondra Lizama

Nnenna Orji

Kelly Tumlin