Thursday, January 30
Santa Barbara, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
14-7,6-4Big West
78
at
71
UC Santa Barbara
13-8,5-5Big West
1
2
F
CSUN
46
32
78
UC Santa Barbara
44
27
71
Photo by: Connor Clark
CSUN Pulls Out Road Win at UCSB, 78-71
1/30/2025 9:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball pulled out a gritty 78-71 decision against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday evening at the Thunderdome. Scotty Washington had a game-high 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting while Marcus Adams Jr. added 18 points and both PJ Fuller II and Mahmoud Fofana chipped in 12 points apiece. The Matadors scored the final nine points to end the game, holding the Gauchos scoreless over the final three minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Back-to-back baskets from Adams and Washington opened the game as CSUN staked to a quick 5-0 lead. The Gauchos would score the next five points before Washington drained a three to put CSUN back on top. After falling behind 10-8, CSUN scored the next eight points with Keonte Jones beginning the run with a layup. UCSB would cut the deficit to 16-13, but a 7-0 run, capped by an Adams jumper, gave CSUN a 23-13 lead. The Gauchos though remained close due to strong shooting from distance. Cole Anderson drained one of his four threes on the night at the six-minute mark while Stephan Swenson hit one of his own a minute later to help close the gap to four. PJ Fuller II knocked down a three for a 41-34 lead with 3:27 left in the first half, but Deuce Turner answered from beyond the arc on the ensuing possession. UCSB pulled to within 43-41 on four consecutive made free throws before tying the game on a Swenson three. The Matadors would go into the break leading by a slim 46-44 margin after Fuller found Grady Lewis for a late bucket.
CSUN began the second half in the same manner as the first half, scoring the first five points to extend to a 51-44 lead. However, the Gauchos had an answer again with Max Murrell hitting consecutive threes. An Anderson three at the 15:26 mark evened the game at 53-53, but Washington responded for CSUN with back-to-back threes to give his team a 59-53 advantage. Jones closed a CSUN 8-0 run with 13:37 to play, but the Matadors went the next six minutes without a field goal. The Gauchos would take advantage, going on a 9-1 run as Anderson again tied the game up on a three. While CSUN went cold on the offensive end, the Matadors kept the game tied with five straight defensive stops, leading to Adams putting the Matadors ahead at 65-62 with 6:11 to play.
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Moments later, UCSB hit a pair at the free throw line and then grabbed its first lead of the second half at 66-65 on a Swenson jumper. Adams gave CSUN the lead right back on the next possession, but Swenson answered with a layup on the other end. The lead traded hands twice more with UCSB holding a 71-69 lead with under three minutes to go. CSUN would pick up a key defensive stop before Adams tied the game up on an emphatic dunk. On UCSB's next possession, Jones intercepted a UCSB entry pass to the post, leading to a Fuller layup that gave CSUN a 73-71 lead with 1:52 on the clock. The Matadors' defense continued to make stops down the stretch while Fofana and Washington combined to make six free throws over the final 1:02 to seal the game.
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NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"With such a talented team like Santa Barbara, we knew we had to give our best effort on the defensive end, and I think we did. Our guys really responded, especially down the stretch. It's tied 62-62, and we're not playing great. We had some turnovers and some balls go through our hands. Our guys know there's no pressure on the offensive end because we've got to get stops. And that's what they did tonight and it was really fun to be a part of."
UP NEXT
CSUN returns home on Saturday evening to take on Cal State Bakersfield at 5 p.m. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmsieter will have the call on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Back-to-back baskets from Adams and Washington opened the game as CSUN staked to a quick 5-0 lead. The Gauchos would score the next five points before Washington drained a three to put CSUN back on top. After falling behind 10-8, CSUN scored the next eight points with Keonte Jones beginning the run with a layup. UCSB would cut the deficit to 16-13, but a 7-0 run, capped by an Adams jumper, gave CSUN a 23-13 lead. The Gauchos though remained close due to strong shooting from distance. Cole Anderson drained one of his four threes on the night at the six-minute mark while Stephan Swenson hit one of his own a minute later to help close the gap to four. PJ Fuller II knocked down a three for a 41-34 lead with 3:27 left in the first half, but Deuce Turner answered from beyond the arc on the ensuing possession. UCSB pulled to within 43-41 on four consecutive made free throws before tying the game on a Swenson three. The Matadors would go into the break leading by a slim 46-44 margin after Fuller found Grady Lewis for a late bucket.
CSUN began the second half in the same manner as the first half, scoring the first five points to extend to a 51-44 lead. However, the Gauchos had an answer again with Max Murrell hitting consecutive threes. An Anderson three at the 15:26 mark evened the game at 53-53, but Washington responded for CSUN with back-to-back threes to give his team a 59-53 advantage. Jones closed a CSUN 8-0 run with 13:37 to play, but the Matadors went the next six minutes without a field goal. The Gauchos would take advantage, going on a 9-1 run as Anderson again tied the game up on a three. While CSUN went cold on the offensive end, the Matadors kept the game tied with five straight defensive stops, leading to Adams putting the Matadors ahead at 65-62 with 6:11 to play.
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Corner 3? for Marcus Adams Jr.
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) January 31, 2025
CSUN up by 3 with 6 minutes to go. #GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/x8PdaitMVO
Moments later, UCSB hit a pair at the free throw line and then grabbed its first lead of the second half at 66-65 on a Swenson jumper. Adams gave CSUN the lead right back on the next possession, but Swenson answered with a layup on the other end. The lead traded hands twice more with UCSB holding a 71-69 lead with under three minutes to go. CSUN would pick up a key defensive stop before Adams tied the game up on an emphatic dunk. On UCSB's next possession, Jones intercepted a UCSB entry pass to the post, leading to a Fuller layup that gave CSUN a 73-71 lead with 1:52 on the clock. The Matadors' defense continued to make stops down the stretch while Fofana and Washington combined to make six free throws over the final 1:02 to seal the game.
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Keonte Jones the steal then the feed to PJ Fuller II !#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/s5sVYgt1Ep
— CSUN Men's Basketball (@CSUNMBB) January 31, 2025
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN improves to 14-7 overall and 6-4 in Big West play while UC Santa Barbara drops to 13-8 overall and 5-5 in conference.
- The Matadors shot 49.2 percent for the game while making 9-of-24 threes (37.5 percent) and 9-of-16 free throws (56.3 percent). UCSB finished shooting 43.1 percent overall while hitting 15-of-36 threes (41.7 percent) and 12-of-14 free throws (85.7 percent).
- CSUN out-rebounded UCSB 42-25 on the night and held a 38-8 edge in points in the paint.
- Jones led CSUN in rebounds with 12 to go with seven assists and six points. Fofana had nine rebounds along with his 12 points.
- Off the bench, Tyler Beard posted six points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.
- The Matadors have now won three straight over UC Santa Barbara going back to last season.
ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"With such a talented team like Santa Barbara, we knew we had to give our best effort on the defensive end, and I think we did. Our guys really responded, especially down the stretch. It's tied 62-62, and we're not playing great. We had some turnovers and some balls go through our hands. Our guys know there's no pressure on the offensive end because we've got to get stops. And that's what they did tonight and it was really fun to be a part of."
UP NEXT
CSUN returns home on Saturday evening to take on Cal State Bakersfield at 5 p.m. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmsieter will have the call on ESPN+ and GoMatadors.com/Radio.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
CSUN
UCSB
FG%
.492
.431
3FG%
.375
.417
FT%
.563
.857
RB
42
25
TO
15
14
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F/C
/ Men's BasketballG/F
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