CSUN Suffers Setback at North Dakota State to Close Road Trip

Tuesday, November 11

Fargo, N.D.

5:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

2-2,0-0Big West

North Dakota State

1-2,0-0Summit League

CSUN

North Dakota St.

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Suffers Setback at North Dakota State to Close Road Trip

11/11/2025 8:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FARGO, N.D.---CSUN Men's Basketball could not slow a second-half surge from North Dakota State in a 90-68 loss on Tuesday at Scheels Center. Larry Hughes II led the Matadors with 18 points while Joshua O'Garro chipped in 13 points and six rebounds and Mahmoud Fofana had 12 points and six rebounds in defeat. Despite leading at halftime, the Matadors were outscored 60-35 in the second half.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN dug a 16-9 deficit in the early going but soon turned things around at the defensive end to get back into the game. Hughes would score nine of the Matadors' first 14 points as he brought CSUN to within 16-14 on a three. Moments later, Fofana nailed a three to give CSUN the lead while Hughes added another from downtown to propel the Matadors in front 20-16. The Bison answered with a 6-0 run of their own before O'Garro started a CSUN 7-0 run with a layup. CSUN held North Dakota State without a field goal for nearly the final 7:36 of the first half, meanwhile the Matadors received baskets from Aleks Szymczyk and Loury to build a 31-23 advantage with 2:10 to play in the first half. While the Bison shot just 21.6 percent in the first half, the team earned 16 trips to the free throw line and slowly trimmed into the CSUN lead. After Carson Smith made two free throws to pull to within four, Damar Wheeler-Thomas ended North Dakota State's field goal drought with a three to make it a 31-30 game. CSUN went into halftime though with a bit of momentum on a late Szymczyk basket to go ahead 33-30.

Out of intermission, the Bison scored the first five points to surge ahead until Fofana evened the game up with a layup, via a pass from O'Garro. A layup from O'Garro would put CSUN ahead 37-35, however it would be the Matadors' last lead of the night. Three straight Bison makes put CSUN into a 43-38 deficit before Fofana answered for CSUN on the other end. Trevian Carson extended the lead to 47-40 while he added to the lead minutes later on a dunk for 51-42 advantage with 13:21 left to go. NDSU executed a 10-2 run beginning at the nine-minute mark as the lead swelled to 69-50. The Matadors were able to chip away the lead, getting the deficit down to 73-61, but the Bison countered with a 9-2 run to put the game out of reach. A Riley Saunders three in the final seconds punctuated a 60-point second half for North Dakota State.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN drops to 2-2 while North Dakota State improves to 1-2.
The Matadors shot 39.4 percent for the game, making 5-of-18 from three (27.8 percent) and 11-of-16 from the free throw line (68.8 percent). The Bison improved to 39.5 percent shooting overall after making 56.4 percent in the second half. North Dakota State made 10-of-39 from three (25.6 percent) and 20-of-26 free throws (76.9 percent).
CSUN was out-rebounded for the first time this season at 47-41.
Finishing with 20 turnovers, CSUN was outscored 25-9 in points off turnovers.
Szymczyk posted eight rebounds and six points in 23 minutes off the bench.

ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"We defended better in the first half. In the second half, we lost our way. We stopped guarding the ball and stopped rebounding. Giving up 60 points in a half, you're not going to win a game doing that."

UP NEXT
CSUN returns to Premier America Credit Union Arena on Sunday to take on Troy at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors