Thursday, December 18
Northridge, Calif
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
Northern Arizona
Photo by: Anthony Fortie
CSUN Hosts Northern Arizona, Travels to Pepperdine for Final Games of 2025
12/17/2025 12:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN women's basketball team (5-4, 1-1 Big West) will play its final games of the 2025 calendar year this week when it takes on Northern Arizona at Premier America Credit Union Arena on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. and Pepperdine in Malibu on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUN won its lone game of the week when it took down San Jose State, 66-55 this past Saturday at home. Rita Nazario led all scorers with 20 points, including going a team-best 5-8 from distance in the win. Saray White was the second leading scorer with nine points. San Jose State's last lead came in the first quarter at the 5:35 mark when it led 12-11. CSUN would then take the lead and hold on for the rest of the game. CSUN's largest lead came in the fourth quarter when it led 65-47 with 4:14 left to play. The Matadors' offense was too much to overcome for the Spartans, as CSUN came away with the victory.
NAZARIO HAS MADE A STATEMENT
Entering this year, 5'5 guard Rita Nazario came over to the Matadors after playing previously at Saint Louis. Since becoming a Matador, she has left her mark all over this season and has become CSUN's most reliable scorer through nine games. She is currently leading the team in points per game at 14.2. Nazario's average is the highest on the team since the 2022-23 season when Tess Amundsen tallied 14 a game. She has the most three-pointers on the squad with 31 made. She is shooting 47% from the field and 46% from three. The Portugal native also leads the team in minutes per game at 27.6. Nazario is also third in the nation at three-pointers per game at 3.44.
THE RESERVES GETTING IT DONE
CSUN has had a balanced scoring attack from its whole team all season long. The Matadors are sixth in the nation in bench points per game at 33.9 points per contest. The two best bench performing games were against Bethesda on November 4 and Life Pacific on November 26. In the game against Bethesda, CSUN had 67 points scored from the non-starters. Against Life Pacific, 60 of the Matadors record setting 106 points came off the bench. Morgan Edwards has been a star off the bench, averaging 7.6 PPG in a sixth man role. She scored a season high 21 points against Life Pacific.
BRINGING DOWN THE BOARDS
CSUN is currently leading the Big West in rebounds per game at 43.3 per contest. Jite Gbemuotor (59) and Nadia Bernard (50) have already past the 50 rebound mark in the team's first nine games. Eight different Matadors have at least 20 rebounds so far this season. Every single Matador has double-digit rebounds as well. CSUN is 30th in the nation in that category.
SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA
NAU brings a 2-9 record into the weekend, following a 95-53 win over Park (Ariz.) in its last home contest of 2025. Naomi White is the team's best scorer. She is averaging 22.6 points per game, which is good enough for top 10 in the country. She had 30 points in the win over Park. NAU plays in the Big Sky Conference. White leads the Big Sky in points per game, three pointers per game (3.36) and three-point percentage (41.6%). NAU as a team leads the Big Sky in shooting beyond the arc at 35.1%. NAU is currently averaging 73.8 PPG but is giving up 77.4 PPG on the offensive end. The Lumberjacks played fellow Big West opponent UC Irvine on Nov. 15, and lost to the Anteaters by a score of 90-75.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUN is 11-15 all-time against NAU. However, the Matadors have won the last four matchups against the Lumberjacks, with the last defeat coming in 2003.
SCOUTING PEPPERDINE
The Waves bring a 7-3 record heading into Saturday's matchup, and they are 4-1 at home. Pepperdine opened the season against fellow Big West opponent Cal State Fullerton, and came out victorious by a score of 84-70. The Waves are third in the WCC in points per game at 71.6 per contest, but are 10th on the defensive side of the ball, allowing 67.1 PPG. Pepperdine has the second highest field goal percentage in the WCC, at 44%.
Elli Guiney is the Waves' leading scorer. She tallies 14.5 PPG. Pepperdine also has two more players averaging double figures in Seleh Harmon (10.3) and Meghan Fiso (10.0). Shorna Preston leads the conference in rebounding as she grabs at least nine boards per game.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUN is 4-24 all-time against Pepperdine. The two teams have only played one time since 2014. They squared off last season where CSUN lost 84-58 at home.
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN women's basketball team (5-4, 1-1 Big West) will play its final games of the 2025 calendar year this week when it takes on Northern Arizona at Premier America Credit Union Arena on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. and Pepperdine in Malibu on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUN won its lone game of the week when it took down San Jose State, 66-55 this past Saturday at home. Rita Nazario led all scorers with 20 points, including going a team-best 5-8 from distance in the win. Saray White was the second leading scorer with nine points. San Jose State's last lead came in the first quarter at the 5:35 mark when it led 12-11. CSUN would then take the lead and hold on for the rest of the game. CSUN's largest lead came in the fourth quarter when it led 65-47 with 4:14 left to play. The Matadors' offense was too much to overcome for the Spartans, as CSUN came away with the victory.
NAZARIO HAS MADE A STATEMENT
Entering this year, 5'5 guard Rita Nazario came over to the Matadors after playing previously at Saint Louis. Since becoming a Matador, she has left her mark all over this season and has become CSUN's most reliable scorer through nine games. She is currently leading the team in points per game at 14.2. Nazario's average is the highest on the team since the 2022-23 season when Tess Amundsen tallied 14 a game. She has the most three-pointers on the squad with 31 made. She is shooting 47% from the field and 46% from three. The Portugal native also leads the team in minutes per game at 27.6. Nazario is also third in the nation at three-pointers per game at 3.44.
THE RESERVES GETTING IT DONE
CSUN has had a balanced scoring attack from its whole team all season long. The Matadors are sixth in the nation in bench points per game at 33.9 points per contest. The two best bench performing games were against Bethesda on November 4 and Life Pacific on November 26. In the game against Bethesda, CSUN had 67 points scored from the non-starters. Against Life Pacific, 60 of the Matadors record setting 106 points came off the bench. Morgan Edwards has been a star off the bench, averaging 7.6 PPG in a sixth man role. She scored a season high 21 points against Life Pacific.
BRINGING DOWN THE BOARDS
CSUN is currently leading the Big West in rebounds per game at 43.3 per contest. Jite Gbemuotor (59) and Nadia Bernard (50) have already past the 50 rebound mark in the team's first nine games. Eight different Matadors have at least 20 rebounds so far this season. Every single Matador has double-digit rebounds as well. CSUN is 30th in the nation in that category.
SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA
NAU brings a 2-9 record into the weekend, following a 95-53 win over Park (Ariz.) in its last home contest of 2025. Naomi White is the team's best scorer. She is averaging 22.6 points per game, which is good enough for top 10 in the country. She had 30 points in the win over Park. NAU plays in the Big Sky Conference. White leads the Big Sky in points per game, three pointers per game (3.36) and three-point percentage (41.6%). NAU as a team leads the Big Sky in shooting beyond the arc at 35.1%. NAU is currently averaging 73.8 PPG but is giving up 77.4 PPG on the offensive end. The Lumberjacks played fellow Big West opponent UC Irvine on Nov. 15, and lost to the Anteaters by a score of 90-75.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUN is 11-15 all-time against NAU. However, the Matadors have won the last four matchups against the Lumberjacks, with the last defeat coming in 2003.
SCOUTING PEPPERDINE
The Waves bring a 7-3 record heading into Saturday's matchup, and they are 4-1 at home. Pepperdine opened the season against fellow Big West opponent Cal State Fullerton, and came out victorious by a score of 84-70. The Waves are third in the WCC in points per game at 71.6 per contest, but are 10th on the defensive side of the ball, allowing 67.1 PPG. Pepperdine has the second highest field goal percentage in the WCC, at 44%.
Elli Guiney is the Waves' leading scorer. She tallies 14.5 PPG. Pepperdine also has two more players averaging double figures in Seleh Harmon (10.3) and Meghan Fiso (10.0). Shorna Preston leads the conference in rebounding as she grabs at least nine boards per game.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUN is 4-24 all-time against Pepperdine. The two teams have only played one time since 2014. They squared off last season where CSUN lost 84-58 at home.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball2025 CSUN Women's Volleyball Intro Video
Thursday, December 11
2025-26 CSUN Men's Basketball Intro Video
Thursday, December 11
2025-26 CSUN Women's Basketball Intro Video
Thursday, December 11
Peter J. Accardy Pool Naming Campaign
Wednesday, October 29