Thursday, December 4
Bakersfield, CA
6:30 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
4-3,1-0Big West
59
at
57
Cal State Bakersfield
2-6,0-1Big West
1
2
3
4
F
CSUN
9
18
15
17
59
CSU Bakersfield
6
21
12
18
57
Photo by: Jacob Yadao
Saray White’s Layup Lifts CSUN Over Bakersfield in Big West Opener
12/4/2025 10:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BAKERSFIELD, Calif --- The CSUN women's basketball team (4-3, 1-0 Big West) was victorious against Cal State Bakersfield (2-6, 0-1 Big West), 59-57, after a late stage layup from Saray White with five seconds left lifted the Matadors past the Roadrunners at the Icardo Center Thursday night. White led the team with 13 points, while Amya Moody added 12 of her own while Rita Nazario added 11. White also contributed seven rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a defensive showcase in the first five minutes of the game, as nobody scored until the 5:25 mark of the first quarter, when Bakersfield's Morgan Hawkins downed a layup to make it a 2-0 game. CSUN then went on a 9-2 run with Moody contributing five of those points. Bakersfield added two more points in the quarter as the defensive battle continued. Both teams didn't shoot above 25% in the period, with CSUN holding the Roadrunners to 10.5% shooting. The Matadors ended the quarter with a 9-6 lead.
In the second quarter, the offense jumpstarted for each side. A free throw and a Kelly Tumlin three-pointer gave CSUN a 10 point lead at 16-6 with seven minutes left to play in the half. Bakersfield then went on a 9-2 run to cut the Matador lead to three at 18-15 with 5:27 remaining. After back-and-forth buckets from each team, Morgan Edwards drained a shot from distance at the 4:41 mark to make it 23-17.
The Roadrunners then went on a 7-0 run to take the lead with 46 seconds left in the half with a Hawkins layup to make it 24-23. CSUN was able to add one more point after buckets from both sides as the score was tied at 27 heading into the locker room.
SECOND HALF
Tumlin hit a shot from distance to give CSUN the early three-point to kick off the half as the scoreboard now read 30-27. Hawkins then scored her 10th and 11th points of the game with a driving layup to cut the lead to one with 8:49 left to play in the third. CSUN followed with a Nazario shot from behind the arc to make it a four-point game at 33-29. Both teams then held their ground as the Matadors held on to a three-point lead with no real runs from either side heading into the fourth. It was a 42-39 Matador lead going into the final 10 minutes of play.
In the final quarter, Bakersfield began the period on a mini 4-0 run to take the lead at the 9:06 mark with a couple free-throws from Crishawn Coleman. CSUN then followed with a 6-2 run capped off by two Morgan Edwards freethrows to make it a 48-45 game with 5:57 left to play. A Saray White layup bumped the lead up to six with 4:02 left, CSUN's largest lead since the second quarter.
Bakersfield scratched and clawed their way to a 10-4 run to tie the game up at 57 a piece with 25 seconds left to play via a Coleman three-pointer. Down to their last possession with overtime looming over, White drove in the lane for a layup with five seconds left to seal the win for the Matadors.
NOTES OF THE GAME
[On the final play from Saray White] "I have a lot of confidence in Saray and she does a great job finishing plays. [Overall] We were active and executed scout defense with intensity and grit. Tonight was a great win. We are seeing the team evolve and improve."
UP NEXT
CSUN hosts UC Irvine at Premier America Credit Union Arena, Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Jill Painter-Lopez and Graham Metzker will be on the call as the game will be livestreamed on ESPN+.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a defensive showcase in the first five minutes of the game, as nobody scored until the 5:25 mark of the first quarter, when Bakersfield's Morgan Hawkins downed a layup to make it a 2-0 game. CSUN then went on a 9-2 run with Moody contributing five of those points. Bakersfield added two more points in the quarter as the defensive battle continued. Both teams didn't shoot above 25% in the period, with CSUN holding the Roadrunners to 10.5% shooting. The Matadors ended the quarter with a 9-6 lead.
In the second quarter, the offense jumpstarted for each side. A free throw and a Kelly Tumlin three-pointer gave CSUN a 10 point lead at 16-6 with seven minutes left to play in the half. Bakersfield then went on a 9-2 run to cut the Matador lead to three at 18-15 with 5:27 remaining. After back-and-forth buckets from each team, Morgan Edwards drained a shot from distance at the 4:41 mark to make it 23-17.
The Roadrunners then went on a 7-0 run to take the lead with 46 seconds left in the half with a Hawkins layup to make it 24-23. CSUN was able to add one more point after buckets from both sides as the score was tied at 27 heading into the locker room.
SECOND HALF
Tumlin hit a shot from distance to give CSUN the early three-point to kick off the half as the scoreboard now read 30-27. Hawkins then scored her 10th and 11th points of the game with a driving layup to cut the lead to one with 8:49 left to play in the third. CSUN followed with a Nazario shot from behind the arc to make it a four-point game at 33-29. Both teams then held their ground as the Matadors held on to a three-point lead with no real runs from either side heading into the fourth. It was a 42-39 Matador lead going into the final 10 minutes of play.
In the final quarter, Bakersfield began the period on a mini 4-0 run to take the lead at the 9:06 mark with a couple free-throws from Crishawn Coleman. CSUN then followed with a 6-2 run capped off by two Morgan Edwards freethrows to make it a 48-45 game with 5:57 left to play. A Saray White layup bumped the lead up to six with 4:02 left, CSUN's largest lead since the second quarter.
Bakersfield scratched and clawed their way to a 10-4 run to tie the game up at 57 a piece with 25 seconds left to play via a Coleman three-pointer. Down to their last possession with overtime looming over, White drove in the lane for a layup with five seconds left to seal the win for the Matadors.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN is 1-0 in Big West play for the first time since the 2022-23 season. CSUN is 4-3 overall.
- Jite Gbemuotor and Marina Cos-Morales each registered two blocks.
- CSUN forced 16 turnovers.
- Bakersfield only shot 23.5% from distance.
- Coleman led the game in scoring with 21 points.
- Nazario led the team with three long range buckets as she went 50% from three.
- All but two Matadors found the scoring column in the win.
[On the final play from Saray White] "I have a lot of confidence in Saray and she does a great job finishing plays. [Overall] We were active and executed scout defense with intensity and grit. Tonight was a great win. We are seeing the team evolve and improve."
UP NEXT
CSUN hosts UC Irvine at Premier America Credit Union Arena, Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Jill Painter-Lopez and Graham Metzker will be on the call as the game will be livestreamed on ESPN+.
Team Stats
CSUN
CSUB
FG%
.389
.317
3FG%
.409
.235
FT%
.615
.750
RB
35
42
TO
19
16
STL
8
12
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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