Thursday, March 6
Northridge, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
UC Riverside
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Hosts Home Finale Thursday, Close Out Season at Hawai’i Saturday
3/5/2025 3:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif -- CSUN Women's Basketball (4-23, 2-16 Big West) will play its final two games of the season this week, as the Matadors host Senior Night against UC Riverside 6 p.m. on Thursday and will close out things at Hawai'i 9 p.m. on Saturday night. Both games will be livestreamed on ESPN+.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
The Matadors dropped its two road contests last week. First, they were defeated at UC San Diego on February 27 at Lion Tree Arena, 78-64. Morgan Edwards led all CSUN scorers with 12 points in the loss. Secondly, CSUN fell to UC Santa Barbara on March 1 at The Thunderdome 74-52. Nnenna Orji led the way as she tallied 14.
QUITE THE STREAK FOR NNENNA ORJI
Orji was an addition to the roster for the 2024-25 campaign after she spent her previous three seasons with Old Dominion University and Big West opponent Hawai'i. After trying to find her footing early on this season, she is now starting to find her groove for the Matadors in recent games. Orji has scored in double-figures in nine out of the past 11 games, including going for a career-high 16 on January 30 versus UC Santa Barbara. She is also averaging seven rebounds in that same time frame.
OFFENSE RUNNING THROUGH THE SPANIARD
Aspajo has been the focal point of the offensive schemes so far this season. The junior from Barcelona is number one on the team and number one in the Big West in assists per game at 4.9 per contest. Aspajo is also leading the team in points per game as well at 10.9. That mark is good enough for 12th in the Big West. Aspajo has the top four highest assisted games so far this season in the Big West. Her nine assists versus Idaho are the most by any player in the conference so far this season. Aspajo has also had eight games where she has played 30 minutes or more, the most on the team.
LONG DISTANCE CALLS
CSUN currently ranks third in the Big West with seven three-pointers per contest. Five Matador players have double-digit threes on the year. Kelly Tumlin is leading the pack with 45. Jenna Kilty has 41 while Morgan Edwards has 36, Laini Dahlin has 22 and freshman Karsen Marshall has 19. 10 of the 12 Matador players have knocked down a shot from behind the arc this season. Kilty leads the squad in three-point percentage at 37% from downtown. CSUN has made a total of 186 three-point baskets on the season.
ENOUGH REBOUNDS TO GO AROUND
CSUN currently ranks third in the Big West in rebounds per game at 38.7. Yves Cox, a freshman, ranks first on the team in rebounds at 5.8 per contest. She amassed four different double-digit rebound games this season, grabbing a season-high 14 against Cal State Fullerton on January 2nd. In that game, CSUN tallied 61 rebounds, just two short of a team record and tied for third most in the team's history. Erica Adams averages 4.9 RPG and Aspajo averages 4.1 RPG, both impressive numbers for two guards.
SCOUTING UC RIVERSIDE
UC Riverside enters Thursday's game 14-14 on the season and 10-8 in Big West play. Shelley Duchemin leads the Highlanders in scoring at 11.1 PPG. UC Riverside is eight in the Big West in points per game at 58.1. On the flip side, it is fourth in defense allowing just under 58 points per contest.
The Highlanders are currently on a two-game win streak, having beaten conference leading Hawai'i, 61-51 last time out on Feb. 27. Earlier this season, UC Riverside faced CSUN 72-48 on Dec. 5. Morgan Edwards led the Matadors in scoring at 14 points.
Series History: UC Riverside leads CSUN 38-34 in the all-time series history. CSUN's last win came on Feb. 20, 2023 where the Matadors won 48-44.
SCOUTING HAWAI'I
UH enters the week with a one-game lead over UC Irvine in the Big West race and can lock up the top seed in the Big West Championship with one more win. Lily Wahinekapu continues to lead the team with 10.9 points per game, 68 assists and 32 steals.
Meilani McBee is a three-point threat the Matadors should watch out for. She is one three-pointer from tying the UH career record of 205.
The Rainbow Wahine enter the week ranked third among NCAA Division I teams in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 33.3% shooting from the field. UH ranks second in the nation in 3-point percentage defense (25.5%) and seventh in scoring defense (53.5 points per game allowed).
Series History: Both teams meet for the 30th time in history. CSUN is currently losing the season series 18-11. UH has won the last eight contests. The last win for the Matadors came on Jan. 9 2020, where CSUN came out victorious by a score of 58-54 at home.
NORTHRIDGE, Calif -- CSUN Women's Basketball (4-23, 2-16 Big West) will play its final two games of the season this week, as the Matadors host Senior Night against UC Riverside 6 p.m. on Thursday and will close out things at Hawai'i 9 p.m. on Saturday night. Both games will be livestreamed on ESPN+.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
The Matadors dropped its two road contests last week. First, they were defeated at UC San Diego on February 27 at Lion Tree Arena, 78-64. Morgan Edwards led all CSUN scorers with 12 points in the loss. Secondly, CSUN fell to UC Santa Barbara on March 1 at The Thunderdome 74-52. Nnenna Orji led the way as she tallied 14.
QUITE THE STREAK FOR NNENNA ORJI
Orji was an addition to the roster for the 2024-25 campaign after she spent her previous three seasons with Old Dominion University and Big West opponent Hawai'i. After trying to find her footing early on this season, she is now starting to find her groove for the Matadors in recent games. Orji has scored in double-figures in nine out of the past 11 games, including going for a career-high 16 on January 30 versus UC Santa Barbara. She is also averaging seven rebounds in that same time frame.
OFFENSE RUNNING THROUGH THE SPANIARD
Aspajo has been the focal point of the offensive schemes so far this season. The junior from Barcelona is number one on the team and number one in the Big West in assists per game at 4.9 per contest. Aspajo is also leading the team in points per game as well at 10.9. That mark is good enough for 12th in the Big West. Aspajo has the top four highest assisted games so far this season in the Big West. Her nine assists versus Idaho are the most by any player in the conference so far this season. Aspajo has also had eight games where she has played 30 minutes or more, the most on the team.
LONG DISTANCE CALLS
CSUN currently ranks third in the Big West with seven three-pointers per contest. Five Matador players have double-digit threes on the year. Kelly Tumlin is leading the pack with 45. Jenna Kilty has 41 while Morgan Edwards has 36, Laini Dahlin has 22 and freshman Karsen Marshall has 19. 10 of the 12 Matador players have knocked down a shot from behind the arc this season. Kilty leads the squad in three-point percentage at 37% from downtown. CSUN has made a total of 186 three-point baskets on the season.
ENOUGH REBOUNDS TO GO AROUND
CSUN currently ranks third in the Big West in rebounds per game at 38.7. Yves Cox, a freshman, ranks first on the team in rebounds at 5.8 per contest. She amassed four different double-digit rebound games this season, grabbing a season-high 14 against Cal State Fullerton on January 2nd. In that game, CSUN tallied 61 rebounds, just two short of a team record and tied for third most in the team's history. Erica Adams averages 4.9 RPG and Aspajo averages 4.1 RPG, both impressive numbers for two guards.
SCOUTING UC RIVERSIDE
UC Riverside enters Thursday's game 14-14 on the season and 10-8 in Big West play. Shelley Duchemin leads the Highlanders in scoring at 11.1 PPG. UC Riverside is eight in the Big West in points per game at 58.1. On the flip side, it is fourth in defense allowing just under 58 points per contest.
The Highlanders are currently on a two-game win streak, having beaten conference leading Hawai'i, 61-51 last time out on Feb. 27. Earlier this season, UC Riverside faced CSUN 72-48 on Dec. 5. Morgan Edwards led the Matadors in scoring at 14 points.
Series History: UC Riverside leads CSUN 38-34 in the all-time series history. CSUN's last win came on Feb. 20, 2023 where the Matadors won 48-44.
SCOUTING HAWAI'I
UH enters the week with a one-game lead over UC Irvine in the Big West race and can lock up the top seed in the Big West Championship with one more win. Lily Wahinekapu continues to lead the team with 10.9 points per game, 68 assists and 32 steals.
Meilani McBee is a three-point threat the Matadors should watch out for. She is one three-pointer from tying the UH career record of 205.
The Rainbow Wahine enter the week ranked third among NCAA Division I teams in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 33.3% shooting from the field. UH ranks second in the nation in 3-point percentage defense (25.5%) and seventh in scoring defense (53.5 points per game allowed).
Series History: Both teams meet for the 30th time in history. CSUN is currently losing the season series 18-11. UH has won the last eight contests. The last win for the Matadors came on Jan. 9 2020, where CSUN came out victorious by a score of 58-54 at home.
Players Mentioned
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