2024-25 CSUN Top Moments - Men's Basketball Ties Win Record and Makes First NIT Appearance
6/11/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
From June 11 to August 11, GoMatadors.com will present the top CSUN Moments from the 2024-25 sports season. Today, we celebrate the Matador men's basketball team's historic season featuring a program tying 22 wins and a first-ever appearance in the NIT.Â
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History would be made by the CSUN Men's Basketball team in 2024-25. The Matadors would reach school records and new benchmarks in a outstanding campaign that saw CSUN clinch a berth in the National Invitation Tournament for the first-ever time.Â
After coaching CSUN to 12-game turnaround in year one of his tenure, head coach Andy Newman would lead CSUN to a 22-11 overall record in year two, tying the school's all-time win record. The Matadors emerged as a Big West title contender as they set a new program record with 14 conference wins and posted their second-best conference win percentage (.700) since joining the league. CSUN would also tie a program record for road wins with 10 and consecutive victories with seven in the unforgettable year on the court.Â
Possessing one of the deepest rosters in recent memory, CSUN boasted three on the All-Big West Team for the first time in 11 seasons. An All-Big West First Team selection, forward Keonte Jones had a banner second season in leading the Matadors in rebounds per game (9.0), assists per game (4.1), steals per game (1.8) and blocks per game (1.3) while scoring 13.1 points and registering 14 double-doubles. Newcomer Marcus Adams Jr. would enjoy a career season, leading CSUN in scoring at 16.5 points per game to go with a team-high 62 made threes in earning All-Big West Second Team honors. Scotty Washington, another newcomer on the team, averaged 14.6 points and converted on 53 made threes in a career year where he received an All-Big West Honorable Mention.Â
CSUN though had contributions from up and down its roster in reaching the 22 victories. After not playing in the 2023-24 year, senior transfer PJ Fuller II emerged as the team's starting point guard, averaging 9.3 points and 3.0 assists per game. Forward Mahmoud Fofana became one of the top scorers on the team as well, averaging 8.0 on 58.1 percent shooting while grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game. Transfers Tyler Beard and Grady Lewis each were regulars in the lineup, giving CSUN scoring punch as starters or reserves during the year while Jordan Brinson returned to the Matador lineup after suffering a season-ending injury in 2023-24 and was a key part of the Matador bench.Â
Newman's Matadors once again led the Big West in nearly every rebounding category while ranking among the nation's best for a second straight season. Overall, CSUN ranked ninth in the nation in rebounding margin with a program-record +8.4 and finished 12th overall in rebounds per game at 40.6. The Matadors also finished in the top 30 in Division I basketball in defensive field goal percentage (40.4), turnovers forced per game (14.7) and assists per game (16.3).Â
CSUN would build on an 8-3 non-conference record when jumping into Big West play in 2025. In the first game of the New Year, the Matadors made history by matching their school record for threes in a game with 17 as CSUN defeated Cal State Fullerton on the road 95-65. The record-tying 17th three would be made fan favorite Robert Thibiant in what was his first career field goal.Â
The Matadors split their first six Big West games but picked up a 83-60 road win at Hawai'i, beginning a stretch where CSUN won nine of 10 games. The Matadors also won seven in a row during that period, capped by back-to-back comeback wins at UC Irvine (84-72) and UC Davis (65-62). CSUN outscored UCI 50-35 in the second half with Adams scoring a team-high 24 points and emphatically throwing down a late dunk to seal the win. The Matadors' come-from-behind victory at UC Davis included a 19-4 run to end the game with Fofana pouring in 20 points and 13 rebounds, securing CSUN's first win in Davis since 2009.
CSUN's record-tying 22nd win of the season came on Senior Night against Hawai'i. In an 82-73 triumph, the Matadors had four score in double figures with Adams scoring 21 points to lead CSUN while Beard scored a season-high 19 points in his final home game. The win also secured CSUN's first-ever season sweep of Hawai'i.Â
Entering the Big West Championship as the No. 4 seed, CSUN dropped a hart-fought 78-72 decision to UC Santa Barbara in a game that saw Adams go down with an injury. Despite the loss in the tournament, CSUN was selected to compete in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time in its program history. Matched up against Stanford on the road, the Matadors played short-handed but gave the Cardinal a fight in an 87-70 defeat. Four Matadors scored in double figures against Stanford with Jones capping his exceptional season with 18 points to lead the way.Â
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History would be made by the CSUN Men's Basketball team in 2024-25. The Matadors would reach school records and new benchmarks in a outstanding campaign that saw CSUN clinch a berth in the National Invitation Tournament for the first-ever time.Â
After coaching CSUN to 12-game turnaround in year one of his tenure, head coach Andy Newman would lead CSUN to a 22-11 overall record in year two, tying the school's all-time win record. The Matadors emerged as a Big West title contender as they set a new program record with 14 conference wins and posted their second-best conference win percentage (.700) since joining the league. CSUN would also tie a program record for road wins with 10 and consecutive victories with seven in the unforgettable year on the court.Â
Possessing one of the deepest rosters in recent memory, CSUN boasted three on the All-Big West Team for the first time in 11 seasons. An All-Big West First Team selection, forward Keonte Jones had a banner second season in leading the Matadors in rebounds per game (9.0), assists per game (4.1), steals per game (1.8) and blocks per game (1.3) while scoring 13.1 points and registering 14 double-doubles. Newcomer Marcus Adams Jr. would enjoy a career season, leading CSUN in scoring at 16.5 points per game to go with a team-high 62 made threes in earning All-Big West Second Team honors. Scotty Washington, another newcomer on the team, averaged 14.6 points and converted on 53 made threes in a career year where he received an All-Big West Honorable Mention.Â
CSUN though had contributions from up and down its roster in reaching the 22 victories. After not playing in the 2023-24 year, senior transfer PJ Fuller II emerged as the team's starting point guard, averaging 9.3 points and 3.0 assists per game. Forward Mahmoud Fofana became one of the top scorers on the team as well, averaging 8.0 on 58.1 percent shooting while grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game. Transfers Tyler Beard and Grady Lewis each were regulars in the lineup, giving CSUN scoring punch as starters or reserves during the year while Jordan Brinson returned to the Matador lineup after suffering a season-ending injury in 2023-24 and was a key part of the Matador bench.Â
Newman's Matadors once again led the Big West in nearly every rebounding category while ranking among the nation's best for a second straight season. Overall, CSUN ranked ninth in the nation in rebounding margin with a program-record +8.4 and finished 12th overall in rebounds per game at 40.6. The Matadors also finished in the top 30 in Division I basketball in defensive field goal percentage (40.4), turnovers forced per game (14.7) and assists per game (16.3).Â
CSUN would build on an 8-3 non-conference record when jumping into Big West play in 2025. In the first game of the New Year, the Matadors made history by matching their school record for threes in a game with 17 as CSUN defeated Cal State Fullerton on the road 95-65. The record-tying 17th three would be made fan favorite Robert Thibiant in what was his first career field goal.Â
The Matadors split their first six Big West games but picked up a 83-60 road win at Hawai'i, beginning a stretch where CSUN won nine of 10 games. The Matadors also won seven in a row during that period, capped by back-to-back comeback wins at UC Irvine (84-72) and UC Davis (65-62). CSUN outscored UCI 50-35 in the second half with Adams scoring a team-high 24 points and emphatically throwing down a late dunk to seal the win. The Matadors' come-from-behind victory at UC Davis included a 19-4 run to end the game with Fofana pouring in 20 points and 13 rebounds, securing CSUN's first win in Davis since 2009.
CSUN's record-tying 22nd win of the season came on Senior Night against Hawai'i. In an 82-73 triumph, the Matadors had four score in double figures with Adams scoring 21 points to lead CSUN while Beard scored a season-high 19 points in his final home game. The win also secured CSUN's first-ever season sweep of Hawai'i.Â
Entering the Big West Championship as the No. 4 seed, CSUN dropped a hart-fought 78-72 decision to UC Santa Barbara in a game that saw Adams go down with an injury. Despite the loss in the tournament, CSUN was selected to compete in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time in its program history. Matched up against Stanford on the road, the Matadors played short-handed but gave the Cardinal a fight in an 87-70 defeat. Four Matadors scored in double figures against Stanford with Jones capping his exceptional season with 18 points to lead the way.Â
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