CSUN Squares Off Against UC San Diego Thursday, Long Beach State Saturday

GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif --- The CSUN women's basketball team (6-9, 2-4 Big West) continues Big West action this week when it takes on the UC San Diego Tritons (10-5, 5-0 Big West) Thursday at Premier America Credit Union Arena at 6:00 p.m. Then, the Matadors will hit the road to take on Long Beach State (1-14, 0-5 Big West), Saturday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid with tip-off slated for 2:00 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Jill Painter-Lopez and Tony Moskal will be on the call Thursday.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
VS Cal Poly 01/08
CSUN defeated the Mustangs, 77-68 in San Luis Obispo. Jite Gbemuotor led the Matadors with 16 points to go with 15 rebounds for her first career double-double. Four other Matadors scored in double figures as Morgan Edwards had 15, Mariona Cos-Morales scored 13, Saray White totaled 11 and Erika Aspajo posted 10 in the win.

Gbemuotor's double-double was the first CSUN double-double since opening night against Bethesda on Nov. 4. Nine of those rebounds were in the first half alone. Second chance points were a calling card for the Matadors with CSUN leading 21-8. CSUN's offensive rebounds were another key to the victory, as the Matadors had 18 to Cal Poly's 11. This was CSUN's first win against Cal Poly since 2022, snapping a five-game skid.

VS Cal State Fullerton 01/10
The Matadors fell to the Titans, 73-58 Saturday at Premier America Credit Union Arena. A strong second quarter by the Titans made CSUN fight behind for much of the game, as Fullerton came up with the win despite a strong fourth quarter from the Matadors. CSUN was led by Saray White, who had a career-high 26 points. Jite Gbemuotor added 16 as well to go along with 14 rebounds. Gbemuotor, in two games this week, had back-to-back double-doubles.

SARAY HAS BEEN SURGING
Saray White's last five games have been a big help for the Matadors' offense. The junior transfer from Sacramento has scored in double figures in all five games and has scored in the double-digits in eight out of her last 10 contests. Against Cal State Fullerton on January 10, she had a season and career high total of 26 points to lead the Matadors. White is also good for hitting a shot or two from distance, having made at least one three-point bucket for every game played this season except for two games. Against Fullerton, White made her way to the free throw line, and was perfect, going 5-5.

THE RESERVES GETTING IT DONE
CSUN has had a balanced scoring attack from its whole team all season long. The Matadors are 19th in the nation in bench points at 28.7 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 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 40.9 per contest. Jite Gbemuotor (104) and Nadia Bernard (70) have already passed the 70-rebound mark in the team's first 15 games. All but one Matador has at least 20 rebounds so far this season with Jana Canadell just short of that mark at 19. CSUN is 54th in the nation in that category.

SCOUTING UC SAN DIEGO
The Tritons enter Thursday's game 10-5 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in Big West play. In Big West games only, they are leading the conference in points per game at 73.2 per contest. UCSD is also second in points per game allowed at 55.2 per contest, for an 18-point margin. A key to its offense has been three-point shooting. The Tritons lead the Big West in made shots from distance, scoring 8.4 per game.

The Tritons have three players averaging double figures in scoring. They are led by Erin Condron who tallies 14.5 points per game. Following her are Sabrina Ma (12.8 PPG) and Rosa Smith (12.5 PPG).

UCSD also moves the ball around better than anyone else in the Big West. The Tritons have 18 assists per game, first in the conference.

Series History: CSUN is 3-5 all-time against UC San Diego. The last win for the Matadors came on March 2, 2024, where CSUN won 66-64 in overtime.

SCOUTING LONG BEACH STATE
The Beach are off to a 1-14 start overall and 0-5 mark in Big West play. The one win came against Hope International on December 29. In Big West games, the Beach are last in scoring at 50.6 points per game. They also have the worst margin of defeat in the conference at -21.0 PPG.

A strength of the Beach are blocked shots. They are third in the conference in blocks per game at 3.40 per game. They are also solid in assists per game at 13 per contest, which is good for fifth overall in the Big West.

Long Beach State does have one of the best players in the conference in Jaquoia Jones-Brown. The November 17th Big West Player of the Week is averaging 17 PPG, which is good for fifth overall in the conference.

Series History: CSUN is 24-48 all time against the Beach. LBSU is currently riding a five-game win streak against the Matadors. CSUN's last win came on January 5, 2023.
#GoMatadors

CSUN Squares Off Against UC San Diego Thursday, Long Beach State Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Erika Aspajo

Nadia Bernard

Jana Canadell

Mariona Cos-Morales

Morgan Edwards

Jite Gbemuotor

Saray White