California State University Northridge Athletics
Thursday, February 26
Irvine, CA
6:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
at
UC Irvine
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
Matadors Travel to First Place UC Irvine, Host UC Riverside in Two Big West Clashes
2/25/2026 1:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN women's basketball team (9-16, 5-11 Big West) is set to take on first place UC Irvine (23-4, 14-2 Big West) on Thursday, February 26 at 6:00 p.m. in Irvine. Then, CSUN will return home for its penultimate home game of the season when it faces UC Riverside (9-18, 7-10 Big West) on Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m. at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
02/19 at UC Santa Barbara
CSUN fell to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, 74-58, Thursday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Erika Aspajo and Jite Gbemuotor led the Matadors with 11 points each. Saray White, Alondra Lizama and Morgan Edwards had nine as well.
The Gauchos carried a 36-26 lead heading into the second half. CSUN came out of the break on an 11-4 run. UCSB countered with a 7-4 run to put the lead back up by six at 47-41 with 3:38 left to play in the quarter. No teams ended the quarter on a major run but UCSB stretched the lead to eight at 56-48 going into the game's final 10 minutes. In the fourth quarter, Aspajo kicked things off with a driving layup to cut the lead back to six. However, UCSB would then take control, going on a 14-5 run while stretching the lead to 15 at 70-55 with 1:58 remaining. The lead would be too much to overcome for the Matadors as UCSB held on to win.
02/21 vs Long Beach State
CSUN came up victorious against Long Beach State, 85-75, Saturday afternoon at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Rita Nazario led the way with 20 points, including draining four shots from downtown. White added 19 and Gbemuotor posted 16 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double in five games.
Long Beach State took an early 2-0 lead, and that would be the last time it would be ahead all game as CSUN exerted its force early. After the early Beach bucket, CSUN went on a 17-5 run, with six different players earning field goals for the Matadors. The Matadors carried a 13 point lead heading into halftime.
CSUN came out of the gates firing with a 6-0 run that put the lead at 19 at 49-30 at the 7:15 mark in the third. The Matadors added another run, this time of the 10-4 variety to put them up by 25 with 3:17 remaining in the third. CSUN would hold its guard and come up with the victory.
TWO REBOUNDS FROM 200 FOR JITE
Jite Gbemuotor has had a stellar season on the boards for the Matadors. She enters Thursday's game at 198 rebounds on the season, two away from 200. The last Matador to bring down at least 200 rebounds on the season was Kayanna Spriggs in 2023-24 who finished the year at 232. Gbemuotor's season high in rebounds is 16, which she has reached in games against Cal Poly on Feb. 5 and Bethesda on Nov. 4
CRACKING THE TOP 10 IN THREES MADE
Rita Nazario has been impressive from long range for the Matadors this season. Nazario currently leads CSUN with 60 made three-pointers this season which ranks fourth in the Big West. That total places her eighth all time in school history for most threes made in a single season. Nazario is currently chasing Cinnamon Lister, who has the school record with 89 made in 2013-14.
NO ONE DISHES THE BALL BETTER THAN ASPAJO
Erika Aspajo has been running the offense all season long. She averages 4.3 assists on the year which leads the team, while totaling 81 assists so far this season. That 81 mark also leads the team. Aspajo has 175 total assists in her Matador career since joining the team in 2024-25. She is also looking to beat her total of 94 that she set back in her first year with CSUN.
ABOUT UC IRVINE
The Anteaters enter Thursday's contest atop the Big West in standings with a 23-4 overall record and a 14-2 record in Big West play. The Anteaters have one of the best players in the conference in Hunter Hernandez. Hernandez is currently averaging 18.3 PPG, which is good for second in the Big West.
In terms of team play, UCI has the second best scoring averages when it comes to Big West games. The Anteaters are averaging 71.4 points per contest. Defense is the name of their game as well. They lead the Big West in opposing points per game at 54.6 points per contest. Those marks have propelled UCI to the top spot in scoring margin at 16.8 in Big West games.
UCI can get it done from distance as well. The Anteaters have the highest three-point percentage at 34.8 from downtown.
Series History: After falling to the Anteaters earlier this season on December 6th, UC Irvine holds a 34-32 lead in the history between these two squads.
ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders enter this week's action as the first team ahead of the Matadors in the Big West standings at 7-10. CSUN had the Highlanders' number earlier on this season when both of these teams faced off in Riverside on February 7. The Matadors won that game, 58-53, with strong defensive play and 16 points from Nazario.
Currently, the Highlanders sit in the middle of the conference in scoring output per game at 64.6 points per contest. They are also about right in the middle in defensive points per game at 66.8 per contest.
UCR has the reigning Big West Player of the Week and leading scorer in the conference in Hannah Wickstrom. Wickstrom is first in the conference at a 25.2 points per game clip, which is five more points then the second ranked player in Hernandez from UCI.
The game between these two foes will take place at Premier America Credit Union Arena, and UCR is 4-11 on the road this season.
Series History: UCR is currently 43-35 all-time against the Matadors. CSUN snapped a four game Highlander win streak last time out.
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN women's basketball team (9-16, 5-11 Big West) is set to take on first place UC Irvine (23-4, 14-2 Big West) on Thursday, February 26 at 6:00 p.m. in Irvine. Then, CSUN will return home for its penultimate home game of the season when it faces UC Riverside (9-18, 7-10 Big West) on Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m. at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
02/19 at UC Santa Barbara
CSUN fell to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, 74-58, Thursday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Erika Aspajo and Jite Gbemuotor led the Matadors with 11 points each. Saray White, Alondra Lizama and Morgan Edwards had nine as well.
The Gauchos carried a 36-26 lead heading into the second half. CSUN came out of the break on an 11-4 run. UCSB countered with a 7-4 run to put the lead back up by six at 47-41 with 3:38 left to play in the quarter. No teams ended the quarter on a major run but UCSB stretched the lead to eight at 56-48 going into the game's final 10 minutes. In the fourth quarter, Aspajo kicked things off with a driving layup to cut the lead back to six. However, UCSB would then take control, going on a 14-5 run while stretching the lead to 15 at 70-55 with 1:58 remaining. The lead would be too much to overcome for the Matadors as UCSB held on to win.
02/21 vs Long Beach State
CSUN came up victorious against Long Beach State, 85-75, Saturday afternoon at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Rita Nazario led the way with 20 points, including draining four shots from downtown. White added 19 and Gbemuotor posted 16 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double in five games.
Long Beach State took an early 2-0 lead, and that would be the last time it would be ahead all game as CSUN exerted its force early. After the early Beach bucket, CSUN went on a 17-5 run, with six different players earning field goals for the Matadors. The Matadors carried a 13 point lead heading into halftime.
CSUN came out of the gates firing with a 6-0 run that put the lead at 19 at 49-30 at the 7:15 mark in the third. The Matadors added another run, this time of the 10-4 variety to put them up by 25 with 3:17 remaining in the third. CSUN would hold its guard and come up with the victory.
TWO REBOUNDS FROM 200 FOR JITE
Jite Gbemuotor has had a stellar season on the boards for the Matadors. She enters Thursday's game at 198 rebounds on the season, two away from 200. The last Matador to bring down at least 200 rebounds on the season was Kayanna Spriggs in 2023-24 who finished the year at 232. Gbemuotor's season high in rebounds is 16, which she has reached in games against Cal Poly on Feb. 5 and Bethesda on Nov. 4
CRACKING THE TOP 10 IN THREES MADE
Rita Nazario has been impressive from long range for the Matadors this season. Nazario currently leads CSUN with 60 made three-pointers this season which ranks fourth in the Big West. That total places her eighth all time in school history for most threes made in a single season. Nazario is currently chasing Cinnamon Lister, who has the school record with 89 made in 2013-14.
NO ONE DISHES THE BALL BETTER THAN ASPAJO
Erika Aspajo has been running the offense all season long. She averages 4.3 assists on the year which leads the team, while totaling 81 assists so far this season. That 81 mark also leads the team. Aspajo has 175 total assists in her Matador career since joining the team in 2024-25. She is also looking to beat her total of 94 that she set back in her first year with CSUN.
ABOUT UC IRVINE
The Anteaters enter Thursday's contest atop the Big West in standings with a 23-4 overall record and a 14-2 record in Big West play. The Anteaters have one of the best players in the conference in Hunter Hernandez. Hernandez is currently averaging 18.3 PPG, which is good for second in the Big West.
In terms of team play, UCI has the second best scoring averages when it comes to Big West games. The Anteaters are averaging 71.4 points per contest. Defense is the name of their game as well. They lead the Big West in opposing points per game at 54.6 points per contest. Those marks have propelled UCI to the top spot in scoring margin at 16.8 in Big West games.
UCI can get it done from distance as well. The Anteaters have the highest three-point percentage at 34.8 from downtown.
Series History: After falling to the Anteaters earlier this season on December 6th, UC Irvine holds a 34-32 lead in the history between these two squads.
ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders enter this week's action as the first team ahead of the Matadors in the Big West standings at 7-10. CSUN had the Highlanders' number earlier on this season when both of these teams faced off in Riverside on February 7. The Matadors won that game, 58-53, with strong defensive play and 16 points from Nazario.
Currently, the Highlanders sit in the middle of the conference in scoring output per game at 64.6 points per contest. They are also about right in the middle in defensive points per game at 66.8 per contest.
UCR has the reigning Big West Player of the Week and leading scorer in the conference in Hannah Wickstrom. Wickstrom is first in the conference at a 25.2 points per game clip, which is five more points then the second ranked player in Hernandez from UCI.
The game between these two foes will take place at Premier America Credit Union Arena, and UCR is 4-11 on the road this season.
Series History: UCR is currently 43-35 all-time against the Matadors. CSUN snapped a four game Highlander win streak last time out.
Players Mentioned
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