CSUN Falls to UC Irvine in Big West Semifinals

Friday, March 13

Henderson, Nev.

6:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

20-14,12-8Big West

UC Irvine

23-10,15-5Big West

CSUN

UC Irvine

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Falls to UC Irvine in Big West Semifinals

3/13/2026 9:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HENDERSON, Nev.---CSUN Men's Basketball fell behind early and could not catch a hot-shooting UC Irvine team down the stretch in a 93-78 defeat in a Big West semifinals game on Friday at Lee's Family Forum. Senior Josiah Davis scored a game-high 26 points to go with eight assists while senior Joshua O'Garro added 22 points. Off the bench, James Evans Jr. poured in 17 points with five made threes.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Anteaters jumped on the Matadors at the start, racing out to a 15-2 lead with Jurian Dixon scoring eight early points. Out of a timeout, the Matadors began chipping away at the lead. CSUN pulled to within 19-11 after a 9-4 spurt. Grady Lewis scored a traditional three-point play near the 11-minute mark, bringing CSUN to within 21-14. The Anteaters knocked down a three moments later, only to have Evans respond with a three of his own for CSUN. Evans answered another UCI three with 9:30 to go as CSUN looked up at a 27-20 deficit. UCI though regained control with a 10-5 run, extending to a 42-27 lead on a Jovan Jester Jr. dunk. CSUN threes by Evans and O'Garro followed, pulling to within 44-33, however the Anteaters did not let their lead slip further as they went into the break ahead 49-37.

Fresh off shooting 58 percent in the first half, UC Irvine picked up a three from Darin Saran to open up the second half. The Matadors trailed by a 15-point margin but fought back once more. A 9-4 run, closed by another Evans three trimmed the deficit to 60-50. Near the 13-minute mark, consecutive baskets from O'Garro and Davis suddenly brought CSUN to within 62-56 with 12:26 to go. The Anteaters though had an answer once more as Jester scored five straight points to extend the lead back to double digits. Similar to Thursday's CSUN victory over UC San Diego, Davis took over offensively, scoring three straight Matador baskets to cut the gap to 69-62. Davis scored again in the paint with 8:39 to play, but UCI would not let its lead slip any further. A 10-0 Anteater run stretched the lead nearly out of reach with five minutes to play. Despite two more Davis drives to the cup moments later, UC Irvine led by double digits the rest of the way.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN wraps up its stay at the Big West Championship with a 20-14 record while UC Irvine improves to 23-10 and moves on to the championship game.
The Anteaters shot 51.6 percent for the night, making 10-of-25 threes (40.0 percent) and 17-of-22 free throws (77.3 percent). The Matadors shot 47.1 percent overall with 9-of-25 makes from three (36.0 percent) and 5-of-8 makes from the free throw line (62.5 percent).
UCI controlled the glass, out-rebounding CSUN 44-26. The Anteaters also led 22-8 in points off turnovers.
The Matadors outscored the Anteaters 46-32 in points in the paint.
Davis finished 13-of-26 from the field in 38 minutes of action.
Senior Mahmoud Fofana posted six points and four rebounds.
Lewis chipped in five points and five rebounds.

ACCORDING TO COACH ANDY NEWMAN
"UC Irvine is playing good. That was an incredible performance by them. I thought defensively, we were okay in the first half. They made some incredible shots. All the credit goes to them, coach Turner and his group. They played a fantastic brand of basketball tonight. They made a ton of shots and played really tough and physical. The thing that I love of this game of basketball is the team that deserves to win does. They certainly deserved it tonight.

"This is a 20-win team. A lot to be proud of. This is the first time since 2001 that CSUN has had back-to-back 20-win teams and so there are not a lot of guys in that locker room that are even that old and born in 2001. That's a benchmark. If you have a basketball team that wins 20 games, that's an incredible accomplishment. We're going to reflect on that -- the tears, the blood, effort and the sweat that went into that because there are a lot of teams in Division I basketball trying to win 20 games, not a lot are doing that, and that group that you saw did it."

#GoMatadors