Men's Hoops Improves To 2-1 In Big West Play With 70-61 Win Over CSUN

Thursday, January 13

Northridge, CA

7:05 PM

UC Riverside

Cal State Northridge

Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta

Men's Hoops Improves To 2-1 In Big West Play With 70-61 Win Over CSUN

1/13/2011 6:38:28 PM | Men's Basketball

UC Riverside 70, Cal State Northridge 61 - Box Score

Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team improved to 2-1 in Big West competition Thursday evening snapping a 12-game losing streak to Cal State Northridge (4-12, 1-3) in the process with a 70-61 win over the Matadors

Daymond Cowlah got the start for the Highlanders (7-8, 2-1) as Kareem Nitoto missed the game due to a death in the family, and the freshman turned in his best game as a member of the Highlanders establishing career-highs in scoring (14), assists (7) and steals (5).

It looked like the 709 fans at the Matadome were going to be treated to a high-scoring affair in the early going as the Highlanders hit their first three shots of the game, all from long distance, and the Matadors scored on their first four possessions.

But the lid went on the UC Riverside basket immediately thereafter and followed shortly on Cal State Northridge's side of the court. The Highlanders made just 27.6 percent of their shots in the first half while the Matadors hit 35.7 percent as CSUN took a 26-22 lead into the locker room.

Northridge spent much of the first half in a zone, and UCR struggled to get their offense going in the interior. Thirteen of the Highlanders first 19 shots came from long distance with Javon Borum accounting for three of the team's four makes.

Shots started falling for UC Riverside in the second half as they made 10 of their first 13 after the break. The teams exchanged the lead seven time in the first six minutes of play in the second period before the Highlanders went on an 11-0 run to open up an eight-point lead at 45-35 with 10:57 left on the clock.

After opening up an 11-point lead, UCR still led by eight, 62-54 with under two minutes remaining, but Josh Greene made three free throws at the 1:16 mark and Daythan Lyles made a pair to cut the lead to three with 1:10 remaining. The Highlanders scored eight of the final 10 points of the game, however, including four by Cowlah, to close out the win.

UC Riverside hit 16 of 24 shots form the field in the second half limiting the Matadors to 39.1 percent shooting. Cowlah scored 13 points and picked up four steals in the second period as the Highlanders, while Borum led all scorers on the night with 23.

The Highlanders remain on the road this weekend as they travel to UC Santa Barbara for a Saturday, Jaunary 15 meeting with the Gauchos. Tip time is slated for 7 pm PT.