Monday, January 2
Riverside, CA
7:00 pm
University of California, Riverside
52
vs
63
Cal State Northridge
Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta
CSUN Hits 11 Threes To Top Men's Hoops, 63-52, In Conference Opener
1/2/2012 9:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Riverside—Cal State Northridge jumped out to a 20-4 lead, drained eight three-pointers in the first half and 11 in the game on their way to a 63-52 road win over UC Riverside Monday evening. It was the conference opener for the Highlanders who fell to 6-8 on the season. The Matadors improved to 4-8. (Box Score)
CSUN's Allan Guei scored the first points of the game on a three-pointer with 60 seconds gone on the clock, and the Matadors never looked back jumping out to a 20-4 advantage before the Highlanders could gather themselves. Five different players got into the scoring column for Northridge during that opening run which lasted 7 minutes and 18 seconds. They made four shots from long distance in that stretch including a pair by Aqeel Quinn.
Kareem Nitoto finally got UCR on track with a pair of free throws which started the Highlanders on a 10-0 run of their own, cutting the lead to eight, 20-12, with 11:28 to go in the first period.
Once again, however, UC Riverside found itself unable to dent the scoreboard as the Matdors scored the next 12 points of the game. UCR managed to cut the lead to 12 at the break thanks to 14 points by Phil Martin and 10 by Robert Smith. Unfortunately, only one other member of the Highlanders connected on a field goal in the period. Smith and Martin combined to shoot 9 of 17 from the field in the first half, while the rest of the team was 1 for 10.
The Matadors made 16 of 30 shots in the first 20 minutes of action including 8 of 12 from long distance. Stephen Hicks paced CSUN with 11 at the break, and Josh Greene added 10. Six different Matadors connected from three-point range during the first period and eight different players scored overall.
The second half began much like the first with Cal State Northridge scoring nine of the first 11 points to go up by 20 again. However the Highlanders started to chip away at the lead as they turned up their defensive intensity and the Matadors began to misfire. With 8:58 to go in the game, UC Riverside finally managed to get the lead below double digits, 54-45.
It was still a nine-point CSUN advantage, 59-50, with 4:58 to go, and UCR could manage just two more points the rest of the way. Despite holding the Matadors to 4 of 24 shooting after the break, the Highlanders were unable to complete the comeback. Northridge did make 10 of 14 shots from the charity stripe in the second period, and UCR was only able to connect on 10 of its 25 shots over the final 20 minutes of play.
Martin led all scorers with 22 points and Smith added 16. They went a combined 15 for 30 on the night while their UCR teammates were just 5 for 22. Greene and Hicks finished with 13 points each as all nine Matadors who played dented the scoring column.
The Highlanders hit the road this weekend for a Thursday, January 5 game at UC Davis, and a Saturday, Janury 7 tilt at Pacific. Tip time for both games is 7 pm PT.
CSUN's Allan Guei scored the first points of the game on a three-pointer with 60 seconds gone on the clock, and the Matadors never looked back jumping out to a 20-4 advantage before the Highlanders could gather themselves. Five different players got into the scoring column for Northridge during that opening run which lasted 7 minutes and 18 seconds. They made four shots from long distance in that stretch including a pair by Aqeel Quinn.
Kareem Nitoto finally got UCR on track with a pair of free throws which started the Highlanders on a 10-0 run of their own, cutting the lead to eight, 20-12, with 11:28 to go in the first period.
Once again, however, UC Riverside found itself unable to dent the scoreboard as the Matdors scored the next 12 points of the game. UCR managed to cut the lead to 12 at the break thanks to 14 points by Phil Martin and 10 by Robert Smith. Unfortunately, only one other member of the Highlanders connected on a field goal in the period. Smith and Martin combined to shoot 9 of 17 from the field in the first half, while the rest of the team was 1 for 10.
The Matadors made 16 of 30 shots in the first 20 minutes of action including 8 of 12 from long distance. Stephen Hicks paced CSUN with 11 at the break, and Josh Greene added 10. Six different Matadors connected from three-point range during the first period and eight different players scored overall.
The second half began much like the first with Cal State Northridge scoring nine of the first 11 points to go up by 20 again. However the Highlanders started to chip away at the lead as they turned up their defensive intensity and the Matadors began to misfire. With 8:58 to go in the game, UC Riverside finally managed to get the lead below double digits, 54-45.
It was still a nine-point CSUN advantage, 59-50, with 4:58 to go, and UCR could manage just two more points the rest of the way. Despite holding the Matadors to 4 of 24 shooting after the break, the Highlanders were unable to complete the comeback. Northridge did make 10 of 14 shots from the charity stripe in the second period, and UCR was only able to connect on 10 of its 25 shots over the final 20 minutes of play.
Martin led all scorers with 22 points and Smith added 16. They went a combined 15 for 30 on the night while their UCR teammates were just 5 for 22. Greene and Hicks finished with 13 points each as all nine Matadors who played dented the scoring column.
The Highlanders hit the road this weekend for a Thursday, January 5 game at UC Davis, and a Saturday, Janury 7 tilt at Pacific. Tip time for both games is 7 pm PT.
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