NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - High-octane offense was on display on both sides at Premier America Credit Union Arena, but UC Riverside was too much for CSUN on Monday night with a resounding 96-76 win over the Matadors.
UCR scored the third-most points of any Highlander team in a Division I game, but the steamrolling put on in Northridge on less than 48 hours' rest was a performance head coach Mike Magpayo could only call "special."
"It's clear these guys really play for each other," Magpayo said. "They brought great energy. It's where we want to be down the stretch here, keeping our foot on the gas all the way through."
UCR tied a season high with a 56.3 shooting clip against the Matadors, the sixth time shooting 50 percent or higher this season and the second time against CSUN.
UC Riverside was especially locked in from the perimeter in what has become a trend for UCR against the Matadors, dictated by three meetings in the last four with at least 10 threes. The sharpshooting Highlanders drained eight of their 12 triples in the first half and at least 10 overall for the fifth time in Big West play this season and second in their last three games.
On the other end of the floor, UCR's perimeter defense held CSUN to 2 of 13 with this year's total coming to just three triples conceded in two meetings with the Matadors.
Flynn Cameron's hot streak continued Monday, as the newest Big West Player of the Week dropped a game-high four threes as part of a 17-point evening that saw him go flawless from the floor on a 5-for-5 clip. Backcourt partner Zyon Pullin logged 15 points while coming one assist shy of a double double.
Down low, Lachlan Olbrich recorded his third 20-point game in his last four and his fourth overall - all of which have come in the last month - and Jhaylon Martinez chipped in with eight points, six rebounds and an assist.
Nate Pickens enjoyed a breakout performance on Monday with a career-high 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting that included a pair of first-half threes to lead UCR off the bench.
UC Riverside is now island-bound for Thursday, taking on Hawaii at the Stan Sheriff Center at 10:00 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
