[0] CARR STEERS CSUN PAST BIG WYOMING CSUN 74, WYOMING 71.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Even the Cal State Northridge fans know the secret to victories: ``Just don't foul.''

As much as the Matadors talk about it and as much as they try, they just can't seem to stop fouling.

But the reserves played solid and starters came through down the stretch as CSUN held off Wyoming 74-71 Thursday at the Northridge gym.

The Matadors (5-3) broke a two-game losing streak and gave the Cowboys (4-1) their first loss of the season in front of 1,492 fans.

Junior guard Markus Carr tied a school record with 15 assists, including 10 in the first half. Carr also had 10 assists in CSUN's 99-90 loss Tuesday to USC.

Carr gave CSUN the lead for good with two minutes left off a John Burrell steal. Burrell tipped a pass forward to Carr, who was alone on a fast break and he dunked the ball to give CSUN a 71-69 lead. On the ensuing possession, Chris McMillan drove the baseline but missed the shot and Carr got the rebound.

Jeff Parris, playing with four fouls for the final six minutes, was fouled on a turnaround jumper inside the lane. He hit the first free throw but missed the second for a 72-69 advantage.

Wyoming's Josh Davis was called for a charge - taken by Parris - on a drive inside with 50 seconds left. Parris was again fouled inside and missed both free throws off the back of the rim.

Marcus Bailey missed an easy inside shot with about 10 seconds left, and Brian Heinle, who scored a team-high 17 points and added seven rebounds, got the rebound and Marco McCain, who was fouled, hit two free throws for a five-point lead with five seconds left.

Coach Bobby Braswell started Parris but didn't start forward Joey Busch. Parris and Busch had been getting two early fouls, with Parris averaging four fouls per game.

It was the same foul-plagued story with Parris, who got his fourth foul 13 minutes into the second half. Parris was called for his fourth foul 22 minutes into the USC game and managed just nine points.

Guard-forward Carl Holmes started for Busch. When Busch entered the game with 15 minutes left in the first half, he went in for Parris, who had yet to foul. But with nine minutes remaining, Parris was called for two fouls within 30 seconds and went to the bench for the remainder of the half. He joined Heinle, who had two fouls six minutes into the game. Heinle sat for 14 minutes of the first half.

The Matadors were lucky to go into halftime with a six-point lead, 38-32, considering Parris and Heinle were sitting on the bench. But CSUN went on a 6-0 run to take the six-point lead.

Carr drove the lane and dished to a wide-open Carl Holmes, who made the 3-pointer from the baseline for a three-point lead. After Brett McFall missed a shot on the other end, Carr got the rebound and CSUN stalled. Then Carr found McCain at the top of the arc and McCain sank the 3-pointer with 42 seconds left.

CSUN shot 50 percent in the first half but was outrebounded 23-15 and had to guard Wyoming's powerful frontcourt.

CSUN just can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. Even reserve Jermar Welch, subbing at forward for Parris, had three first-half fouls. Welch had to play 21 minutes in USC's 99-90 win over CSUN because of foul troubles.

The Trojans outrebounded the Matadors 43-27 and Wyoming outrebounded CSUN 10-5 when the game was just nine minutes old.

The student side was packed again. The men's volleyball team, wearing Halloween-like costumes, ran a lap around the court five minutes before the game. The players sat in the front row and heckled the Cowboys.

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Photo: CSUN's Dan Read (front) and Joey Busch block the path of Wyoming's Marcus Bailey. The Matadors won 74-71.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer