[0] CSUN ON OUTSIDE, NOT LOOKING IN UC IRVINE 71, CSUN 48.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

First, they didn't meet an outside shot they liked. Then, they didn't meet an outside shot they could make.

Either way, it spelled doom for the Cal State Northridge women's basketball team, which dropped a 71-48 season opener at home Saturday night to UC Irvine.

This was supposed to be the big debut of Northridge's so-called twin towers of 6-foot-4 Kristi Rose from Palmdale and 6-3 Jennifer Shetters, with 6-2 Ebony Davis coming off the bench. Those three combined for 24 points and 18 rebounds, mostly by Rose and mostly in the second half after Irvine (1-0) had built a 20-point lead.

It might have been better had Northridge been able to get them the ball often.

Northridge had a size advantage and sought to exploit it. It instead led to turnovers, either by throwing the ball out of bounds, Rose failing to hold on or having an Irvine player steal it.

With 5 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in the first half, the Matadors trailed just 23-20 on one of Rose's rare inside baskets. It was then Northridge tried starting shooting outside.

The results were equally dismal. The Matadors missed 11 of 12 shots, including seven 3-pointers, a free throw and two inside shots. Rose converted inside with 1:38 left, but Irvine by then had built the lead into an eventual 33-22 halftime advantage.

Northridge committed 15 turnovers and shot 27.6 percent (8 for 29) from the floor, including 1 of 8 from the 3-point area, in the first half.

The second half was more of the same. The Anteaters started the half with a 19-7 run in the first nine minutes and built the lead to as big as 60-36 with 6:23 to play.

Rose scored 10 straight CSUN points in a 4 1/2-minute span to finish with 18 points and 8 rebounds. No one else scored more than eight points for Northridge.

Irvine guard Wendy Gabbe led Irvine with 17 points and 9 rebounds.