[0] FOR CSUN, OT SPELLS O-U-T NCAA HOPES CRASH AFTER BIG SKY FALLS ON MATADORS ARIZONA 85, CSUN 81.

Byline: Chris Branam Staff Writer

MISSOULA, Mont. - It was one final amazing, stomach-twisting run in a hard-to-believe season.

The Cal State Northridge men's basketball team gave it a go in its second serious bid to make the NCAA Tournament in the last four years, but the Matadors just didn't have enough in an 85-81 overtime loss to Northern Arizona in the Big Sky Conference tournament final Saturday night at Dahlberg Arena.

The last of the 3,316 fans who stuck around to see the wild finish had to collect their breath when it was over. The teams, who tied at 70 in regulation, combined for 16 points in the final minute, and NAU had to make two free throws in the last three seconds to secure its second tournament title since 1998.

``It's sad somebody has to lose a game like this,'' CSUN coach Bobby Braswell said. ``I'm very, very proud of this team . . . not only for the way (the players) fought back, but the way they fought back this whole season.''

Now the Matadors must wait until tonight to see if their season is over. They are hoping for an NIT bid.

``We're all anticipating going to practice on Monday, getting ready for the next (game),'' Braswell said.

NAU had the tournament savvy, playing in its third consecutive tournament final, but it was the Matadors who showed grit down the stretch. Northridge (20-10) scored the final nine points of regulation to force overtime.

And CSUN had a chance to win in the final seconds, but Markus Carr's running jumper in the lane bounced off the back of the rim.

The shot was similar to one Carr made in CSUN's 69-66 win over NAU at Northridge in January.

``I about had a heart attack,'' said NAU guard Adam Lopez. ``I thought it was going in.''

And Ross Land, NAU's all-time 3-point shooter and the school's second-leading scorer all-time, thought his career might be over when the ball left Carr's hands.

``I just froze,'' he said.

It was fitting, because Land had the night's most magic moment. He sank an 85-foot shot at the halftime buzzer to give the third-seeded Lumberjacks (20-10) a 38-29 halftime lead.

Land, the tournament MVP, was 5 of 9 on 3-point attempts and had 20 points. He played all 45 minutes.

``Am I happy to see (Land) gone? You bet,'' said CSUN forward Brian Heinle. ``I wish him well.''

Heinle, who made the all-tournament team, had 14 points. However, he did not make a shot in overtime. The Matadors were lifted in the extra period by Carr, who had the team's last eight points.

Carr played 42 minutes. Sure, he regretted missing the final shot in regulation.

``It was the same play. This time it didn't drop for me,'' he said.

Braswell: ``There was no question whether we were going to run (the play). This doesn't come down to Markus winning or losing the game. Northern Arizona won the game.''

NAU coach Mike Adras also thought the Lumberjacks made a statement after they started conference play 0-4 and rallied to win 14 of their final 15 games.

``We are the best team in the Big Sky,'' Adras said. ``I'm convinced of that. We proved it. (We) did it on the court.''

The Lumberjacks set a tournament single-game record with 16 3-pointers. They made an amazing 49 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc in the tournament.

Northern Arizona, which shot 62 percent in its semifinal win over Eastern Washington, made 53 percent of its shots against Northridge.

``I was hoping they wouldn't be able to shoot the ball well two nights in a row and they did,'' Braswell said. ``You have to give them a lot of credit. Ross Land, (Dan) McClintock, those guys are veteran guys who have been to the tournament.''

Adras thinks Northridge belongs in the postseason, too.

``Our conference should do the best it can to get (CSUN) an NIT bid,'' he said. ``That team deserves it.''

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: Northern Arizona forward Ross Land seems surprised to see CSUN's Carl Holmes as the two scramble for a loose ball.

Kurt Wilson/Associated Press