A 34-POINT WIN GETS CSUN UP FOR TOURNEY : CSUN 99, SAC. ST 65.Byline: Gary Traynham Special to the Daily News Cal State Northridge capped its finest basketball season in 14 years, routing Sacramento State 99-65 in its Big Sky Conference regular-season finale Saturday. Senior Derrick Higgins scored 22 points as the Matadors (17-11, 9-7 Big Sky) reached their highest win total since taking the California Collegiate Athletic Association "CCAA" redirects here. For the Canadian association, see Canadian Colleges Athletic Association. For the Chinese government agency, see China Center of Adoption Affairs. The California Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 1985. That rewards them with a matchup against Montana State on Thursday in the opening round of the Big Sky Tournament at Ogden, Utah Ogden is the county seat of Weber County,GR6 Utah, United States. A 2006 estimate placed its population at 78,086. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a . Northridge scored a school-record 11 field goals on dunks and hit 10 three-pointers to gain their highest point total since last year's Big Sky Tournament semifinals. They beat the Hornets (3-23, 3-13) for the sixth straight time in the Big Sky and 12th time in their last 13 meetings. Their average winning margin over the Hornets in the Big Sky is 23 points. ``We needed to get a positive sense going into the tournament,'' Higgins said, remembering Thursday's drubbing from conference champion Weber State. ``We had to come out with fire. We were unfocused un·fo·cused also un·fo·cussed adj. 1. Not brought into focus: an unfocused lens. 2. against Weber. This was my last conference game and it was special the way we played. We're like the Lakers See Lake poets . We have all the talent. Everybody had high expectations. It was hurting us.'' Hornets coach Tom Abatemarco knew his team was outclassed out·class tr.v. out·classed, out·class·ing, out·class·es To surpass decisively, so as to appear of a higher class. Adj. 1. . ``They have the best talent in the league,'' he said. The Matadors shot a blistering blis·ter·ing n. See vesiculation. 67 percent and dominated the rebounding to build a commanding 53-31 cushion by halftime. Sophomore center Brian Heinle hit two three-pointers as the Mats sank six beyond the arc before the intermission. Senior Jeffrey Parris, bothered by a back injury, scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds in seven minutes before being forced to the sidelines. But his teammates jumped at the opportunity. Junior guard Jason Crowe Jason Crowe (born September 30 1978 in Sidcup) is an English footballer. He currently plays for Football League One side Northampton Town. He plays at full back. He started his career as a trainee at Arsenal, although he was unable to break into the first team with veteran hit 7 of 9 shots to get 17 points, Heinle finished with 16 and junior forward Andre Larry contributed 15. ``After Thursday's game, it was good to see this team play like this,'' Northridge coach Bobby Braswell Bobby Braswell, an American basketball coach, is currently the head coach for Cal State Northridge. Braswell was named the fourth head coach in Northridge history on April 30, 1996, succeeding the retired Pete Cassidy. said. ``We came out with a lot of energy today. This shows how far the program has come in three years. We've gotten better every year. To win 17 Division I games is a great accomplishment.'' Northridge could have easily topped the 100-point plateau, but Braswell slowed his offense down the last six minutes. ``I know the players wanted to break 100 but I said, `Lets work on some things we might use','' Braswell said. Sacramento freshman guard Nate Murase connected on 6 of 10 three-point shots to total 26 points in the Hornets' final salvo. Murase's first three-pointer closed the gap to 37-24 with five minutes left in the half before the Matadors took charge. Higgins scored on a three-point play before three consecutive turnovers led to two baskets by Larry and one by Crowe. A free throw by Crowe and guard Markus Carr's jump shot finished a 12-0 run. ``We knew they could be down 20 and come back,'' Higgins said. ``We were together. This was a big win for us.'' The margin was the second biggest road win in Northridge history, following a 40-point rout of Division II Bethany College Bethany College may refer to:
CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1) HIGGINS (2) HEINLE |
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