CSUN AWAKENS IN TIME - AGAIN CSUN 96, WEBER ST. 86.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

It was so typical: Cal State Northridge was trailing at halftime.

Not like it was a news flash or anything. That's just the way this basketball team seems to operate. The Matadors always seem to dig themselves a hole in the game's first 20 minutes. But not to worry.

Their typical reaction is to dig themselves right out of it.

CSUN made a customary second-half comeback after an eight-point deficit in the first half to beat Weber State 96-86 Thursday at the Northridge gym in front of a season-high crowd of 1,519.

The Matadors (15-8) are by themselves in first place in the Big Sky Conference by 1 1/2 games at 8-2. Weber State (12-7) fell to a two-way tie for second with Eastern Washington at 6-3. CSUN won its fourth consecutive game and sixth of its past seven.

``(The Big Sky) is definitely ours to lose,'' guard Markus Carr said. ``We just have to continue to do what we need to get better.''

That includes playing better defense in the first half. CSUN trailed by six, 46-40, at halftime. The Matadors had found themselves in the same predicament in an 89-78 win at Weber State in the Big Sky opener. Only they trailed by as many as 10 in that game.

CSUN coach Bobby Braswell likened conference games to a 12-round boxing match. The Matadors have taken some hits in the early rounds but come out swinging in the later rounds.

``We don't like to do it that way,'' senior center Brian Heinle said. ``We definitely don't plan to do it that way. Us being the team we are, people are going to get pumped up for us and play their best game right away.''

Heinle had another one of his better games with his 12th double-double of the season and 19th in his career. He had 25 points and 13 rebounds. Six players scored in double figures for CSUN, including Carr with 16 points. Jeff Parris had 15 points and eight rebounds. Parris didn't play in CSUN's win over Sacramento State on Wednesday because of a lower-back strain.

The Matadors outrebounded the Wildcats 46-32 and had 18 offensive rebounds. They also shot 58 percent in the second half. CSUN went on an 11-4 run to start the second half to take a 51-50 lead. Heinle had six points in that span.

The game was close over the next 10 minutes until CSUN pulled away on a 14-6 run. Carr made the final two baskets - one off his own steal - in that spurt to give CSUN a 79-72 cushion with 7 1/2 minutes left. It never lost the lead.

Braswell challenged the Matadors at halftime, although it had nothing to do with X's and O's. It had everything to do with the near sellout crowd in attendance, which included his mother.

``I challenged them, 'Don't let those people down,' '' Braswell said.

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Photo: (color) Cal State Northridge's Carl Holmes drives on Weber State's Damon King.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News