CSUN NOTEBOOK: BOYLAN REGAINS CONFIDENCE.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Ian Boylan has found his confidence, aggressiveness and his shot. And his swagger.

At least in practice. Now that the Cal State Northridge sophomore has that swagger again, he can only hope it translates to games as CSUN plays today at Pacific, which is tied for first place in the Big West Conference.

Boylan had lost that confidence over the past four games and the Matadors lost every game in that stretch.

He averaged 19.1 points (on 52 percent shooting) and 5.9 rebounds in CSUN's first 10 games. The past four games, Boylan's numbers fell to 8.5 points, 36-percent shooting and 3 rebounds.

``I just had to force the issue, I wasn't playing well,'' Boylan said. ``Kobe Bryant's my idol. He always says if things aren't going well, you've got to force the issue. Make them foul you, take it to the basket. Just forget about everything and be very aggressive.''

Boylan didn't sleep after CSUN lost to Idaho last weekend. Even though the Matadors lost the game, Boylan showed flashes of his old self at the end of the game. He even took the potential game-winning shot in regulation, which bounced off the back rim.

Before that game, CSUN coach Bobby Braswell asked Boylan if he thought he should start. Boylan said no. But Boylan wants to be back in the starting lineup this week.

``I don't really show emotion that much,'' he said. ``People don't usually know what's bothering me. I know how good of a player I can be and I haven't been playing up to anywhere near how I should play. Coaches have stayed behind me, encouraging me and challenging me. Hopefully, I'll be back to where I was at the beginning of the season.''

To do that, he watched tape of himself in the beginning of the season - when he was on target and the CSUN offense was rolling.

``He's looked good the last couple days, he really has,'' Braswell said. ``Now it's important to do it in a game setting. For all of us.''

--Take your pick: What's the bigger problem, CSUN's struggles on offense or defense? The Matadors were averaging 81 points per game their first 10 games. In their past two Big West games, CSUN has scored 44 points and 66 points in an overtime game.

Not only has Boylan struggled, CSUN has gotten little production from its post players. And the pressure defense - which sets up CSUN's transition game - has been ineffective as well.

``Our offense had deteriorated to broken-down plays and a lack of execution,'' Braswell said. ``We feel that defensively, we'd lost our edge. Guys weren't getting calls and adjustments. We got back to both those things in practice. We told them there was no other way it was going to be done except our way now.''

--Remember the Titans: Cal State Fullerton's Titans are usually the perennial pushover in the Big West. Not now. Proving its overtime victory at UC Santa Barbara last week was no fluke, the Titans knocked off UC Irvine in overtime Wednesday.

The most remarkable thing is that Fullerton is collecting big victories without NBA prospect Pape Sow, who's on indefinite suspension after pleading guilty to misdemeanor petty theft. Sow was averaging 15.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Sow is awaiting an appeal to the student athletes board to overturn his suspension.

The Titans can improve to 3-1 in the conference for the first time since 1991 with a victory over Long Beach State, which has just one victory.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

IAN BOYLAN

Sophomore has found his shot in practice after a four-game slump.

Box:

CSUN vs. PACIFIC

- Jill Painter