CSUN PREVIEW: CSUN STRESSES TOGETHERNESS, NEW ATTITUDE : MATADORS ARE `CLOSER-KNIT BUNCH'.Byline: Chris Branam Staff Writer At every break in the action, the Cal State Northridge players put their arms around each other. After a timeout for water, they line up next to one another and cheer. What's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. here? Is this a college men's basketball team or a self-help seminar? The Cal State Northridge Matadors, who ended their finest Division I season with a frustrating loss in the Big Sky tournament are trying to push aside grumbling and locker-room politics - two facets of last season that are just now coming to light. ``There's definitely a change in attitude,'' CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge head 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 after a recent practice. ``Just take a look in here right now. You don't see groups of guys who are `cliquing.' You see them staying together and talking together. ``It's not unusual for (the coaches) to go into the dining facilities here and see 10 of our players eating lunch together.'' Braswell hopes that players who eat together win together as CSUN begins the 1999-2000 season Friday at 7 p.m. against USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. at the Sports Arena. The Matadors have been picked by conference coaches to finish third in the Big Sky Conference, behind Weber State and Northern Arizona Northern Arizona is dominated by the Colorado Plateau, the southern border of which in Arizona is called the Mogollon Rim. In the West lies the Grand Canyon, which was cut by the flow of the Colorado River while the land slowly rose around it. . CSUN was 17-12 last season, including 9-7 in the conference. But a 91-90 loss to Montana State in the first round of the tournament exposed two significant weaknesses: defense and selfishness. Braswell said the defense can be fixed by more dedication in practice. But the selfishness is something the eight returning players worked to correct on their own. ``We're a closer-knit bunch than we were last year,'' said senior forward Jeff Parris, who seems to be moving into the leadership role left by Derrick Higgins, the team's only senior last season. ``This year, we hang around a lot more. We go out together instead of going out separately. You look at the Lakers. They don't have a lot of team unity, and they don't win certain games. ``I guess team unity is a big thing.'' Although no one mentioned them by name, guard Greg Minor Greg Magado Minor (born September 18, 1971 in Sandersville, Georgia) is an American former NBA basketball player. Having averaged 12.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in three seasons at the University of Louisville, Minor was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the and forward Rico Harris, who were both suspended late last season, were assumed to be negative influences on the rest of the team. Although Minor and Harris were juniors last season, neither returned to the program: Minor came back for the Big Sky tournament, then declared for the NBA Draft The NBA Draft is an annual North American event in which the National Basketball Association's (NBA) thirty teams (29 in the United States and one in Toronto, Canada) can select players who wish to join the league. ; Harris never came back after a one-season stint at CSUN. ``We've all got the same goals in mind,'' said junior center Brian Heinle, ``and that's to win ballgames. We just didn't know how to win last year. We had a couple guys who didn't see the team goals. (Now) we all know what we want to do.'' Winning the Big Sky championship is a realistic goal. Although CSUN didn't receive a first-place vote from the coaches or media in the preseason polls, the Matadors have been named by nearly every college basketball College basketball most often refers to the American basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA. History
``We're not going to sneak up Verb 1. sneak up - advance stealthily or unnoticed; "Age creeps up on you" creep up advance, march on, move on, progress, pass on, go on - move forward, also in the metaphorical sense; "Time marches on" on anybody,'' Braswell said. ``Now people are expecting Cal State Northridge to finish in the top two or three. We don't want to just knock on Noun 1. knock on - (rugby) knocking the ball forward while trying to catch it (a foul) rugby, rugby football, rugger - a form of football played with an oval ball rugby, rugby football, rugger - a form of football played with an oval ball the door, we want to kick the door in. Now is the time to step up and make some things happen.'' A look at the Matadors, by position: GUARD The deepest position. Although sophomore Markus Carr (Palmdale High) was the returning point guard, Braswell recruited Craig Calloway (Long Beach Jordan High) and Marco McCain (Cerritos College Cerritos College is a public comprehensive community college founded in 1955 located in Norwalk, California. It was named after Rancho Los Cerritos, a ranch that served prominently in the region in the 19th century. ), who both can play the point. Carr has played well in two exhibition games and he should start against USC. McCain can play either guard position, meaning he'll get significant minutes. Calloway is talented, but he's adjusting to the college game. Junior Carl Holmes will start at shooting guard The Shooting guard (SG), also known as the two or off guard,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. . Holmes had a great freshman season, then slumped a bit last year. ``Carl is playing as well as he was as a freshman,'' said Braswell, Holmes' legal guardian. With its depth of backcourt talent, expect CSUN to play a three-guard lineup often this season. FORWARD Parris, a small forward, was the team's top shooter last year (61 percent), but he took far fewer shots than the rest of the starters. That could change this season. Parris scored 31 points in the Matadors' two exhibition games. Andre Larry was CSUN's best player in February. At 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds, he doesn't have the bulk of a traditional power forward, but he has long arms and can rebound. Larry, a senior, will miss the first two games - USC and the Nov. 27 home opener against Cal State Dominguez Hills - because he participated in an illegal summer league. Hewitt Rolle, a senior from the Bahamas who averaged only 3.4 points last season, will probably start until Larry returns. Among the reserves, junior Jermar Welch is the only one with CSUN experience, and he played only 48 minutes last season. CENTER Heinle (6-9, 225) is among the conference's top big men, and he's one of the Matadors' top 3-point shooters. He's the top returning scorer (12.6 points per game) and rebounder (5.7 per game). Redshirt freshman Dan Read, Heinle's backup, is the Matadors' tallest player at 6-10. THE ROSTER No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 3 Andre Larry F 6-9 205 Sr. 4 Craig Calloway G 6-1 185 Fr. 10 Lionel Benjamin G/F G/F Girl Friend G/F Ground Ball/Fly Ball Ratio (baseball; used for batters and pitchers) 6-3 205 Fr. 12 Markus Carr G 6-1 180 So. 14 Marco McCain G 6-3 185 Jr. 20 Carl Holmes G 6-1 170 Jr. 23 Whitney White F 6-5 195 Jr. x24 Keith Jackson For the former professional American football player, see Keith Jackson (football player). Keith Jackson (born October 18, 1928, in Roopville, Georgia) is a former American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports television, his coverage of college football G 6-0 160 Fr. xx25 John Burrell John Buster Burrell (born November 22, 1940 in Fort Worth, Texas) was an American football wide receiver in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for Rice University. G 6-3 185 Sr. 31 Brian Heinle C 6-9 225 Jr. x33 Denny Ogden G 6-0 180 Jr. 32 Hewitt Rolle F 6-7 230 Sr. 34 Jermar Welch F 6-6 215 Jr. 42 Jeff Parris F 6-5 223 Sr. 44 Dan Read C 6-10 220 Fr. x Walk on xx Division I transfer, will sit out season 1999-2000 SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time Nov. 19 at USC7 p.m. Nov. 27 CS-Dominguez Hills 7:05 p.m. Nov. 30 at Fresno St. 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
SLO San Luis Obispo (California) SLO Service Level Objectives (information technology services) 7 p.m. Dec. 6 Oral Roberts Noun 1. Oral Roberts - United States evangelist (born 1918) Roberts 7:05 p.m. Dec. 11 at Oregon 7:05 p.m. Dec. 20 at Oral Roberts 7:05 p.m. Dec. 22at Texas-El Paso 7:05 p.m. Dec. 28 St. Francis (NY) 7:05 p.m. Dec. 30 San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. St. 7:05 p.m. Jan. 2 Cal Poly SLO 2 p.m. Jan. 6 Northern Arizona 7:05 p.m. Jan. 8 at Idaho St. 7:35 p.m. Jan. 13 at Portland St. 7:05 p.m. Jan. 15 at E. Washington 7:05 p.m. Jan. 20 Montana St. 7:05 p.m. Jan. 22 Montana 7:05 p.m. Jan. 27 at Sacramento St. 7:05 p.m. Jan. 29 at Weber St. 7:05 p.m. Feb. 3 Idaho St. 7:05 p.m. Feb. 12 at Northern Arizona 7:05 p.m. Feb. 17 at Montana 7:05 p.m. Feb. 19 at Montana St. 7:05 p.m. Feb. 24 E. Washington 7:05 p.m. Feb. 26 Portland St. 7:05 p.m. March 2 Weber St. 7:05 p.m. March 4 Sacramento St. 7:05 p.m. March 9-11 Big Sky Tourn. TBD TBD abbr. to be determined CAPTION(S): box BOX: The Roster; 1999-2000 schedule (see text) |
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