CSUN SNEAKS BY MSU; MATADORS WOMEN ATOP BIG SKY : CSUN 74 MONT. ST. 66.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer

Tina Greer doesn't love shooting 1 for 13, but she loves the feeling of being in first place in the Big Sky Conference.

It reminds her of happy times at Washington High, ``where we were always in first place.''

Which is where the Cal State Northridge women's basketball team finds itself after beating Montana State 74-66 Thursday at Northridge.

Actually, a 4-1 conference record is exactly what the Matadors (10-5 overall) had at this point last year. However, the team didn't shoot 35.7 percent (25 of 70) in beating the Lady 'Cats (9-5, 3-1) last year.

Greer redshirted last season, but it was her shooting night that typified Northridge.

The starters were 13 of 47. Montana State (9-5, 3-1) outrebounded the Matadors by four and shot 55.3 percent.

So maybe Northridge won in spite of itself. Coach Frozena Jerro said she has never seen a victory like this.

``I might be confused,'' she said, pointing to the score sheet, ``but this is all that matters: We scored more than them. Being in first place regardless of how you get there is still exciting.''

So how did they do it? With key contributions from players not usually known for clutch play.

Starting guard Jamilah Jones scored a season-high 12 points, tied for team-high honors with guard Edniesha Curry and reserve Neda Milic.

Backup post player Leah Rice scored a season-high 10 points. Natalia Jonas had eight points, including six in a 9-0 second-half run that put Northridge up 53-40 with 10:05 to play.

The team took 20 offensive rebounds, with no one getting more than three, and the defense stopped the Lady 'Cat perimeter game, allowing only center Tennyson Ballek (26 points) to make a dent.

``We figured one person couldn't beat us, and she didn't,'' Jerro said.

Montana State coach Tracey Sheehan said her team's plan was to slow down Curry and forward Lynda Amari. She felt success after the two combined for 17 points on 6-for-23 shooting.

But Sheehan admitted she wasn't ready for Jones or Rice.

``Jones was absolutely tough,'' she said. ``They've got good depth, too.''

``When people do scouting reports, they don't look at me as aggressive as the other guards,'' said Jones. ``Now they realize they have to guard me. You have to guard everyone.''

There are some things that need addressing before Saturday's game with five-time defending champion Montana, a team the Matadors have yet to beat in four attempts.

Besides the shooting, there was the 13-3 run Montana State made in the final 4:37, cutting Northridge's 18-point lead to eight. Jones admitted the team looked ``out of it.''

``There's a point in every season where everybody's saying, `Oh, let's get this season over.' We've been playing for seven months. The best teams go on. Hopefully, everybody can jump over that hurdle.''

Which brings us back to Greer. She said she hurried her shots Thursday, and that the team has been in a shooting funk since last week.

Mindful that Thursday's winning margin was eight points after such a poor shooting night, Greer said: ``Just think if our shots were on. We'd win by 40, and we'd beat Montana.''

Now that's a happy thought to her.

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Photo: CSUN guard Edniesha Curry (00) takes a shot as Montana State's Tennyson Ballek (30) defends. Curry had 12 points in the CSUN win.

Phil McCarten/Daily News