CSUN SUCCESSFUL IN HOME OPENER CSUN 79, CAL BAPTIST 60.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer After playing its first seven games on the road in a disappointing start to the season, home was a welcome sight for the Cal State Northridge men's basketball team. Of course, facing an NAIA NAIA abbr. National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes team didn't hurt either. Joseph Frazier scored 17 points and had five assists as the Matadors got a much-needed 79-60 victory Tuesday over Cal Baptist in their home opener. Even so, the way CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge (2-6) played was encouraging, with Big West Conference play beginning next week. The win was the 600th all-time for the program. ``They were an all right team, but it was the way we played that was a positive,'' said forward Ian Boylan, who scored 11 points. ``We played unselfish, got the ball inside and got high-percentage shots.'' CSUN has been in every game this season, losing by no more than 10 points. However, the previous two games were particularly frustrating frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: . The Matadors fell in overtime to Lafayette after a one-point loss to Arizona State. Cal Baptist wasn't a pushover push·o·ver n. 1. One that is easily defeated or taken advantage of. 2. Something that is easily done or attained. See Synonyms at breeze1. of an NAIA team. The Lancers lanc·er n. 1. A cavalryman armed with a lance. 2. A member of a regiment originally armed with lances. 3. lancers (used with a sing. verb) a. A kind of quadrille. b. set an NAIA record for single-game scoring earlier this month in a 181-153 victory over Redlands. CSUN jumped out to a double-digit lead by shooting a season-high 72 percent in the first half. Terrance Johnson, who transferred to Cal Baptist from Pepperdine, had a brief scoring burst to get the Lancers back into the game after a 17-point deficit in the first half. He finished with 14 points. With their lead cut to nine early in the second half, the Matadors exchanged baskets with the Lancers before building the advantage to 20 points on a reverse layup by Boylan with a minute remaining. The Matadors held Cal Baptist to a season low in points by forcing 27 turnovers. Davin White led the way with five steals. Eto Enyenegecha, who missed the previous two games with knee tendinitis, started and scored five points in 14 minutes. Only Mississippi Valley State, among the 327 NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I schools, will have a later home opener than the Matadors. ``It was good to walk into the Matadome and smell those familiar hot dogs again,'' 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 needed some home cooking.'' Matthew Kredell, (818)713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com |
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