CSUN WOMEN READY TO START ANEW PEPPERDINE 64, CSUN 48.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

The Cal State Northridge women's basketball team's nonconference nightmare is over.

It ended as the previous games had, with a defeat, this time 64-48 to visiting Pepperdine on Wednesday night. But in falling to 0-10 this season, the Matadors hope the worst is past.

``Conference is a new start, when it comes down to it,'' center Jenny Shetters said.

Plenty has happened: A coach resigned rather than be fired, one-sided losses mounted, and the team just completed a cross-country trip to play No. 1 Connecticut and return two days later to face Santa Clara. CSUN lost both and gave up more than 100 points each time.

Wednesday, there was no 50-point loss. Instead, there was intensity and fight for 40 minutes. The Matadors dug themselves a hole by scoring just 15 first-half points, then tried to get out of it with a 21-10 run that cut the deficit to seven points, 47-42, with 4:17 to play.

Pepperdine (8-4) scored the game's final nine points to secure the victory.

However, neither that nor her team's 24.6 field-goal percentage bothered CSUN interim co-coach Paula Nirschl-Montgomery.

``I thought that was our best effort as a team defensively, not offensively,'' she said after Pepperdine shot 34.5 percent. ``All in all, we're happy.''

CSUN's Sha'Tasha Allen led all scorers with 12 points, making 4 of 8 from the field. Shetters had six of her 10 points via free throws. Denise Cardenas, who was 2 of 10 from 3-point range, had eight points.

The Big West Conference season begins Sunday at defending champion and traditional power UC Santa Barbara.