FINDING THE ROAD HOME; CSUN MAKES RARE VISIT TO OLD FRIEND.Byline: Marc J. Spears Daily News Staff Writer The Northridge gym welcome mat has been seldomly stepped on by Cal State Northridge's men's basketball team this season. Tonight, Northridge (6-10, 2-4 Big Sky) will play a rare home game against Idaho State (5-11, 1-5) in Big Sky Conference action. While their tiny gym with limited seating isn't much to brag about, the Matadors seem to reach their potential at home, where they have a 4-1 record and an average scoring margin of 15 points. After the Idaho State game, however, it is back to the road for the weary Matadors, who have three important away games at 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. , Montana and Montana State. The trio of upper-level Big Sky foes owns a combined 23-5 home record. Moreover, by Feb. 12 the Matadors - who are just 1-8 on the road this season - will have played just 6 of 20 games at home. ``It seems weird to be (at Northridge gym),'' said CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge forward Kevin Taylor Kevin Taylor (born August 11, 1974) is an African-American professional skateboarder. He was born in Wildwood, New Jersey, began the sport at age 11, and turned professional at 16. Taylor skates in a regular stance, lives in Philadelphia. , whose team has lost three road games by three points or less this season. ``We're never here and it seems like we're always on the road. It is like home for us is on the road.'' CSUN forward Mike O'Quinn said, ``It seems like we have been on the road all year.'' Big Sky Conference officials also made the Matadors more frustrated by helping longtime member Montana with its road difficulty and failing to assist CSUN. When faced with playing games in consecutive days against Northern Arizona and Northridge, Montana asked to have a day off between because the school felt it was too difficult to drive nearly two hours from Flagstaff Flagstaff, city (1990 pop. 45,857), seat of Coconino co., N Ariz., near the San Francisco Peaks; inc. 1894. Lumbering, ranching, and a lively tourist trade thrive in the region, where many ruined pueblos, numerous state parks, several lakes, and large pine forests , Ariz., to the Phoenix airport for a flight to Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. on the day of the game. Montana was granted its wish and had a day off before falling to the Matadors on Jan. 11. The game against the 1997 Big Sky Tournament champion Grizzlies The name Grizzlies may refer to:
abbr. National Football Conference championship game. CSUN is faced with a similar problem with a game at Montana on Feb. 6, which will be televised by Fox Sports Northwest, and at Montana State the next day. The drive between Missoula to Bozeman is at least three hours and includes a treacherous trip in possible icy and snowy road conditions through the heart of the Rockies. Northridge's request for a day off between games, however, was denied by Big Sky officials. ``You can't tell me that it is a hard trip from Phoenix to Los Angeles,'' said CSUN 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. . ``To be honest with you, they didn't want to do anything to accommodate us. I'm not happy with that and I don't think any team should have to do that on that trip. There is no reason why we couldn't have played the (Montana State) game on (Feb. 8).'' According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton, CSUN wasn't given a day off because of the television agreement, the fact Montana State can't use its arena on Feb. 8 and the league doesn't consider the trek between the Montana cities to be tough. ``It is not a real bad trip,'' said Fullerton, a former 11-year Montana State athletic director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic . ``For people that don't live in those conditions, it seems far worse.'' Fortunately for the Matadors, the schedule works out in their favor in the end. Prior to the Big Sky Tournament, CSUN has five straight games at home before a conference finale at Idaho State on Feb. 28. ``(Seeing our gym) is a very rare sight,'' Braswell said. ``But it will get pretty good in a couple of weeks when we get five in a row at home. I kind of like our schedule right now because we're getting better every game. If we continue at this pace, we'll be playing pretty good by the time we get on that home stretch.'' HOME SWEET HOME Cal State Northridge's men's basketball team has endured a 1-8 record on a tough road slate and a 1-1 neutral site mark this season. But the Matadors, who are 4-1 at home, host Idaho State tonight. Here is a look at the losses away from the Northridge gym. Date Team Score Nov. 16 Arizona State 91-97 Nov. 20 Oregon State 79-91 Dec. 2 San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. 69-71 Dec. 15 Ohio State 81-89 Dec. 17 Ohio 77-79 Dec. 22 Long Island (x) 86-102 Jan. 2 Portland State 75-83 Jan. 5 Eastern Washington
Jan. 17 Weber State69-70 (x) at Fresno State's Coors Light Classic CAPTION(S): Box BOX: HOME SWEET HOME (see text) |
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