MATADORS CLIMB INTO FIRST PLACE RESURGENT CSUN WINS FIFTH IN A ROW CSUN 84, UC RIVERSIDE 69.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer For the first time all game, Cal State Northridge fans couldn't help but jump from their seats in wild excitement. Only it wasn't because of anything the Matadors did. It was what UC Irvine didn't do. Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
 `ĭs ōbĭs`pō), city (1990 pop. 41,958), seat of San Luis Obispo co., S Calif., near San Luis Obispo Bay; inc. 1856. beat Irvine on Saturday. That, coupled
with CSUN's 84-69 victory over UC Riverside at the Northridge Gym
on Saturday, moved CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge into a two-way tie for first place in the Big
West Conference.
``It feels good being at the top,'' junior Curtis Slaughter slaughter 1. the killing of animals for the preparation of meat for human consumption. Many methods are used. See also emergency slaughter, captive bolt pistol, carbon dioxide anesthesia, jewish slaughter, muslim slaughter, pithing, puntilla, shechita, sikh slaughter. 2. said. ``From where we started to where we are now, I'm really enjoying this.'' So was the crowd of 1,430. At least when it learned - with two minutes left - that Irvine lost 50-47. But the feeling couldn't have been any better than it was in CSUN coach Bobby Braswell's shoes. He was the one, after all, that had to maintain the trust and belief of his players - including five freshmen - after a 2-9 start. As he walked into the postgame press conference, he glanced at the updated Big West standings on a chalkboard. ``Wow, look at that,'' Braswell said. ``Unbelievable. Just four weeks ago we were at BYU BYU Brigham Young University BYU Bayou BYU Bob's Your Uncle BYU Bayreuth, Germany - Bindlacher Berg (Airport Code) BYU Beyond Your Understanding down three (suspended sus·pend v. sus·pend·ed, sus·pend·ing, sus·pends v.tr. 1. To bar for a period from a privilege, office, or position, usually as a punishment: suspend a student from school. ) post players. We didn't know where we were headed or what we were going to do. ``But this team began to turn it around and they worked really hard.'' The Matadors' poor start has been well documented. After Saturday's game, one Riverside official joked, ``Our first-place team has a losing overall record.'' But this is hardly the same CSUN team. The Matadors (8-10) have won five consecutive games and six out of seven. CSUN is at the top of the Big West with a 7-2 conference mark, along with UC Irvine. Riverside (6-11) has lost four consecutive games and fell to 3-6 in the Big West. But Riverside was in it for one half, however ugly it was. The teams shot a combined 49 free throws in the first half. Riverside made 18 of 24 free throws in the first half, but Northridge made just 14 of 25. There were 53 total fouls, including 31 in the first half. It hampered CSUN, which thrives on an up-tempo game. But after clinging to a 37-35 halftime lead, the Matadors played tenacious te·na·cious adj. 1. Clinging to another object or surface; adhesive. 2. Holding together firmly; cohesive. tenacious viscid; adhesive. and wore down the Highlanders, who had 22 turnovers. CSUN senior guard Markus Carr CARR Carrier CARR Customer Acceptance Readiness Review CARR Carrollton Railroad CARR Corrective Action Request and Report CARR City Area Rural Rides (Texas) CARR Configuration Audit Readiness Review CARR Customer Acceptance Requirements Review had a team-high 14 points (for his seventh consecutive game in double figures), but he made just 2 of 11 shots from the field. Slaughter scored 12 points to finish in double figures for the eighth consecutive game. Lionel Benjamin had 13 points and Jermar Welch Welch , William Henry 1850-1934. American pathologist and bacteriologist who discovered the bacteria that causes gas gangrene. added 12. After CSUN started the Big West with a 73-56 loss at Utah State and barely escaped Idaho with a one-point win, contending for the Big West title seemed out of the question. Not now. Especially after the Matadors, who play their next three games on the road, ended the first half of conference with seven wins. CSUN is playing the best basketball in the Big West. And since it hosts UC Irvine in a televised game next month, the Matadors appear to have the inside track to win the title. As unfathomable as that might seem. ``We're going to go all the way if we play defense like we're supposed to,'' freshman guard Joe Frazier
abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association ) Tournament again and making Markus happy.'' The Matadors, who couldn't put away a pesky Riverside team led by Jason Perkins' 17 points, went on a 9-0 run early in the second half to build a 10-point lead at 52-42 with 15:24 left. They had never led by more than six before that. Three road wins. An overtime win over UC Irvine. A strong second half against Riverside. CSUN has done it all in conference. But Braswell wasn't about to back CSUN's claim as conference favorite. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. about that, I don't even care about that,'' Braswell said. ``The one thing I know is that we're not going to shock anybody now. That means we'll have to be that much better.'' CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: CSUN's Curtis Slaughter (33), chasing down a loose ball ahead of Riverside's Mark Miller, helped the Matadors move into a tie for first in the Big West. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer Box: BIG WEST STANDINGS |
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