NARROW VICTORY FOR CSUN CSUN 68, LONG BEACH ST. 66.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

This was supposed to be a yawner, an easy victory for Cal State Northridge with a pivotal game Saturday and tough road trip next week.

Yeah, right.

Long Beach State - the Big West Conference's cellar dweller, which has won just three games all season - took the Matadors to the final seconds Thursday at the Northridge Gym. Even a career game from 49ers senior Jibril Hodges wasn't enough.

Senior Ian Boylan scored 19 points and freshman Robert Locke made big plays down the stretch to give CSUN a 68-66 victory in front of 1,409.

The Matadors couldn't be accused of playing their best game but they did just what was necessary to win.

``As a coach, you worry about games like this,'' CSUN coach Bobby Braswell said. ``We were playing well and then you get a team like this. They were playing loose tonight ... You've got to give Long Beach State credit. Hopefully, it shows our character after missing free throws that we were still fortunate enough to get away with it.''

The Matadors made just 11 of 21 shots but the big problem was Hodges, who scored a career-high 24 points on a career-best six 3-pointers. Hodges hit long-range shot after long-range shot, one from about 30 feet. He made 6 of 11 from behind the arc, but the one he shot with eight seconds left hit the rim and Cody Pearson got the rebound. Pearson's shot from the baseline bounced off the rim and Onye Ibekwe's ill-timed shot from inside with four seconds left missed badly.

``I had a good look, that's all I can ask for,'' Hodges said.

Long Beach State shot 52.9 percent on the road and still lost.

Locke got more playing time as Braswell rested freshman Calvin Chitwood, who tweaked a groin injury he's had for weeks. Locke dove for the loose ball after Ibekwe's miss, got the rebound and Boylan called a timeout with 2.2 seconds left. Locke made two free throws with 1:09 left to give the Matadors a 67-64 lead. CSUN (11-9, 8-3 Big West) had just had its best shooting performance in a blowout nonconference win at UC Davis five days earlier but struggled at times against the 49ers' zone.

Still, CSUN is in second place in the Big West and primed for a No. 2 seed in next month's Big West Tournament.

``I thought the seniors played well but I was disappointed with the freshmen and the new guys because I don't think they understand the importance of taking care of games likes this,'' Braswell said. ``Last year, we lost our last two home games and ended up a seven seed instead of a four seed.''

The teams traded leads down the stretch and CSUN guard Davin White tied it 62-62 with a 3-pointer from the left wing with 5:32 left. White had 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Sal Vance made a shot inside that bounced high and went in with 3:00 left for a 65-64 lead.

It was another tough loss for the 49ers (3-17, 1-9), who led 32-29 at halftime. And another sigh of relief for CSUN.

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

CSUN's Davin White looks to pass the ball as he gets past Long Beach State's Kevin Houston on Thursday.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News