Last-Second Shot Puts Colorado State Over CSUN

Every year, usually early in the season, the CSUN basketball team heads off to play three or four Division I teams in Division I-sized arenas.

According to Coach Pete Cassidy, it prepares his team for later on, when the Matadors start the California Collegiate Athletic Assos. season. The theory is that the tougher competition in November makes playing Cal State Dominguez Hills more tolerable in January.

There are, of course, other reasons for scheduling Division I opponents. Exposure is one. Money is another. Schools like Wyoming, which beat CSUN Friday night by 37 points, pay Northridge around $5,000 for showing up.

Saturday night, Colorado State guaranteed the Matadors about the same amount and got its money’s worth and more as the Rams squeaked by CSUN, 47-46. CSU center Rich Strong hit a game-winning jumper from the baseline with two seconds left.

Two games, two losses. So was it worth it?

“I’m glad we came on this trip,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy said the Wyoming loss “was humiliating,” but in Colorado he found reason for optimism.

“After tonight . . . we can say we can play with the big boys. That means a lot. It’s a loss, but we played hard and for us it was a victory,” Cassidy said.

Said guard Paul Drecksel: “After last night, it got to the point where we didn’t want to come out and play at all. I feel better tonight, but I still don’t feel good.”

“Their egos were bruised,” Cassidy said. “But we have to get ready for conference play. These games are important. I don’t concede that we’ll lose these games against Division I teams-we almost won tonight. But I am realistic.”

No Cassidy team has beaten a Division I opponent since the 1980-81 season when the Matadors downed UC Santa Barbara.

CSUN came close to breaking the losing skid Saturday.

It was an quite an accomplishment, considering that nearly every CSUN player was matched against an opponent who was three inches taller.

But none of that seemed to matter. CSUN’s blue-collar players scrapped and clawed, staying within reach of the Rams throughout the game.

With just over a minute to play, the Matadors actually pulled ahead, 46-45, on a 17-foot jumper by Drecksel. After missed shots by both teams, Colorado State held the ball and called time out with 16 seconds left. After two missed shots by the Rams, Strong grabbed the offensive rebound and sank his shot to win the game.

In the beginning of the game, it looked as if the Matadors would get blown out again. Colorado State went to its big men early and jumped to a 7-0 lead.

But CSUN settled down, worked the 45-second clock and managed to make just enough shots to stay close, shooting a chilly 31.6 percent in the first half. At the end of the half, CSUN trailed, 22-19.

In the second half, CSUN’s Pat Bolden, Jimmie Daniels and Drecksel became more aggressive offensively. Drecksel and Bolden, who both finished with 13 points, were particularly effective from close range.

The Matadors had only 12 turnovers, and a tough 2-3 zone defense by CSUN caused 18 Colorado State turnovers.

The battle of the boards ended with a 33-30 advantage for the Rams.

But the parity on the boards, as well as in the game, was a victory of sorts for the Matadors.