Northridge Halts Skid, but Just Barely, 62-59

Without a doubt, Cal State Northridge was looking forward to playing Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday night. The Matadors had dropped eight of their last nine games, with their only win coming at Dominguez Hills on Jan. 17.

They needed a break. They needed the Toros.

CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy made all the obligatory remarks before the game like: “They’re tougher than you might think,” and “They have a better league record than we do.”

But who didn’t? Dominguez Hills was 2-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. CSUN was 1-6.

After falling behind by seven points midway through the second half, the Matadors came back to win, 62-59. Afterward, by the look of the CSUN locker room, you’d have thought they had just won the CCAA championship.

“After losing so many games, it’s natural for young kids to forget how to win,” Cassidy said. “But it’s a good feeling to win. It’s therapeutic.”

Even though Dominguez Hills was what the doctor ordered, CSUN still almost lost. After a close game throughout the first half, the Matadors fell behind, 48-41, with 9:58 left to play.

But CSUN forward Pat Bolden came alive for 15 second-half points and almost single-handedly led the Matadors to the win.

Said Bolden: “I was feeling good. My shot has been pretty flat lately, so I was trying to put more arch on it.”

Bolden arched 10 of 12 shots through the net--jumpers, fall aways, drives, leap-and-leaners. Apparently the arch did the trick.

Although CSUN went to Bolden down the stretch, the biggest shot of the night was by Jimmy Daniels. With 47 seconds left and the Matadors trailing, 57-56, Daniels hit a 20-foot jumper that finally gave them the lead.

“I looked for the cutter, but the man layed off, so I shot the ball,” Daniels said. “I knew it was in as soon as it left my hand.”

The CSUN coaches looked less sure. They stood there with their mouths open until the rainbow dropped through.

The Toros missed some desperation shots and then were forced to foul the Matadors. CSUN hit enough foul shots to secure the win.

“We kept slipping behind and coming back,” Cassidy said. “That one stretch was scary. We had a series of mindlessness--we almost gave the game to them right there. But I like the fact that we were able to come back. It’s a good sign.”

CSUN will take every good sign it can latch onto and relish it.

“You’d like to think this will be a catalyst for us the rest of the way,” Cassidy said. “We didn’t belly up. It would’ve been easy to quit.”

Early in the game, the Toros jumped to a 6-2 lead after two quick jumpers by William Alexander and Anthony Blackmon. The game turned into a jump-shooting contest. During one stretch, 12 of 14 baskets came on jumpers.

Bolden hit two long-range shots, but Brian Edwards answered for Dominguez Hills with two baskets.

CSUN trailed by four points early in the half, but midway through, Paul Hobus and Bolden hit shots and the game was tied at 12.

The teams traded baskets until the Toros went ahead by six on two baskets by Tony Akins and another by Bobby Watson.

CSUN hit three straight shots to close to 24-22.

A jumper by Troy Dueker gave CSUN its first lead, 25-24, with just under three minutes in the half. The score was tied, 29-29, at the half.

When a reporter told Cassidy that it was too bad the Matadors couldn’t play Dominguez Hills every game, he replied, “Shut up.” Then he smiled and walked away.