Chapman Takes as Northridge Gives, 72-58

Chapman College has been a women’s basketball power in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. ever since Brian Berger was named as coach five years ago.

The Panthers qualified for NCAA Division II postseason play in each of Berger’s first four seasons, but tradition didn’t mean much Saturday night at the Harold Hutton Sports Center.

Chapman needed a victory over Cal State Northridge to retain any hope of being invited to the conference’s four-team postseason tournament. Past records didn’t count.

The Panthers beat the Lady Matadors, 72-58, and Berger said that desire was a major determining factor.

“We had more at stake,” he said. “We needed the win and they didn’t.”

Chapman (17-9, 7-5 in the CCAA) is in fourth place and in good position to reach the tournament.

Northridge, ranked 13th in the nation, secured a playoff berth last week with a win over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“No, it didn’t mean as much to us as it did to them,” CSUN Coach Leslie Milke said. “Obviously, we didn’t want to lose, and it was a little frustrating.”

At the start of the game, however, Northridge played as if it were in dire need of the victory.

The Lady Matadors dominated the first six minutes of the game, bolting to a 16-7 lead.

Northridge held a 33-30 halftime lead, but the Panthers took control from the beginning of the second half.

Trailing, 39-34, with 17 minutes left, Chapman outscored Northridge, 27-5, during a 12-minute span to take a 61-44 lead.

At one point, the Lady Matadors committed turnovers on five consecutive trips down court.

“The difference in the game was that we effectively changed up our defense at halftime and they had a hard time dealing with it,” he said.

Northridge also had a rough time handling Chapman All-America center Leone Patterson.

Northridge forwards Regan O’Hara and Denise Sitton were in foul trouble for much of the second half, and Patterson took advantage.

She scored 15 of the Panthers’ 27 points during the decisive run in the second half. She finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 5 steals.

Berger wasn’t surprised with the way Patterson played.

“Hell, she’s been carrying this team on her back all season,” he said. “She’s the best Division II player I’ve ever seen.”

Patterson is the conference’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. The 6-0 senior has been named to the All-CCAA first team each of her first three seasons.

Berger believes Chapman is stocked with the most talent in the conference.

“We’ve been beaten by teams this year because they wanted to beat us more than we wanted to beat them,” he said. “It wasn’t because anyone was better than us.”

NORTHRIDGE--Flanagan 9; O’Hara 14 and 8 rebounds; Sitton 9 and 9 rebounds; Loch 16; Nino 2; Costello 5; Middleton 3.

CHAPMAN--Brewster 2; Jones 4; Patterson 26 and 11 rebounds; George 13; Hartsfield 8; Gainey 7; Hirsch 12 and 8 rebounds.