College Basketball Previews : CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE : The Youthful Look : Lady Matadors Venture Into Unknown With Five Freshmen and No Seniors

If ignorance is bliss, the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team should have a carefree season.

Coach Leslie Milke has five freshmen who know as much about competition in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. as they do about the geography of Chile.

“These kids don’t have any preconceived notions as to who are the powerhouses in our conference,” Milke said.

Translation: They haven’t heard of Cal Poly Pomona, which won the CCAA regular-season title, then blew out CSUN in the conference postseason tournament, 80-46. The Lady Matadors have lost 27 consecutive games to the Lady Broncos.

Milke, who is 53-54 in five seasons as Northridge coach, has few reservations about fielding such a young team. The Lady Matadors are a team of underclassmen.

“All the new kids are good,” she said. “At first, I thought it would make a big difference, not having any seniors. But with this group, I don’t think it will be so bad.”

Northridge has two returning starters among its group of six returning players. Kathleen Dixon, a 6-1 sophomore center, averaged 12.1 points and 6.7 rebounds last season. Vicki Mallett, the point guard, averaged 5.7 points and led the team with 125 assists.

Marianne Dixon, Kathleen’s twin, also could play an important role. She averaged 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game off the bench last season. Kristen Brinkema, a junior who played extensively in a reserve role last season, is CSUN’s best outside shooter.

Milke bolstered the Lady Matador lineup by successfully recruiting freshmen Paula Cooper and Julie Arlotto, both of Simi Valley High.

Cooper, a 5-10 forward, averaged 13.5 points and 9.2 rebounds a game last season and shared the Marmonte League’s most-valuable-player award with Arlotto, a 5-11 forward, who averaged 18.5 points and 9.1 rebounds.

The newcomers will be counted on to pick up the scoring void left by Denise Sitton, who finished her eligibility last season. Sitton, a two-time all-conference forward, set eight CSUN records, including career points (1,467) and rebounds (923).

Northridge, 16-11 last season and 8-4 in the CCAA, will be without the Dixon twins until volleyball season ends next month. Their absence might have a detrimental effect on the Lady Matadors’ rebounding during the preseason.

“It’s both good and bad,” Milke said. “We will miss their size, but other people will get experience while they’re out.”

The Lady Matadors open the season at home Tuesday against Azusa Pacific. CCAA action begins in January.