Northridge Tunes Up With an 85-55 Rout

In one of its final tuneups before the start of conference play, the Cal State Northridge men’s basketball team continued to show the balance that has made it a favorite to win the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title.

The Matadors routed Barry University, 85-55, on Monday night at Northridge to gain their seventh win in eight games.

Guard Chuck McGavran, in what is becoming typical fashion, provided CSUN with a potent perimeter attack, coverting five of a school-record 11 three-point attempts to finish with a game-high 17 points.

Equally impressive, however, was the collective guard of the Northridge backcourt. Matador Coach Pete Cassidy rotated Troy Dueker, Carl Cooper and Jamarl Baker to successfully shut down Barry’s Darris Gallagher.

The 5-9, 155-pound Gallagher is the key to everything that the Buccaneers (3-12), a Division II independent team from Florida, try to do on offense. Gallagher scored 13 points in the first half to keep his team close, but CSUN’s defense by committee limited him to only three more in the second half and eventually wore him down.

“I just layed off him until he got to the three-point line,” Dueker said. “Once he got there, I got on him tighter. If he had a little bit better to work with inside, he’d really be tough.”

CSUN (8-3) led, 42-30, at halftime and used a 25-10 run in the second half to surge to a 73-49 lead.

Forward Pat Bolden scored 16 points on a variety of three-point shots and spinning inside drives and Alan Fraser added nine points and seven rebounds off the bench for CSUN.

The Matadors have one more nonconference game, against Biola on Jan. 12, before opening CCAA play Jan. 15 against Cal State L.A.

Also on Monday night, the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team routed Humboldt State, 92-29, in a nonconference game.

CSUN (5-7) coasted to a 47-17 halftime lead behind the play of guard Vicki Mallett, who scored all of her game-high 19 points before intermission.