CSUN Faces Early Conference Test in Pomona

It took the Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team exactly one conference game to catch the attention of the rest of the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

The Broncos defeated eighth-ranked UC Riverside, 79-67, Friday and any chance of Pomona sneaking up on CCAA teams the rest of the season ostensibly ended right there.

Cal State Northridge is next in line for the Broncos, who are 6-8 overall. The Matadors (9-4) travel to Pomona tonight for a 7:30 game at Kellogg Gym.

Northridge defeated Cal State Los Angeles, 73-61, in its first conference game last week, but Matador Coach Pete Cassidy turned several shades of cape red while watching his team play a sloppy second half.

He was pleased, however, with the performance of center Todd Bowser, a 6-8, 270-pound sophomore who returned after a one-game absence to score 17 points and grab 10 rebounds. Bowser missed Northridge’s last nonconference game because of a knee bruise suffered in an auto accident.

Chuck McGavran, who is second on the team with a 14.6 scoring average, missed the Cal State L. A. game because of “personal reasons” but has practiced with the team this week and Cassidy said he will be in the starting lineup against Pomona.

Forward Pat Bolden leads the Matadors in scoring with an average of 15.2. He is third in the conference with a shooting percentage of 51.6% from three-point range.

Guard Chris Jefferson of Pomona was selected CCAA player of the week for his effort in the upset of Riverside. The 6-1 junior scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 3 of 4 from three-point range. He also had five assists.

Tony Theisen leads the Broncos in scoring (15.9 points a game) and is the conference’s leading rebounder (9.4).

The Northridge women’s team plays host to fifth-ranked Cal Poly Pomona at 7:30 tonight in the CSUN gym.

The Lady Matadors have lost 26 games in a row to the Lady Broncos, defending CCAA champions.

Both teams opened their conference seasons with victories last week. Northridge defeated Cal State Los Angeles, 63-48, and Pomona defeated 17th-ranked Riverside, 98-74.