Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Bounces Northridge, 72-69

Stay clear of using cliches such as “That’s the way the ball bounces” around members of the Cal State Northridge basketball team.

It will bring back bad memories.

Northridge needed a couple of shots to bounce its way at home against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Saturday night but got none, losing, 72-69.

There was not a lid on the basket when CSUN forward Pat Bolden rebounded his own miss and drove the lane to put up a bank shot with the Matadors trailing, 69-66, with 26 seconds left. The ball went in and out. But there was a reprieve--Bolden was fouled on the play.

Then, the first free throw went in and out.

The score was the same when San Luis Obispo’s Shawn Reed went to the line in a one-and-one free-throw situation with 16 seconds left.

His first shot bounced around--and went in. And so it went for Northridge, which was bounced from the pack of leaders in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. standings, falling to 10-7 overall, 2-3 in conference play.

Even after Reed, a freshman from Mission Viejo, made the second free throw to give the Mustangs a 71-66 lead, Northridge had its chances.

The Matadors came back quickly on a three-point baseline jump shot by Jemarl Baker with 11 seconds left that trimmed the lead to 71-69.

Northridge was forced to foul again, however, and Reed, who scored a career-high 20 points, made the first of two free throws with 10 seconds remaining.

He missed the second and Ray Horwath rebounded for CSUN, giving the Matadors one last chance. A desperation three-point shot by Horwath at the buzzer barely drew iron.

San Luis Obispo’s five-point lead with 16 seconds left was the biggest of the game.

The victory kept the Mustangs, 11-5 overall, 4-1 in the CCAA, in a tie for the conference lead.

The game was physical with both teams running half-court passing games using screens on either side of the key. Scuffles broke out on two occasions, with a total of four technical fouls assessed on each side for a fight with 12:41 left.

The scrap started when Northridge guard Troy Dueker was fouled by Jeff Gray. As Dueker turned away from the play, he appeared to inadvertently flip the ball up into Gray’s chest.

Gray then threw the ball at Dueker, who had his back turned. That touched off the brawl.

Gray was ejected and each team was given eight foul shots.

Todd Bowser, who led all scorers with 28 points, shot the free throws for Northridge, making five.

Mark Otta made 7 of 8 for the Mustangs.

San Luis Obispo came in shooting only 60% from the free-throw line, but made 27 of 36. Northridge, which was shooting 61% from the line, made 28 of 39 attempts.

Bolden was the only Northridge player to join Bowser in double figures. He had 18.

For San Luis Obispo, Errol Talley (13) and Coby Naess (11) joined Reed in double digits.

The lead changed hands eight times and was tied on eight other occasions during the first half. San Luis Obispo was ended up ahead at intermission, 30-28.