CSUN Men Try to Unscramble Race in CCAA

Only one game into the second half of the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. season, three teams have solidified positions in the standings that should hold through the remaining six games.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (7-1) and Cal State Bakersfield (6-2) are in comfortable positions to gain berths in the conference’s four-team, postseason tournament. Cal State Los Angeles (0-8) is virtually assured of a last-place finish.

All of which leaves five teams scrambling for the remaining two berths.

Two of the five--Cal State Northridge and Cal Poly Pomona--meet at 7:30 tonight at the CSUN gym.

Northridge (12-8 overall, 4-4 in the CCAA) is coming off its most impressive shooting performance of the season--57.8%--in a 98-69 rout of Cal State L. A. on Tuesday.

Pomona was defeated by UC Riverside, 87-78, for its fifth loss in a row after opening the conference season with three consecutive wins.

Northridge is 9-1 at home and the Broncos are 1-11 in road games.

CSUN and Chapman are tied for fourth place, one game behind Riverside. Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills are tied for sixth.

“When you have four teams bunched for third and fourth place, they all could be must-wins from now on,” CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy said.

Pomona, which defeated Northridge, 87-78, in overtime last month, is led by center Tony Theisen, who is averaging 14.3 points and 7.8 rebounds a game.

Center Todd Bowser averages 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds for Northridge. The Matadors are led in scoring by senior forward Pat Bolden, who averages 15.1 points a game.