CSUN Withstands a Near Mugging to Rough Up Pomona

The basketball court looked like a department store aisle at Cal State Northridge on Thursday night. You know, the way they look the day after Thanksgiving.

And just as many elbows were thrown.

The totals: 45 fouls--28 of those on those muggers from Cal Poly Pomona. At least that’s the way Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy called it after the Matadors won the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. game, 70-67.

“They play that style of ball,” Cassidy said of the Broncos. “When you play them it’s rape and pillage time.”

Pomona Coach Dave Bollwinkel saw it the same way. Sort of.

“We play aggressively,” he said. “That’s the second time Pete has criticized our defensive play. I’m not going to lower to Pete’s level and tell you about how other coaches in the conference say about the way his team plays.”

Cassidy did have some evidence, however. Five Pomona players fouled out, including a reserve. Another starter, Chris Jefferson, was ejected after a fight with CSUN’s Jemarl Baker. Baker also was thrown out.

Bollwinkel could barely recognize the team he had on the floor at the end.

Even so, Pomona had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but a three-point shot by Darron Suttle hit the back of the rim, bounced high, hit the front of the rim . . . and rolled off.

And with it went Pomona’s chances of making the CCAA’s four-team, postseason tournament.

The Broncos (8-14) have dropped six conference games in a row after winning their first three--including one over Northridge in overtime last month.

The Matadors (13-8, 5-4) moved into sole possession of fourth place with the victory. CSUN had been tied with Chapman, which lost to Cal State Bakersfield, 66-64.