CS Northridge Survives Late Bakersfield Rally

It’s not easy to win on the road in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., where the home teams win almost 90% of the time.

It is also difficult to win when the overwhelming majority of a sellout crowd of 2,079 seem to be simultaneously screaming at your every move. Especially when some of the things they say are not very friendly.

Blowing a 23-point lead in 14 minutes makes things difficult, too.

Yet Cal State Northridge overcame all of the above to defeat Cal State Bakersfield, 67-61, Friday night in a game crucial to its playoff hopes.

The Matadors, in the first game of their most important trip of the season, remained tied with Chapman for fourth place in the CCAA. Four teams make the conference’s postseason tournament.

Against conference-leading Bakersfield, which had won 10 consecutive home games, Northridge was at its best and worst in one 40-minute span.

The Matadors (14-9 overall, 6-5 in the CCAA) roared to a 41-22 halftime lead and scored the first four points of the second half.

Then they collapsed.

The lowlights:

Bakersfield scored 12 consecutive points in a stretch of 4:33.

Northridge made one field goal in 7:26 as the Roadrunners trimmed the lead to 50-43.

The Matadors made three field goals in the last 18:04, prompting Coach Pete Cassidy to say, “It seemed like we were in the 40s forever.”

Bakersfield outscored Northridge, 33-9, in a 12:35 stretch to take a 57-56 lead with 5:29 to play.

It was at this point, with the crowd shaking the old Bakersfield Civic Arena with every cheer, that CSUN forward Ray Horwath said, “It felt like the whole world was against us.”

But then it was time for Highlights, Part II.

Pat Bolden, who has been a Division II human highlight film for the past week or so, made five free throws in the last 4:14. The last two gave Northridge its final margin of victory with 31 seconds left.

Todd Bowser and Ray Horwath also made a pair of free throws in the game’s last minute.

Horwath’s key shots came with a little help.

With Northridge clinging to a 63-61 advantage, the 6-5 senior stepped to the line for a one-and-one situation with 40 seconds left.

But just before he took his first shot, Bakersfield players on each side of the key traded places--a lane violation.

A pivotal lane violation because Horwath missed the first shot.

“As soon as they walked in front of me I said, ‘I get a free shot,’ and I lost my concentration,” Horwath said.

And so the pressure was on again, but this time Horwath, who made a pair of key free throws the last time the teams played, swished both shots.

Most of the other good times for Northridge came in a first half in which it shot 63.6% and looked unbeatable.

Bolden, who led CSUN with 20 points and 8 rebounds, scored 10 in the first half.

But it was Chuck McGavran, removed from the starting lineup for the first time because of his poor shooting, who proved a spark for the Matadors.

McGavran, whose shooting percentage had slipped to 37.9%, entered the game with 14 minutes left in the first half and immediately missed his first three shots--all on one series.

He hit his next four, however, including a three-point shot, to lead Northridge on 21-6 run over an eight-minute stretch.

It would have been worse for Bakersfield in the first half had it not been for reserve center Neil Stephens, who scored 14 of the Roadrunners’ first 19 points. He finished with 18.

Troy Price scored 20 for the Roadrunners, including 16 in the second half.

Horwath had 11 points and 7 rebounds for Northridge. McGavran finished with 10 points.