CSUN Can Advance to Playoffs With Win

For the second season in a row, the playoff aspirations of the Cal State Northridge basketball team hinge on the outcome of the final game of the regular season.

Northridge plays host to Cal State Dominguez Hills at 8:05 tonight, and if the Matadors win they will secure the final berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.’s four-team postseason tournament.

Even if Northridge loses, a Chapman victory over Cal State Los Angeles, which is 0-13 in conference play, would vault the Matadors into the playoffs.

Cal State Bakersfield, UC Riverside and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo already have qualified. Dominguez Hills (6-7 in the CCAA) is the only team other than Northridge (7-6) with a chance to reach the playoffs.

A Toro victory over Northridge coupled with a Chapman loss would send Dominguez to the playoffs by virtue of CCAA tiebreaker rules.

Northridge and Dominguez would have the same record in conference games, but the Toros have beaten the Matadors twice.

Should Dominguez and Chapman win, all three teams would be 7-7, but Northridge would advance.

The first tiebreaker criterion is head-to-head competition, and all three teams would have a 2-2 record against each other because CSUN defeated Chapman twice and Chapman defeated Dominguez twice.

The next tiebreaker criterion is record against teams already qualified for the tournament, and the Matadors’ 2-4 record gives them a one-game edge.

A Northridge victory would keep things simple, but the Matadors lost their previous meeting against the Toros, 65-56, three weeks ago.