College Notebook : A Roadblock Goes Up for Northridge
The Cal State Northridge men’s basketball team had planned a two-week trip to West Germany in August, but Coach Pete Cassidy said the idea has been scrapped because it was too expensive.
Northridge’s annual trip in November for two games against Division I opponents also has been shelved, but money was not the problem. Finding a team willing to play was the stumbling block.
No, CSUN’s 15-12 record of last season is not scaring people off. The prospect of losing out on an NCAA tournament bid is enough.
Strength of schedule is one factor the NCAA selection committee considers in choosing the 64 tournament teams. Teams are docked “power points,” Cassidy said, if they play Division II teams.
Cassidy wanted to schedule Wyoming and Colorado State but also tried Utah, New Mexico, New Mexico State and several teams from Texas.
“There’s nothing I can do at this point,” Cassidy said. “We’ll try again next year.”
Northridge will make its only nonconference trip to the Bay Area, for games against San Francisco State and Cal State Hayward.
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