Becker Finds Groove in Second Half to Lift CSUN Over Pomona

Karl Becker had been in a similar groove before.

It was only last year, in fact, when he made 11 shots in a row over a 2-game span while playing for Cypress College.

The senior guard didn’t need to duplicate the effort for Cal State Northridge on Thursday night.

All he needed was 11 consecutive points to lead the Matadors over Cal Poly Pomona, 85-79, in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. game at Northridge.

It took Becker all of 2 1/2 minutes to single-handedly wipe out an 11-point Pomona advantage.

In all, Becker scored a season-high 21 points, including 14 in the second half. He attributed part of the success to being less bashful about his shooting ability.

“I decided I was going to stop being timid and go ahead and shoot,” Becker said. “Up to this point, I had kind of been hesitating, always looking to pass first. Now if I have my shot I’m going to take it.”

Pomona led, 67-56, with 13:05 left when Northridge (read Becker) started its run.

Becker started with a jump shot, then he hit a pair of free throws. Then came the rainbows--back-to-back 3-point shots--and all of a sudden, Pomona’s lead was down to 67-66.

“Thank God for the three-point shot,” said CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy, whose opinion on the subject sways with his team’s proficiency.

Cliff Barnes of Pomona helped the Matador cause when he received a technical foul for hanging on the rim after an attempted lob pass by Joe Lowden.

Becker made the free throw to tie the score, 67-67, with 10:20 left.

D. J. Norman scored on a baseline jump shot with 8:29 to play for Pomona’s first points in almost 5 minutes.

Northridge went ahead for good, 74-73, on the second of consecutive baskets by Kris Brodowski with 5:29 left.

Brodowski was a teammate of Becker’s at Cypress last season.

Cassidy, who had tried in vain to recruit Cypress players before, was pleasantly surprised when he came away with 2 last recruiting season.

Both players showed why they were coveted.

The 6-foot-7 Brodowski, playing with bulky rib pads to guard a severe bruise, played only 17 minutes and scored 8 points. But 2 of his baskets came at a key time and his mere presence inside was important because the Matadors were already without center Todd Bowser.

Bowser, a 3-year starter, missed his second game with a badly bruised left hip.

The victory evened Northridge’s record in the CCAA to 3-3.

The Matadors, who had lost 3 in a row at home, are 12-7 overall.

Pomona, which got 19 points from Norman, fell to 6-12, 0-6.

The Broncos bolted to a big lead at the start, looking little like a team that hadn’t won a conference game.

Pomona shot 56% in the first half and took only 5 1/2 minutes to open a 22-8 advantage.

Derrick Gathers helped keep the score close by scoring 15 points, and the Matadors trailed, 49-45, at the half. Gathers finished with 18.

Northridge shot 45% for the game, but made 11 of 24 from 3-point range. Pomona made 4 of 9 3-point shots.