CSUN Slips Past Cal State Hayward : College basketball: Derrick Gathers scores 25 points and grabs 11 rebounds to lead the Matadors to a 66-56 nonconference win.

It will never go down in the Cal State Northridge highlight films, yet Thursday night’s 66-56 victory over Cal State Hayward in a nonconference men’s basketball game was crucial for the Matadors as they won a tight game after dropping two similar contests earlier this season.

Northridge (3-4) shot only 36.2% (25 of 69) from the field and turned the ball over 18 times, but for the first time this season, the Matadors made the key plays down the stretch to win a close game.

“That was not a very good basketball game,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said. “But (Jemarl) Baker and (Derrick) Gathers hit a couple of critical three-point baskets down the stretch. We executed well, but we didn’t finish off our plays.”

Leading, 51-50, with four minutes, 33 seconds to play, Northridge struck for six points in the next 1:12 to take a seven-point lead.

Kris Brodowski made one of two free throws to start the run, and Gathers followed with a rebound basket and a three-point basket.

Hayward (6-2) narrowed the deficit to 57-54 on an Alvin Gordon basket and two David Parker free throws, but Bakers’ three-point shot gave Northridge a 60-54 advantage with 2:17 left. Sam Moses’ jump shot cut the lead to four, but the Pioneers didn’t score again as Northridge got a rebound basket from Kendell McDaniels and a pair of free throws each from Eugene Humphrey and Gathers.

Gathers had game-high totals of 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Matadors as he scored 21 points in the second half.

After shooting two of nine from the field in the first half, Gathers hit eight of 15 after intermission.

Hayward’s Demetrius Mitchell was the most spectacular player on the court, however. He threw down two monster dunks and almost single-handedly kept the Pioneers in the game.

Mitchell (19 points) only scored two points in the first half after committing his third foul less than 10 minutes into the game, but he was nearly unstoppable in the second half.

The 5-foot-11, 198-pound junior from McClymonds High, a legend on the playgrounds of Oakland, gave Hayward a 44-42 lead on a three-point shot with 8:43 left.

And shortly thereafter, he tied the score twice with spectacular breakaway jams.

“He’s just a great, great athlete,” Cassidy said of Mitchell. “He’s famous up there on the playground and you saw why.”

Mitchell scored Hayward’s first five points of the second half and 17 of the first 26 before Northridge shut him down.

Baker, who made seven of 12 shots, scored 15 points for Northridge; McDaniels (nine rebounds) and Humphrey each added eight. Parker had nine points for Hayward and Moses added eight.

Northridge led, 28-23, at halftime. Both teams shot poorly after hitting their first two shots.