CSUN Lineup Changes Fail to Produce Victory

Looking to add spark to his team after a one-point loss to UC Davis the previous night, Cal State Northridge basketball Coach Pete Cassidy started freshman Percy Fisher and Shanan Rosenberg in place of Kendell McDaniels and Kris Brodowski in Saturday night’s game at Hornet Gym.

Although the Matadors played better, the end result--a 71-65 loss to Cal State Sacramento--was still the same.

“I think the freshmen busted their butts tonight,” Cassidy said. “I was very proud of the way they played. Sandy (Brown) also played very well. His defense still isn’t great, but it was much better. I think all of them earned more playing time in the future.”

As usual, Derrick Gathers (16 points) led Northridge in scoring, but Brown (eight points), Rosenberg (six points) and Fisher (four points, seven rebounds) played vital roles in the Matador offense.

Mike Kane led Sacramento (10-7) with a game-high 21 points--all in the second half--and teammate Pat Wallace added 17.

Kane was four of eight from the field and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line in the second half after missing all six of his field goal attempts in the first 20 minutes.

McDaniels, a sophomore from Chatsworth High, is one Matador who will probably see less playing time in Northridge’s game against Biola on Wednesday.

A missed reverse dunk--and a subsequent traveling violation after getting the rebound--with 1:10 left killed any hopes of victory Northridge might have had. The Matadors, who have lost three consecutive games, were trailing, 69-62, at the time of McDaniels’ ill-advised shot.

“I think Kendell perhaps became disoriented,” Cassidy said sarcastically. “I think he thought he was in a diving or gymnastics meet, and that he would get rewarded extra points for the degree of difficulty. I think he was looking for a seven on that play.”

Northridge (3-7) had a chance to tie the score at 51 with 9:30 left, but Gathers missed a free throw on a potential three-point play, and Sacramento went on a 13-4 run to take a 64-54 lead with 4:21 left.

After that, the Matadors could get no closer than six points.

Although Northridge trailed, 33-31, at halftime, Cassidy’s new lineup paid dividends as Rosenberg and sophomore Brown each had a team-high six points.

Brown, whose sometimes out-of-control style of play had earned him a lot of bench time earlier in the season, made three of five shots and Rosenberg was three for three from the field.