CCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW : Inconsistent CS Northridge Figures to Rate Highly--Among Also-Rans : Conference race: San Luis Obispo, Bakersfield and UC Riverside are considered the favorites.

Cal State Northridge will not have to wait long to see how it fares against the top teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. The Matadors will open conference play on the road against a pair of highly regarded teams--Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, at 8:05 tonight, and Cal State Bakersfield, on Saturday.

San Luis Obispo (10-3), Bakersfield (12-1) and defending CCAA champion UC Riverside (10-3) are the tri-favorites in the conference race, while Northridge appears to be a leading member of the second echelon that includes Chapman and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The Matadors (5-8) might have the talent to contend for the title. However, they have played inconsistently the past three weeks, losing three of five games.

Their victories have come at home against NAIA teams Biola (62-54) and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (59-37), while their losses have been on the road against NCAA Division II teams UC Davis (69-68), Cal State Sacramento (71-65) and Division I Southern Utah State (94-79).

“If we have a healthy and consistent ballclub, we can compete with any other team in the conference,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said. “It’s just a matter of us playing consistently.”

Northridge will not be at full strength for at least another week, when guard Eugene Humphrey hopes to return to the lineup. Humphrey has been sidelined for the past three games after suffering a severely bruised right hamstring against Cal State Sacramento.

Derrick Gathers, an All-CCAA second-team selection last season, leads the Matadors, who are 0-6 on the road this season.

Gathers has team-high averages of 20.3 points and 8.8 rebounds a game and he ranks third and fifth in the CCAA in those categories.

San Luis Obispo finished a game behind Northridge at 6-8 in the conference last season, but four starters return for the Mustangs, including All-CCAA forward Coby Naess (14.3 points) and guard James Gamma (11.8).

Guard Stuart Thomas is averaging 14.2 points and a team-high 7.0 rebounds for the Mustangs.

Bakersfield, which tied for third in the CCAA last season at 9-5, is the hottest team in the conference, having won 11 games in a row after losing to San Francisco State, 68-64.

The Roadrunners are led by guard Wade Green and forwards Marvin Redeemer and Beau Redstone.

Green is averaging 15.5 points, a conference-leading 7.1 assists and 2.5 steals a game, and Redeemer sports averages of 17.8 points and 7.2 rebounds. Redstone leads the team in rebounding with a 9.3 average and is fourth in scoring (11.2).

UC Riverside advanced to the semifinals of the Division II tournament last season and has four starters returning, including forward-center Chris Ceballos (18.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg).

Also returning are three-point marksmen Mike Ritter (13.2 ppg) and Reggie Howard (12.2 ppg). Ritter has made 35 of 64 (54.7%) three-point shots, and Howard has hit 34 of 78 (43.6%) from beyond the three-point line.

Chapman (8-5) is led by sophomore forward-center Roger Middleton, the leading scorer (22.1) and No. 2 rebounder (10.9) in the conference. Guard Robert Barksdale (18.5 points, 5.2 assists) will power Dominguez Hills (4-9).

Cal State L. A. was 0-14 in conference play last season, but the Golden Eagles (6-6) are vastly improved, led by forward-center LaVar Ball (16.9 points, 8.9 rebounds).

Center Terry Ross is averaging 20.7 points and a CCAA-leading 12.7 rebounds a game for Cal Poly Pomona (6-7).