WOMEN’S CCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PREVIEW : CSUN Prospects Hinge on Health of Weinerth

Anyone questioning Joan Weinerth’s value to the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team need look no further than the Lady Matadors’ recent slump.

After winning six of its first seven California Collegiate Athletic Assn. games, CSUN has lost its past three--and four of five--since Weinerth sprained her left ankle against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Feb. 9.

The injury, which occurred in the first half of a 54-44 loss, sidelined Weinerth for three games (during which Northridge went 1-2), and restricted her playing time when she returned for the conference finale last Thursday.

Weinerth, a 5-foot-6 freshman point guard, will have to be at full strength for CSUN to have a shot at winning the CCAA tournament, which starts tonight at Cal Poly Pomona.

The top four teams qualified for the tournament, and should the second-seeded Lady Matadors (10-17, 7-5 in conference play) defeat third-seeded San Luis Obispo (13-13, 7-5) at 6 p.m., they will play the winner of the game between Pomona (23-3, 12-0) and Chapman (18-9, 6-6) for the title at Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday.

If Northridge fails to win the tournament, the Lady Matadors’ season probably will be over. The tournament winner receives the conference’s only automatic berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Last season, CSUN gained an at-large berth for postseason play--advancing to the West regional final--but the Lady Matadors were in the midst of a 22-9 season.

A tougher schedule and a hamstring injury to All-CCAA selection Bridgette Ealy--which forced her to redshirt--contributed to CSUN’s 3-12 preconference mark. The playoff selection committee is not likely to look kindly on that less-than-glittering record.

Weinerth, who is expected to start tonight, is averaging 8.6 points, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals.

“We knew she had the potential to be a starter,” Northridge Coach Leslie Milke said earlier this season. “She had good instincts and defensive skills. We thought that she would see a lot of playing time but only in a backup role.”

With a healthy Weinerth directing the offense, CSUN averaged 66.2 points a game in its first seven CCAA contests. But that number has dropped to 50.4 since Weinerth’s injury.