CSUN Learned About More Than Losing : College basketball: Despite three defeats, Matadors’ first Division I men’s basketball trip was memorable.

The taller Colorado team warmed up in shiny new silver, black and gold suits. The ragamuffins from Cal State Northridge wore plain red tops, sans sweat pants.

The difference in dress was only the beginning. The Matadors were awe-struck by the size of the arenas, the luxury of the locker rooms and the din of the crowds on their first Division I trip.

“It is great to go to other schools to see their tradition, their atmosphere and their personality,” said CSUN assistant coach Wayne Fluker, who played for the Matadors from 1983-85 at the Division II level.

“A lot of guys have never played in front of 5,000 or 8,0000 people. That in itself is exciting.”

Three losses nonwithstanding, it was an exciting and unpredictable trip, from a forest fire raging north of Boulder, Colo., to a close encounter with a ram in Fort Collins, Colo., to a jet-fuel fire at Denver’s Stapleton International Airport, to a Las Vegas-style spectacle at New Mexico State complete with 40 cheerleaders and pompons and a gun-shooting mascot.

After three games in four nights, with losses totaling 107 points, the trip refused to end. The Matadors were delayed three hours by the fire and a snow storm in Denver that required their plane to be de-iced.

On the court, it started off better. Northridge hit five of its first six shots, including three three-point baskets. Junior college transfer Kyle Kerlegan made a school record 10 three-point baskets, including three in a 48-second span. But Colorado answered with an 18-0 run that buried the Matadors in a 113-89 loss.

CSUN actually had a chance to win the following night, but each time the Matadors crept within striking distance, Colorado State surged further ahead with a steal and layup or a three-point basket en route to a 104-79 win.

The final leg of the journey was devastating, a 120-62 loss to New Mexico State, ranked 16th nationally by Sports Illustrated.

It was a nightmare, but not the worst: In CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy’s worst dream the Matadors are held scoreless.

Through it all, Cassidy retained his sense of humor.

When asked by a Colorado reporter about the Matadors’ prospects in conference play, Cassidy said: “We’ll probably win our conference.”

After a pause, Cassidy informed the stunned reporter that the Matadors have no conference affiliation.

When asked to expound upon CSUN’s chances to get into the Big West Conference, Cassidy looked at CSUN guard David Keeter and center Todd Bowser and said: “I could go on for 20 minutes but I’ve got to get these guys to McDonald’s.”

The press corp laughed, but Cassidy wasn’t kidding--the Golden Arches are like a second home to the Matadors.

Cassidy was also a hit with the reporters who cover New Mexico State.

“Should I stand up or sit down for this firing squad?” Cassidy asked as he entered the interview room after CSUN’s 58-point loss.

Another source of amusement for the crowds was Bowser, a 6-foot-7, 310-pound senior.

New Mexico State fans hollered for him to pull his Michael Jordan-style pants up, Colorado fans remarked that he looks like a 40-year-old, and the Colorado State faithful took it to him most.

As Bowser outrebounded all four centers that Colorado State Coach Boyd Grant hustled into the game, the crowd grew more and more impatient with its big men. Their only recourse was to boo Bowser’s futile free-throw attempts.

Each time the hefty Bowser stepped to the line, the Ram-O-Meter, which measures crowd noise, nearly rose to the top.

Fortunately, Bowser didn’t take it seriously: “Everybody loves to hate me,” he said.

Bowser could not help hearing the crowd, but fortunately he and his teammates did not appear to be intimidated.

“I don’t think the crowd intimidated them, but distracted them in an amusing way,” CSUN assistant Tom McCollum said.

Colorado fans started what might become familiar--a “Go Back to Division II” chant. With eight minutes left in the New Mexico State debacle, Aggie fans roared: “Warm Up the Bus.”

“There’s chanting in Division II but it is a lot different to have 7,000 people chanting than 700,” Fluker said.

According to Fluker, Division I fans are also more sophisticated. “The crowd seems to do its homework,” he said. “They know the first names of the players. As soon as a player walks on the court they say he looks like someone else. Our players did a pretty good job of not paying attention.”

The Matadors could not help but notice the post-whistle methods of their taller and heavier foes. Keith Gibbs stood toe to toe with Tracy Jordan, the Colorado State wide body who has two inches and 50 pounds on Gibbs.

Brian Kilian was shoved by New Mexico State’s Michael New, Bowser went to the mat--literally--with Colorado State’s 6-10 center Wagner Manna, and Dave Swanson was pushed by the Aggies’ Jason Trask and has a black eye to show for his encounter with Colorado’s 6-10 post, Shaun Vandiver.

“He was nailed, but he walked away,” McCollum said. “To me, that was the best sign of character on our team.”

Another indicator?

As a New Mexico State reporter pointed out, the Matadors never quit, and as evidenced by their palm-slapping exchange when they come in and out of games--even when the outcome has been decided--they are developing a team concept.

“We went to see ‘Dances with Wolves’ and I saw the same team chemistry that we had at CSUN the year we won the conference championship,” Fluker said, referring to the 1985 California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title.

“Everyone is hanging together. No one is pointing fingers.”

The coaching staff, in fact, is determined to stick to its run-and-gun offense and full-court press defense in spite of the losses and the success Colorado State and New Mexico State had in slowing the Matadors.

“They were ganging up our wings and running up Kyle,” McCollum said of the Colorado State and New Mexico State players, who had been forewarned about Kerlegan.

“It was like a fire breaking out. It was a healthy sign that we are potentially dangerous.”

With Kerlegan, David Keeter and Swanson, in particular, that is true, but they have to get themselves open even when the opposition knows what they want to do.

Kerlegan had difficulty adjusting to the defensive pressure and was limited to one three-point basket in 12 attempts in the last two games.

“What Kyle has to understand is that the Division I athlete can cover 15 feet in a stride,” McCollum said. “I don’t think Kyle made the adjustment to get open.”

His teammates will have to adjust too. As the trip wore on and freshmen Martin Smith and Andre Chevalier grew more confident, Gibbs was able to move from point guard to shooting guard. But he still has not found his shooting touch.

“He’s a very gifted athlete but he has to learn to pick his spots better,” McCollum said.

Indeed, against the Aggies, Gibbs threw a pass away, then blocked the dunk attempt by the foe who intercepted his pass.

His leaping ability was further evidenced by the double-pumping dunk he put down against Colorado, and he is easily the best passer on the team. Twice, he threaded the needle inside with no-look passes.

The biggest surprise among the 10 newcomers is Smith, who is averaging 8.5 points in a reserve role. In three games, he went from forcing shots against Colorado to blocking a shot by the 6-8 New.

Afterward, the 6-4, 166-pound Smith vowed to hit the weights. Like his teammates, his first Division I trip was truly educational.