Northridge Lets Victory Slip Away : College basketball: Matadors unable to hold six-point lead with less than six minutes to play. They are winless after five games.

The frustration the Cal State Northridge basketball team has experienced throughout its season-opening four-game losing streak eased Wednesday after the Matadors assumed a six-point lead over Cal State Long Beach with 5 minutes 45 seconds to play.

But once the Matadors put themselves in position to win, they collapsed. In a stretch of 5:30, Northridge did not score a basket and fell, 76-67, to the 49ers before 1,035 at University Gym in Long Beach.

It was the 11th consecutive road loss for Northridge (0-5). The Matadors are also winless in eight consecutive games dating to last season.

While Northridge turned the ball over on five of six possessions down the stretch, Long Beach (2-2) made 15 of 18 foul shots and a field goal to overtake the Matadors.

“It’s very disappointing,” CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy said. “We self-destructed. When you’re up six with possession of the ball, it is not time to get frivolous with the ball.”

Long Beach shot 51 free throws to 20 for CSUN. Moreover, CSUN misfired on half of its chances.

The Matadors shot a season-high 52% from the field in the second half to 37.5% by the 49ers. And for the first time this season, Northridge outrebounded an opponent, 40-36, on the strength of nine rebounds each by Keith Gibbs and Percy Fisher.

Gibbs also led Northridge with 18 points but was guilty of two costly miscues--a traveling call and a poor pass.

“I don’t know what it is,” Gibbs said. “Maybe we got too conservative. We know we’re better than 0-5. We’ve shown it, but we can’t finish it.”

Long Beach Coach Seth Greenberg attributed the Matadors’ drought to his team’s defense.

“We showed good character the last six minutes,” he said. “My hat is off to the job (Northridge) did. They played very, very hard with great intensity.”

Northridge reeled off seven consecutive points on a steal and dunk by Gibbs, a three-point basket by Andre Chevalier, and an eight-foot jump shot by Gibbs to take its biggest lead of the game, 60-54, with eight minutes left.

The 49ers’ Bobby Sears answered with a three-point basket, but CSUN’s Ryan Martin countered with a three-point basket of his own. Unfortunately for Northridge, that was the end of the Matadors’ offensive production until the waning seconds of the game.

Martin finished with 11 points and 5-foot-8 James Morris scored 12.

For the first time all season, Northridge played well in the opening minutes of the second half, preventing Long Beach from increasing a five-point halftime lead.

Northridge took its first lead, 49-47, with 11 minutes left in the game.

The first half was not as kind to the Matadors, turnovers and poor shooting helping the 49ers to an early lead. A 14-0 Long Beach run left Northridge trailing, 25-9, nine minutes into the game.

The Matadors switched to a zone defense and outscored Long Beach, 15-1, over the next four minutes to pull within 26-24 with 6:28 left in the first half.

Fisher started the run with a follow shot and Martin made a three-point basket. Shelton Boykin then scored on a driving layup, Morris hit an eight-foot shot and scored on a four-point play--a three-point basket and a free throw. The run ended with a steal and a 10-foot jump shot by Morris.