Northridge Falls Short at Wire Against St. Mary’s

After ending a streak of 10 consecutive losses last weekend, a newly confident Cal State Northridge basketball team took St. Mary’s to the wire, then fell, 74-72, Friday night at McKeon Pavilion.

Northridge (1-11) didn’t execute at the end on two chances to win the game. Trailing, 73-72, with 26 seconds left and a timeout to prepare for their last shot, the Matadors worked the clock down to 12 seconds when point guard Andre Chevalier, under slight pressure from Kevin Weatherby, slipped and fell down and was whistled for traveling.

“We never got a chance because of me,” Chevalier said. “I made a mistake. I have to take the blame.”

Northridge earned second life, however, when the Thurman Watson of the Gaels missed a free throw with seven seconds left. Northridge’s Percy Fisher grabbed the rebound and called time out.

St. Mary’s (7-6) defended CSUN’s out-of-bounds play expertly with five seconds remaining, preventing Northridge’s Shelton Boykin from making a length of the court inbound pass.

Boykin was forced to throw it to Chevalier in the back court. Immediately, Chevalier was cornered by Watson and Julius Ward. In desperation, he passed back to Boykin who took a few dribbles and launched a Hail Mary shot at the buzzer from beyond the half-court line.

The ball hit the rim and the backboard and bounced harmlessly to the floor, ending the Matadors’ chances of breaking their 16-game road losing streak, which dates to last season.

“I’m kinda numb,” said Northridge swingman Keith Gibbs, who scored a career-high 23 points. “I thought Shelton’s shot was going in. But we didn’t lose it on that final play.

“I don’t think we’re snake bit. I just think we haven’t done in at the end yet. We had a five-point lead at halftime, but we had breakdowns. They are smaller breakdowns but they are still breakdowns.”

Northridge scored 41 points in the first half--a season-high--and led for the first time all season at intermission, 41-36.

Gibbs, a 40% field-goal shooter, did not miss a shot on his first six attempts and missed only four times in the game.

Brooklyn McLinn and Chevalier did not miss a shot (a combined five for five) as Northridge shot a season-high 73% in the first half.

Northridge also helped itself by committing only five turnovers.

Another factor in Northridge’s favor, a rarity on the road, was the lack of fouls. Only nine were called--three against the Matadors.

Northridge cooled off in the second half with 52% shooting, but its overall mark of 63% was a season best as was the 58% performance from the three-point line.

McLinn, who played only one minute last weekend against Eastern Washington, finished with 14 points and missed just one shot. Chevalier also missed only one shot in tallying 11 points. He also had three assists.

Fisher led Northridge with seven rebounds.

St. Mary’s shot 64% in the first half--58% on the night--and came up with several crucial offensive rebounds in the late stages of the game.

“That’s what sticks out most in my mind,” McLinn said. “We’d work hard on defense. They would work the shot clock down, miss, and then get a long rebound or a loose ball rebound.”