Surging CSUN Goes Overtime to Defeat Wisconsin Milwaukee

Cal State Northridge guards Brooklyn McLinn and James Morris didn’t play much of a role Saturday night until the last five minutes of regulation when they provided the heroics in Northridge’s 80-69 overtime win over Wisconsin Milwaukee.

McLinn hit a pair of free throws and two three-point baskets and made a steal with 37 seconds left to set up the jump shot by Morris that tied the score, 67-67, and sent it into overtime.

Morris, who injured his back when he slipped on a wet spot during halftime warm-ups, drove the lane and pulled up for a fading, high-arching, off-balance eight-foot shot that went through the net as time expired.

“I was saying, pleeeease, let that shot go in,” Morris said.

Earlier, Morris sank two free throws to pull Northridge within two points, 67-65.

The Matadors (9-15) surpassed last season’s win total and Coach Pete Cassidy celebrated his 299th career win. It was Northridge’s eighth win in its last 11 games.

In overtime, Keith Gibbs hit four free throws and a three-point basket, Brian Kilian had a dunk and McLinn and Andre Chevalier sank two fouls shots each to counter a single basket by the Panthers (17-6).

Gibbs, who played on a sprained right ankle, finished with 17 points and had six rebounds and six assists.

McLinn, who scored 13 points on perfect shooting from three-point range and the free-throw line, lost his starting position at the start of the second half.

He did not play until six minutes remained in the game and he passed up his first wide-open three-point attempt.

“If I passed it up, I probably wasn’t mentally ready,” said McLinn, a sophomore walk-on from Taft High. “Then we missed three or four jump shots so I told myself the next time I get it, I’m going to shoot it.”

Morris, who finished with 11 points, entered the game with 12 minutes 8 seconds left despite his sore back.

“Even though it hurt the whole time, I couldn’t just sit out,” Morris said.

Northridge trailed by 14 points, 51-37, with 12:50 remaining after the Panthers scored 10 points in less than three minutes.

“They tried to put us away, but we weren’t going away,” McLinn said.

A Northridge defensive effort that forced turnovers and shooting problems by Milwaukee (38.9% in the second half) enabled the Matadors to rally. “When it looked bleak, we stayed after it and stayed after it,” Cassidy said. “A lot of teams would have folded.”

Joe Schultz hit six of nine three-point shots to lead the Panthers with 18 points and point guard Marc Mitchell scored 17 points.

Kilian grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds and Shelton Boykin had nine rebounds to help Northridge outrebound the Panthers, 42-20. Kilian also made a team-high three steals.