Northridge Struggles on Home Turf

Introducing the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball squad--Arizona’s Team.

After winning both of their games in Arizona last week, the Matadors lowered their record in California to 0-3 after a 66-59 loss to Pepperdine on Tuesday night at Matador Gymnasium.

“This doesn’t even compare to when we were in Arizona,” said Kris Waldorf, who led the Matadors with 17 points. “In Arizona we were focused, we did all the little things--made our cuts right, passed the ball right. I don’t think (Pepperdine) is any better of a team than we were. I think we should have won. I don’t know what happened out there tonight.”

What did happen?

The Matadors (2-3 overall) fell behind by 16 in the first half and spent the rest of the game playing catch-up.

They came fairly close.

Trailing by 18 with 51 seconds to play, Northridge scored 11 consecutive points to close out the game, including three straight three-point baskets--two by Waldorf and one by Mary Jean Espino at the buzzer.

The players seemed almost jubilant when Espino’s shot went in, smiling, laughing, giving high-fives all around, seeming for a moment to forget that they had lost.

But only for a moment.

“We needed 39 minutes of that earlier,” Coach Kim Chandler said.

As in its two other losses, Northridge played badly in the first half.

“We were completely out of sync,” Chandler said.

After 13 minutes, the Matadors had more than twice as many fouls (11) as points (5).

Heather Wasserman led Pepperdine with 15 points and four steals. Center Barbara Tanner finished with 14 points and eight assists.

Espino had 11 points for Northridge but turned the ball over five times. Janel Vega had seven points and 13 rebounds.

“We go as our offense goes,” Chandler said. “In Arizona, fortunately, we had some of that.”

At home in California, however, they as of yet do not.