CSUN Shone Against UCLA, but a Loss Is a Loss

UCLA had some excuses for its inability to put away Cal State Northridge in its 80-73 victory at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday.

Some had considerable merit, others less, and still others were, well, let’s just say dubious.

Jim Harrick, UCLA’s coach, said afterward that he might have expected a game “with no emotion.” The Bruins, he added, had just played a tough game against Georgia before a big crowd (28,885) in Atlanta. “That’s not easy, flying across country,” he said.

But the Georgia game was Saturday-- three days before the game against Northridge.

Harrick went further, saying he might have broken the Bruins’ “momentum” by “trying to play a lot of guys.”

Pardon?

UCLA used nine players, one more than its usual rotation of eight. However, of those, neither Jiri Zidek, a 7-foot sophomore, nor Marquis Burns, a 6-4 freshman from Reseda High, played in the second half.

Tyus Edney and Shon Tarver played 38 and 37 minutes, respectively--more than any Northridge player. Ed O’Bannon played 33.

Mitchell Butler, who aggravated a sore left wrist in a first-half spill, was forced to trade his ice pack for a tape job so he could re-enter the game in the second half and help hold off the Matadors.

In fact, Northridge, which had three players foul out, used 10 players--one more than UCLA.

SAME OLD STORY

It could be said that the loss to UCLA was typical for Northridge.

Of the Matadors’ six defeats, none have been by more than 10 points. Northridge’s losses to UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton and UCLA, all of which were decided in the final minutes, were each by seven points.

Even the postgame comments of Harrick sounded painfully familiar.

“They out-scrapped us and out-hustled us,” Harrick said. “They just didn’t win.”

Said Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy: “He’s right. We didn’t win, and that’s the bottom line.”

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Cassidy was upbeat during his talk with the team after the UCLA loss.

He told the Matadors he was proud of their effort and encouraged them to use the performance as a springboard for upcoming road games against Montana and Montana State.

“I feel if we continue to give this kind of effort game after game, time after time, then the wins will come,” Cassidy said.

Ryan Martin, who recorded his collegiate high of 18 points against the Bruins, concurred. “Our 2-6 record does not reflect how we’ve played,” he said. “We’re going to start winning some of these games now.”

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

Northridge led UCLA at the half, 38-37, and extended its advantage to four points, 56-52, with 9 minutes 56 seconds to play.

Facing reporters after the game, Martin was asked if he could “see fear in UCLA’s eyes.” His response was diplomatic: “I think they knew we had a chance to win . . . and I don’t think this was a game they wanted to lose.”

SAVE THAT STUB!

If UCLA was overconfident going into the Northridge game, it could be said that Bruin fans were downright cocky.

When UCLA scores 100 or more points, one of the Bruins’ sponsors gives away food in exchange for a ticket stub. After listening to the public-address announcer dutifully explain the promotion, at least one wise-cracking UCLA fan sitting courtside couldn’t contain himself.

“What do we get if we win by a hundred?” he chirped.

SCARY THOUGHT

If the Ventura men’s basketball team ever plays to Coach Philip Mathews’ expectations, the Pirates are going to be more of a nightmare for opposing teams than they already are.

Ventura (16-0 entering play Wednesday) swept to the Glendale tournament title last week with an average victory margin of 20.7 points.

“We did not play very well this week,” Mathews said after his team had won its fourth tournament of the season. “We didn’t shoot well tonight, and we didn’t rebound or handle the ball well. . . . But we managed to win, and the mark of a good team is one which can win even when it doesn’t play well.”

SPIRITUAL LIFT

Emotion was supposed to be on Northridge’s side when the Matadors played their home opener against Cal State Fullerton last Saturday.

John Flowers, a Northridge recruit who lost both legs as the result of injuries suffered in a car accident, was on hand to lend support.

But Flowers’ presence also lifted Fullerton.

“Him being here touched a lot of our players too,” Titan forward Bruce Bowen said. “He made us realize how lucky we are to be alive and by the grace of God have the use of all our limbs.”

Staff writers Mike Hiserman and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.