Late Flurry Lifts CSUN Past Loyola

John Olive made a statement that was half-compliment, half-confession.

“I like seeing them on film,” he said. “I enjoy watching them play. I marvel at how hard they play and how competitive they are.”

Olive, Loyola Marymount’s first-year basketball coach, was talking about Cal State Northridge, the Lions’ opponent in a nonconference game Tuesday night at Northridge.

The film had just come to life, much to his chagrin. Northridge, scrambling back from a 10-point, second-half deficit, rallied to defeat Loyola, 62-53, before 1,520.

Playing only their second home game, the Matadors (4-7) shot 30.8% but survived by forcing 24 turnovers and outscoring the Lions, 27-12, at the free-throw line.

Zan Mason scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Loyola (4-7), but his effectiveness early might have cost the Lions late. As Northridge mounted its comeback, Loyola became one-dimensional, trying to force the ball to Mason at every opportunity.

Northridge’s Chris Yard, fronting Mason on defense, took advantage by directing away lob passes as if he were a volleyball setter. When he didn’t deflect them, he grabbed them, making four of his game-high six steals in the final 12 minutes.

“They did a good job of denying Zan the ball,” Olive said, “and we did a very poor job of delivering it to him.”

As a result, Mason scored only six points in the last 14 minutes.

“It felt like their whole team was collapsing on me,” Mason said.

Probably because the Matadors were. “I tried to front him and not let him touch the ball, but when it did get over me, I had a lot of back-side help from the guards,” Yard said. “I think we showed we’re a very good team as far as defense goes.”

Northridge’s offense wasn’t nearly as effective--except in one key stretch.

Trailing, 42-32, with 10 minutes 21 seconds to play, Northridge, sparked by four turnovers, ran off 14 unanswered points in the next four minutes.

Yard, who scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half, put the Matadors in the lead, 43-42, scoring on a layup with 7:28 to play. After Brooklyn McLinn’s three-point shot put Northridge ahead by four, Mason scored on a three-point play to trim the advantage to one.

Loyola clung to within three, 50-47, with five minutes left but then hit another dry spell.

Northridge, shooting only 57% from the free-throw line coming into the game, made 11 of 16 foul shots in the final 1:51 to preserve its lead. The victory avenged a 71-66 loss to Loyola in the first round of the L.A. Classic at Loyola three weeks ago.

In that game, it was Northridge that blew a 10-point, second-half lead.

“It always feels nice to get a win back,” Yard said.