Northridge Takes Longer to Lose It

For a while, basketball was fun again for the Cal State Northridge Matadors.

Their hustle on defense, swatted passes and dives for loose balls--all were being rewarded. Their drives on offense were converted into bank shots or layups or open outside shots.

“We were playing aggressively and with emotion and it was great,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said.

Then, suddenly, it vanished, and San Diego State rallied for a 90-85 nonconference victory in overtime.

Derrick Croft scored 25 points, including the first seven in overtime, as the Aztecs (4-2) won on the road for the first time in 11 months. Northridge (1-8) is 0-3 at home.

Carlus Groves, the Tennessee transfer who was expected to help rejuvenate San Diego State, wasn’t even a factor. He scored nine points in 18 minutes before fouling out.

But the Aztecs didn’t need him. Groves, who played three seasons for the Volunteers and averaged 14.7 points during the 1991-92 season, watched from the bench as San Diego State erased a 13-point lead.

Northridge led, 70-57, with 6 minutes 9 seconds left in regulation before the Aztecs went on a 19-5 run.

Two free throws by Croft with 1:33 to go gave the Aztecs their second lead of the second half, 76-75, but a three-point basket by Brooklyn McLinn with 12 seconds left pushed Northridge in front, 79-77.

However, Marc Carter responded with the shot of the night, a 10-footer over the outstretched arms of 6-foot-11 Shane O’Doherty with two seconds left. It sent the game into overtime.

Cutting around a pick by Courtie Miller, Carter accepted a pass in stride and swished his jumper.. “I’ve had that shot taken by some other guys and it didn’t look as smooth,” Aztec Coach Tony Fuller said.

Croft hit a three-pointer on the Aztecs’ first possession of overtime, and they were never headed.

Northridge made only one of eight field-goal attempts in overtime, that a rebound effort by Peter Micelli, who finished with a season-high 25 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Guard Andre Chevalier played a critical role both in Northridge’s building its second-half cushion, then blowing it.

Sparked by his hustle on defense, the Matadors turned a one-point deficit into a 13-point advantage in less than six minutes. Twice during the 17-3 run he drew offensive fouls that Northridge converted into points.

Chevalier finished with a career-high 28 points to go with eight assists and three steals.

However, he was on the bench with four fouls at a critical time.

Northridge led, 72-61, with 5:25 remaining when the Matadors’ senior drew his fourth foul.

Cassidy, figuring Chevalier needed a rest anyway, inserted sophomore Robert Hill, who is best suited at off-guard, to play the point position.

It is a substitution Cassidy has made dozens of times this season. But this time it backfired.

On back-to-back possessions, Hill missed a 17-foot jump shot, then committed a turnover on a double dribble. By the time Chevalier re-entered the game with 3:31 remaining in regulation, San Diego State trailed by only four and had wrested momentum away.

Chevalier downplayed his absence from the lineup and instead commented on what appears to becoming a trend.

“We just had a team letdown and they came back,” he said. “It’s been happening all year.”