It’s Child’s Play as Kidd and Cal Rout Northridge : College basketball: Point guard scores 24 in 93-63 victory over Matadors.

So much had changed in the 364 days since California last played host to Cal State Northridge in Harmon Arena.

Todd Bozeman, who debuted against Northridge a year ago, no longer carries the title of interim coach and the Golden Bears no longer need a wave of emotion to blow past a team such as the Matadors.

These days, talent and poise are more than enough.

After Cal blew out Northridge, 93-63, in a nonconference game Monday before 6,578, Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy was asked to compare the 18th-ranked Bears with the team that defeated the Matadors by 24 last season.

“They’re a year older and a year better,” he said.

And no longer playing amid turmoil.

Lou Campanelli, who was fired and replaced by Bozeman exactly a year ago, is a distant memory. In fact, Bozeman, who is 26-6 since taking over, claimed he would have forgotten the anniversary if the local media allowed him to.

“I don’t look back to last year,” he said.

Probably because he and the Bears seem to have a bright future. Cal (15-4) has won five in a row with Pacific 10 Conference games at home against Arizona State and Arizona scheduled this week.

Against Northridge, Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray did most of the damage.

Kidd scored a game-high 24 points, had a team-high seven rebounds, added five assists and five steals, and then pronounced himself ready to try out for the Cal baseball team.

“Baseball comes way before the NBA,” said Kidd, a sophomore point guard. “I’d have to go through baseball, finish that, re-evaluate my basketball season and go from there.”

Murray had 22 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes. Michael Stewart, a 6-foot-10 freshman, set a school record with seven blocked shots.

Northridge (4-15) got 15 points from Peter Micelli, 10 from Brent Lofton, nine points and eight assists from Andre Chevalier and six steals from Brooklyn McLinn.

The Matadors also committed as many turnovers--25--as they made field goals.

“They totally dominated us,” Cassidy said. “You have to take care of the basketball better than we did tonight if you’re going to stay in a competitive realm with a team like Cal.”

Northridge led once, 7-6, at which point Cal ran off 10 consecutive points.

“They’re quick and perceptive,” Cassidy added. “You can ask a lot of teams--like UCLA--what happens when they turn it on.”

Cal led by 17 points at the half despite shooting 37.8%. In the second half, the Bears shot 68%.

Northridge shot 37.9%, the 12th consecutive team to shoot less than 45% against Cal.