Xavier (of Ohio) Humbles Northridge, 101-65

At the end, there was one final insult.

A loose ball was grabbed by a seldom-used reserve who, with one second left, shoveled it into the basket to the delight of the fans.

The basket moved Xavier into triple digits as it overwhelmed Cal State Northridge, 101-65, Wednesday night before 6,451 at Cincinnati Gardens, not-so-mercifully ending the Matadors’ five-day trip to Ohio.

Two games. The worst consecutive blowouts in school history. A 62-point loss to 13th-ranked Cincinnati. A 32-point first-half deficit against Xavier, unranked but winner of seven of eight.

“Next time when I travel,” said Ruben Oronoz, a Northridge forward, “I’m going to make sure I go around this state.”

Teammates and coaches expressed mutual sentiments. “In light of the results, yes, I’m happy we’re going home,” Coach Pete Cassidy said.

Northridge (2-5) had won two in a row at home before the trip. The Matadors return having given up more than 100 points in consecutive games for the first time in four years.

It was the same old story--turnovers forced by an opponent’s tenacious full-court pressure. Against Xavier, there were 29 Matador turnovers--one fewer than against Cincinnati.

In the first half, Northridge committed 22 turnovers and attempted 24 shots.

“It’s difficult to win that way,” Cassidy said.

When they weren’t coughing it up, the Matadors were hacking away. Northridge was called for 36 fouls to Xavier’s 19, including a 21-7 margin in the first half.

Xavier made 40 of 49 free throws to Northridge’s 16 of 23.

The Musketeers blew the game open midway through the first half by scoring 24 unanswered points in a span of not quite eight minutes.

During Xavier’s run, Northridge attempted only seven field goals--and that’s counting one that was supposed to be a pass but ricocheted off the rim. In the same stretch, the Matadors committed 10 turnovers, including four on offensive fouls.

Half of the Musketeers’ 24 consecutive points came at the free-throw line. At one point, Xavier scored on 11 consecutive possessions.