Technically Speaking, Oduok Leads Loyola Over CSUN

He scored only eight points. He played only 18 minutes.

And even then Ime Oduok still managed to ignite Loyola Marymount to a 84-69 victory over Cal State Northridge in a nonconference basketball game Monday night before 1,289 spectators at Gersten Pavilion.

Didn’t make a spectacular dunk.

Didn’t block a shot.

Didn’t make a nifty pass.

Oduok, Loyola’s 6-foot-9 center and the Lions’ best player, triggered his team by getting a technical foul.

The score was tied, 54-54, with 10:41 to play when Oduok was called for charging after running over Ryan Martin of Northridge on a fast break.

Officials slapped on the technical when Oduok stood over the fallen Northridge guard, apparently taunting him.

The technical was Oduok’s fifth personal foul, disqualifying him.

Martin made the two foul shots, but Loyola rallied without their leading scorer and rebounder.

Northridge led the entire second half until Wyking Jones scored on a layup to give Loyola a 63-62 advantage with 7:11 left. The basket marked the start of a 12-0 run in the span of a little more than three minutes.

“The technical foul had a major lift for us, as negative-looking as it was,” Loyola Coach John Olive said.

Martin’s foul shots after Oduok’s technical marked the last time Northridge visited the free-throw line. Conversely, Loyola converted 17 of 22 free throws in the final eight minutes.

“The game changed totally at that point,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said.

Loyola (8-4), which opens West Coast Conference play on Friday at St. Mary’s, is 7-1 at home. Jones scored 10 of his 18 points from the free-throw line. Mike O’Quinn also scored 18 points. Robin Kirksey added 16, including 12 free throws, and Jim Williamson had 10.

Northridge, 3-9 overall and winless in seven road games, shot 24 free throws to Loyola’s 48 and was outscored from the line, 36-19.

And even then, one of the few calls that went the Matadors way, ended up coming back to bite them.

“It was a huge play,” Northridge forward Eric Gray said of the technical. “Even though we got the points, they got pumped by it.”

Gray, who earlier in the day learned that he has a stress fracture just above the ankle in his right leg, scored a career-high 18 points.

Gray and and freshman guard Trenton Cross provided Northridge with a big boost on a night when the Matadors shot a dismal 31.9% and two of their top three scorers combined for only six points.

Peter Micelli, who came in as Northridge’s top scorer, missed all seven of his field-goal attempts, committed four turnovers and had four fouls in only 12 minutes.

Martin, who usually can be counted on for instant offense off the bench, made one of eight shots and scored only four points in 19 minutes.

Mike Dorsey scored 16 points for Northridge.