Fresno State Drops Bombs on Matadors

Nothing wrong with Cal State Northridge’s game plan.

The Matadors forced a taller and bulkier Fresno State team to shoot from the outside.

Little good it did.

Fresno (11-11) sank a school-record 16 three-point baskets, including 11 in the first half, and ran away from Northridge, 89-56, in a nonconference men’s basketball game Wednesday night before 7,987 at Selland Arena.

“We were working hard and they were hitting everything,” said Ruben Oronoz, who scored 16 points for Northridge (5-16). “We just kept saying, ‘They can’t do this all night.’ ”

Not that long, but long enough.

“I didn’t anticipate that kind of three-point shooting,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said. “With the size advantage they had, you had to figure they would pound it inside. They didn’t have to.”

Davon Satterwhite, who made four of eight three-pointers, scored 17 points. Brandon Bakke made five of nine three-pointers and scored 15 points.

Darnell McCulloch, one of four Fresno players who did not make a three-pointer, scored 17 points. Point guard Dominick Young had 16 assists.

The Bulldogs’ outside shooting came as a surprise to Cassidy because Fresno was averaging just over seven three-point baskets a game. Against Northridge, Fresno made its eighth three-pointer with seven minutes left in the first half.

“They were healthy threes, too,” Cassidy said. “They weren’t cheap-shot threes, pitching-wedge threes.”

Northridge shot well in the first half and still trailed, 51-27.

“Fifty-two percent (shooting), 43% from three-point range . . . we’ll take those stats every game if we can get it,” Cassidy said. “Unfortunately, we shot like dog meat (32.4%) in the second half.”

Fresno’s Gary Colson told his team: “I like the way you played defense, I liked your unselfishness on offense. Have a good night.”

They already had.