Matadors Leave Behind Emotion in Road Defeat

Cal State Northridge took to the road with nobody suspended or disciplined for a change. Now the Matadors must remember to pack some intensity.

Lethargic and fumble-fingered, Northridge slipped into a double-digit deficit midway through the first half against Ohio State on Monday night and never threatened, losing, 89-81, in front of 8,323 at St. John Arena.

“I don’t think we were ready to play,” Coach Bobby Braswell said. “We didn’t take care of the basketball and we did not play smart at all. On the road against a good team you need to take advantage of every possession, and we didn’t do that.”

With top defender Derrick Higgins sidelined with a stress fracture in his right foot, Northridge was unable to contain Ohio State freshman Michael Redd, who scored 28 points, the fifth game in a row he has scored at least 20.

Northridge (2-4) trailed by 16 at halftime, and the slow start baffled Braswell. Despite the absence of Higgins, his team should have been ready, Braswell said.

Forward Jabari Simmons, who did not start the last two games because he was tardy, was present and accounted for. Michael O’Quinn, who Braswell left behind during a trip to Oregon State as a disciplinary measure, was coming off a career-best scoring performance.

Yet O’Quinn did not score in the first half and finished with 10 points. Guard Greg Minor, who like O’Quinn averages more than 20 points, scored three in the half and 12 in the game. Simmons also scored 12.

“Mike and Greg didn’t hit their shots early and lost confidence,” Braswell said. “We are still finding our identity.”

Freshman guard Carl Holmes gave the Matadors an unexpected boost, scoring 21 points and making five of seven three-point shots.

Holmes, Braswell’s nephew, came in averaging 3.3 points and did not practice last week after having two impacted wisdom teeth pulled.

The second half went better for the Matadors, but they pulled closer than nine only when Holmes made a three-point basket with 36.6 seconds to play to make the score 87-81. Every time Northridge got something going offensively, Ohio State (5-2) answered with an easy basket.

The Buckeyes, coming off a 27.7% shooting performance in a 67-49 loss to South Florida, found Matador defense to their liking.

The only reason the Buckeyes didn’t put Northridge away earlier was their 43% free-throw shooting. Redd made 12 of 20 field goals but only three of 12 free throws.

Northridge, winless in four road games, dug itself such a deep hole that Ohio State’s inability to slam the door with free throws only made the outcome more agonizing.

“In the beginning we played horrible,” O’Quinn said. “No emotion, no fire. We played without intensity. We were outplayed in every aspect.”