CSUN Uses Meeting to Get Results

Attribute it to the lengthy players-only meeting a day earlier or simply to a Division II opponent ripe to be pummeled, but Cal State Northridge played Tuesday night like the season had begun anew.

The Matadors forced turnovers, made sharp passes, revved up their fast break and did enough congratulatory hand-slapping to smack their three-game losing streak into yesterday’s trash bin.

Northridge built a 35-point lead midway through the second half and coasted to a 76-62 victory over North Florida in the consolation game of the Fresno State men’s basketball tournament in front of 2,629 at Selland Arena.

The two-hour players powwow on Monday began moments after the Matadors were embarrassed by Long Island, 102-86, and might be the corrective measure necessary to rescue a season that had taken a vicious downward spiral.

A brutal early season schedule designed to toughen the team for the Big Sky Conference campaign came dangerously close to disheartening the Matadors. Northridge (3-6) defeated Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount at home and lost on the road to Arizona State, Oregon State, San Diego, Ohio State and Ohio before facing Long Island.

“We talked about what each of us can do to sacrifice our individual goals,” senior guard Mike O’Quinn said. “It got heated but everybody understood.”

The meeting went so well, they had another instead of a shoot-around Tuesday, but this time the players listened while the coaches expressed concerns and frustrations.

“The coaches had a chance to vent and the players had a chance to vent,” Coach Bobby Braswell said. “It was a good opportunity to get on the same page.”

When the talking was done and the playing started, Northridge tore through the Ospreys (1-4), taking a 71-36 lead with 10:00 to play. The Matadors repeatedly denied North Florida good shots, made 19 steals and forced 28 turnovers.

Especially encouraging was the play of point guards Lucky Grundy and Trenton Cross, neither of whom had performed well recently. Grundy had eight assists and Cross had six.

“We had a change in our attitude,” Grundy said. “Regardless of who we play, we’ll be OK if we take the court with the attitude we had tonight.”

O’Quinn, who made the all-tournament team, scored 21 points on nine-of-13 shooting, and Jabari Simmons had 16 points and nine rebounds. Northridge outrebounded North Florida, 42-30.

Trailing, 47-24, at halftime, the Ospreys did not make a field goal for the first six minutes of the second half. Northridge extended the lead to 35 points on a steal and layup by O’Quinn with 9:50 to play.

North Florida responded with a 10-point run and outscored Northridge, 26-5, after O’Quinn’s basket.

“I hope everyone goes home for Christmas and keeps their minds focused,” O’Quinn said. “Guys will hear their parents say they need to shoot more or do this and that, but we just need to remember what was said the past 24 hours and come back with that on our minds.”

Matador notes

Forward Kevin Taylor left the game in the first half with a knee injury that coaches said was not serious. Taylor had his best game of the season against Long Island, making all four of his field goals, both of his free throws and grabbing eight rebounds. . . . Former NBA player Sidney Green is the first-year coach at North Florida, a Peach Belt Conference school in Jacksonville. Green, a first-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in 1983, was an All-American at UNLV under current Fresno State Coach Jerry Tarkanian.