Northridge Hopes Plummet in Big Sky

What’s the point of qualifying for the Big Sky Conference tournament when winning two games in a row seems an insurmountable obstacle?

Cal State Northridge is pondering that question after fading miserably down the stretch Thursday night and losing, 92-86, to Weber State at Northridge.

It takes three Big Sky tournament victories to represent the conference in the NCAA tournament. So although the Matadors have backed into the Big Sky affair by clinching at least seventh place, they won’t last long if their recent (lack of) form holds true.

Northridge (9-14, 5-8 in Big Sky play) has won two straight only twice--against Division II patsies North Florida and Cal State Dominguez Hills in December, and against Montana and Cal State Sacramento in early January.

Otherwise, every victory has been followed by a loss, every moment of momentum dashed by a debacle.

“Until we learn to come with it every night, we will go through these struggles,” Coach Bobby Braswell said.

Northridge has three regular-season games left and is assured of getting into the six-team tournament only because fourth-place Portland State is ineligible as a second-year program. The Matadors, two games behind sixth-place Eastern Washington, are nearly certain to open the tournament against the eventual conference champion.

On the home court of the conference champion.

With a road record that currently stands at 2-10.

“Right now we are not ready for the conference tournament,” Braswell said. “I’m not confident.”

Who would be after watching their team let a 61-61 battle turn into an 86-70 laugher during eight horrendous minutes?

Northridge surrendered easy layup after easy layup to Weber State center Andy Jensen, who made 10 of 14 shots and scored a career-high 27 points. Small forward Damien Baskerville added 20 points on eight-of-11 shooting.

When the Matadors weren’t giving up uncontested shots underneath, they were fouling indiscriminately. Weber State (12-11, 10-3) made 26 of 31 free throws, including 17 of 20 in the second half.

Matador point guards Trenton Cross and Lucky Grundy each picked up their fourth foul with about 14 minutes to play, and the Northridge offense lurched along thereafter.

The Matadors stayed within shouting distance by making 10 three-pointers, including three by Greg Minor and two each by Carl Holmes and Cross.

Three-point baskets in the opening 2:30 by Mike O’Quinn, Jeff Parris and Cross helped Northridge to an 11-4 lead. Several Matadors, however, got into early foul trouble and Weber State took a 42-37 halftime lead with the help of nine layups.

Kevin Taylor’s jump shot with seven minutes to play in the first half accounted for the only Northridge points during a 7:35 stretch that had a 20-14 Matador lead turn into a 30-22 deficit.

In the last four minutes of the half, three-pointers by Minor and Brian Heinle and seven of eight free throws pulled Northridge close enough so that a 13-5 run to begin the second half resulted in a 51-47 lead.