SOUTHLAND ROUNDUP

Eastern Washington 85, Cal State Northridge 79--The listless Matadors (9-7, 1-3) never led and lost their second Big Sky Conference home game in row.

Derrick Higgins scored 26 points and Rico Harris had 22 for Northridge, but Eastern Washington (5-8, 2-1) answered every Matador surge with a layup or a three-point basket.

Eastern Washington point guard Deon Williams, a junior from Verbum Dei High, controlled the tempo, scoring 25 points and making several free throws down the stretch to keep the Eagles from putting their lead in jeopardy.

Northridge used a nine-point run to pull within 20-19 with six minutes left in the first half. However, a shot at the buzzer by Williams gave the Eagles a 32-26 halftime lead and Northridge only once again got closer than four points.

“We had no emotion, no energy and I don’t have any answers,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “We are not a very good basketball team right now.”