Northridge Drops Out of Sky

Cal State Northridge’s finest Division I season ended with its earliest exit from the Big Sky Conference tournament as Montana State culminated a blistering second half with an improbable basket to win, 91-90, Thursday night.

Jeff Riggs, a 5-foot-10 guard, skidded to a halt after a drive and made a five-foot fall-away shot from the baseline with Markus Carr’s hands in his face with 1.4 seconds to play in a first-round game before 3,057 at Weber State’s Dee Event Center.

Brian Heinle threw the inbounds pass to Andre Larry at the top of the Northridge key and Larry got off a shot that careened off the rim. Derrick Higgins nearly put it back as the buzzer sounded, but the ball rolled off.

Those three played sensationally for Northridge (17-12), compensating for the loss of forwards Rico Harris, who quit this week, and Jeff Parris, who was sidelined with back spasms.

Larry had 26 points and 12 rebounds, Higgins had 20 points and nine assists and Heinle had 20 points and four steals.

“We could have used another body in there,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “We might have got a little tired, but we made plays down the stretch and the game just came down to that last shot.”

Northridge led by 22 points in the first half, but Montana State (16-12) shot 74% and scored 58 points in the second half.

Still, the Matadors stubbornly held on. Carr, a freshman point guard, gave Northridge a 90-89 lead with 10.8 seconds left on a flying left-handed bank shot in the lane. But Riggs one-upped him in the spectacular shot department.

“I’m very proud of this basketball team and how far our program has come in three years,” Braswell said.

Montana State eliminated Northridge in the semifinals of last season’s tournament and the Matadors advanced to the title game in 1997, their first season in the Big Sky.

Rufus Nicholson made a layup with 2:16 to play to give Montana State its first lead, 86-84. After a Larry free throw, guard Jason Crowe rebounded his own missed shot, sank a 10-footer and was fouled. He made the free throw for an 88-86 Matador lead with 1:26 to play.

Danny Sprinkle, who had 23 points, made a three-pointer with 34 seconds left to swing the advantage back to the Bobcats, setting the stage for Carr and Riggs to finish it.

The first half was all Northridge. Employing a three-guard lineup because Parris was out, the Matadors used a 15-point run to extend a six-point lead to 34-16 with six minutes left.

The surge included a 13-second blur in which Higgins made two free throws, stole the inbounds pass, was fouled and passed inbounds to Heinle, who made a three-point shot. Heinle had a dunk, another three-pointer and a fall-away shot from the lane in the next two minutes as the margin grew to 41-19.

Montana State staged a mild rally and pulled within 43-33 before Andre Larry converted a three-point play and Carr made a free throw to make the score 47-33 at halftime.

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Big Sky Tournament

Balancing Act Lifts Vikings

* Four Portland State players were in double figures Thursday night as the Vikings downed Eastern Washington, 80-74, in the first round of the Big Sky tournament in Odgen, Utah. While the Eagles focused on shutting down Jason Hartman, Brian Towne had 25 points to lead the Vikings. Shannon Taylor of Eastern Washington had 24 points. Page 6

AT A GLANCE

at Weber State, Ogden, Utah

THURSDAY

* Portland State 80, Eastern Washington 74

* Montana State 91, CS Northridge 90

TODAY

* 6 p.m.--Northern Arizona vs. Portland State

* 8:30 p.m.--Weber State vs. Montana State

SATURDAY

* 7:30 p.m.--Championship game