CSUN Waltzes Into the Dance

The chant from the crowd started with 30 seconds to play, growing louder by the second: “We’re going to the tournament. We’re going to the tournament.”

March Madness came to Cal State Northridge, a place no one would have thought to look for it, and received quite a reception.

The Matadors saw to it with a 79-65 victory over Portland State in the Big Sky Conference women’s basketball tournament final before 1,019 on Saturday night at Northridge.

“We’re one of the elite teams,” guard LaShaunda Fowler of Northridge said.

As in the 64 teams that will be seeded today in the NCAA tournament. The Matadors (21-7) are headed there for the first time, a remarkable accomplishment for a team that started the season in uncertainty.

Northridge rallied behind interim Coach Frozena Jerro, who replaced Michael Abraham after he was arrested on cocaine trafficking charges a few days before the season started in November, and came up with the best showing in school history.

“I just wanted to make sure something positive came out of all that junk that happened early in the [season],” Jerro said.

She got her wish.

The Matadors, Big Sky regular-season champions in only their third season in the conference, took care of Portland State with the same character that got them through the season.

Northridge squandered most of a 55-41 lead midway through the second half and led, 67-62, with 3:52 to play. However, forward Neda Milic and guard Edniesha Curry sparked a 12-0 run that finished off the Vikings.

Milic, a sophomore from Serbia, started the run with a strong dribble-drive layup along the baseline to push Northridge’s lead to 69-62.

“That’s Neda, coming through and persevering,” Jerro said.

Following a basket by guard Tina Greer and a short hook shot by forward Lynda Amari increased the lead to 73-62, Curry scored on a breakaway layup after stealing a pass and made two free throws on the next possession to send the crowd into a frenzy.

The Matadors held Portland State to 38.8% shooting (26 of 67) and outscored the Vikings, 22-7, off turnovers. Portland State had 16 turnovers, Northridge 18.

“I think if anything you have to give credit to Northridge’s defense,” said Jenny Yopp, Portland State’s coach. “They kept the heat on us. They took us out of our sets a little.”

Northridge also kept Portland State off the boards, outrebounding the Vikings, 50-37. Center Keisha Harris had 12 rebounds for the Matadors and Amari finished with nine.

Milic had one of the key rebounds, scoring off Amari’s missed free throw for a 67-57 advantage with 4:57 to play.

The Vikings had a glimmer of hope in the second half when Northridge had a flurry of early fouls, but Curry said she wasn’t worried.

“I don’t think it was point of concern for us,” said Curry, who was chosen the tournament’s most valuable player. “We have 11 people on the team. If somebody is in foul trouble, somebody else is going to step in for them.”

Curry, from Palmdale High, scored 23 points. Amari added 14, Milic had 13 and Tina Greer scored 10.