Weary Matadors Get Their Third Strike in Hawaii

Nothing left to say for Cal State Northridge, except, “Aloha.” As in goodbye.

Northridge ended an exhausting, eight-day road trip by going three and out in the Nike Festival at Hawaii, losing for the third time in as many games, 97-88, to Georgia State on Saturday night at Stan Sheriff Center.

The Matadors (6-6), highly touted after an early season upset of UCLA, suddenly are struggling and searching for answers. Northridge was out-rebounded and out-shot for much of the tournament after opening the road trip Monday with a victory over James Madison at Harrisonburg, Va.

Road weary or not, players and coaches agreed matters are amiss.

“We don’t have the same swagger we’ve had,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “When you lose a few games, that’s what happens. We need to get home. We need to practice. It’s been a long road trip.”

Northridge, after losses to Alabama-Birmingham and Hawaii, made its best showing of the tournament against Georgia State (10-1), off to its best start in history despite the absence of Coach Lefty Driesell, recovering in Georgia after having surgery to remove bone spurs in his neck.

The Matadors overcame an eight-point first-half deficit and held a slim lead five times during a see-saw second half that suddenly turned one-sided.

Shernard Long, who had a game-high 29 points, connected on three consecutive three-point shots during a two-minute stretch in which the Panthers took control.

Long’s basket from the corner gave Georgia State a 74-72 lead with 5:20 to play. Moments later, Long connected from the same spot to give the Panthers an 82-76 lead.

Georgia State finished 3-0 in the tournament.

“This speaks volumes about the kind of kids we have,” assistant Michael Perry said. “The coaches and players want to pray for a speedy recovery for Coach Driesell.”

Northridge can only hope for the same.

Frustration boiled over during halftime of Friday’s game against Hawaii when Matador assistant Mike Johnson broke three bones in his right hand punching a locker room wall.

“Do I think we have benefited [from the trip]?,” Braswell said. “Yes. If we win our next game, we go to 7-6. But we gotta get a win.”

The Matadors play at home Wednesday against Vanguard before opening Big Sky Conference play at Weber State on Jan. 4. Northridge, 20-10 last season, is picked to win the Big Sky title.

“I don’t know what it is,” said guard John Burrell, who had 14 points, including three three-pointers. “Coach said we’re playing like we don’t have the fire anymore. Georgia State, from the get-go, knew they were going to win.”

Center Brian Heinle had 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, all team highs for Northridge.

“Every loss is bad, but this one hurts,” Heinle said. “It puts us at .500 and now we just gotta play better. We gotta play to win. It’s only going to get tougher in conference.”

Northridge, which shot below 38% against Alabama-Birmingham and Hawaii, started fast, parlaying a 15-3 run into a 20-13 lead midway through the first half. The Matadors finished 28 of 57 (49.1%) and out-rebounded Georgia State, 33-30.

The Panthers’ free-throw shooting (30 of 34) kept them in the game.

Northridge guard Markus Carr had only four points, all on free throws.