Northridge Tripped by Rough Spot on the Road

Cal State Northridge was caught in the worst possible place at the worst possible time Saturday night at Northern Arizona.

Not only are the Lumberjacks the Big Sky Conference’s most successful men’s basketball team at home over the last three seasons, they are the Big Sky’s hottest team.

Northern Arizona, propelled by 35 points from three-point specialist Ross Land, coasted to an 83-73 victory over confused Northridge before 2,188 at the Walkup Skydome.

The Lumberjacks (12-9, 6-4 in conference play), after an 0-4 start in conference play, extended their winning streak to six and pulled even with Northridge (14-7, 6-4) for third place with six games to play.

Northern Arizona, which is 9-1 at home this season, is 47-5 over the last 52 games.

“This has always been a tough place to play,” Coach Bobby Braswell of Northridge said. “It’s dramatic to come in here and end up being tied with Northern Arizona. But there is a lot more basketball to play. We lost ground [Saturday night], but we’re not out of the hunt in this thing.”

Northridge, playing its third of five road games during a six-game stretch, is 2-2 in its last four games. The Matadors play at Montana and Montana State next week on consecutive nights. Montana (8-3) is in second place, a half-game behind Eastern Washington (8-2).

Land, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, connected on a three-point shot 20 seconds after the opening tip-off, the first of four for him in the game.

Northridge held leads of 14-11 and 16-15, but a three-pointer by Land triggered a 14-4 first-half run and the Lumberjacks took a 39-24 halftime lead.

In the second half, Land scored 19 points, including 11 of 11 free throws.

While Land’s 275 three-pointers places him second on the all-time Division I list, he has been exceptionally deadly in the Skydome. During his career, Land has made 110 of 215 three-point shots at home.

“Maybe it’s natural, but we’re a lot more comfortable at home,” Land said. “We’re a lot more successful.”

Guard Markus Carr, stepping into the uncharacteristic role of scorer, had 21 points.

“We quit in the second half,” Carr said.

“We didn’t show an effort or discipline. It looked like we were more offensive-minded tonight. Sometimes we do that.”

Northridge, despite the return of forwards Andre Larry and Jermar Welch, played poorly on several fronts.

Larry, who missed three games for personal reasons, appeared rusty, scoring four points in 21 minutes on two-of-eight shooting.

Center Brian Heinle, the Matadors’ leading scorer, was held to a season-low 10 points and made three of 10 shots. Heinle scored only four points in the second half.

“I was just playing stupid out there,” Heinle said. “It wasn’t what they were doing to me, it’s what I was doing to myself.”

Guard Marco McCain, Northridge’s three-point specialist, was one of four from behind the arc and finished with seven points.

Forward Jeff Parris fouled out for the 10th time this season after scoring only two points.

Parris and guard Carl Holmes were held from the starting lineup for arriving late to a team meeting.

Braswell said he is struggling to develop the right chemistry for a stretch run.

“I would like to get a lineup and stay with it,” Braswell said.

“Unfortunately, we have people not getting to meetings on time. Everyone’s got to get on the same page.”