Northridge Has Some Homework to Do

Cal State Northridge will try to end a two-game losing streak this week.

And try to avoid deja vu.

The Matadors (10-5) dropped to 2-2 in Big Sky Conference play with consecutive losses last week at Portland State and Eastern Washington.

The Matadors play home games Thursday against Montana State and Saturday night against Montana.

Last season, back-to-back losses to Portland State and Eastern Washington were followed by a loss to Montana State, resulting in the Matadors’ only three-game losing streak of the season.

Northridge will encounter players with local ties against Montana State and Montana.

Forward Matt Williams of Montana, an All-Big Sky selection last season, was the Grizzlies’ scoring and rebounding leader a year ago. Williams was a member of Channel League champion Dos Pueblos in 1995, a team that was 25-4 and advanced to the semifinals of the state tournament.

The Chargers lost in a Southern Section final that season to Harvard-Westlake and twins Jason and Jarron Collins, now at Stanford.

Forward Germaine Chase of Montana State is a transfer from Valley College. Chase was an All-Western State Conference selection in 1998 for the Monarchs before redshirting last season at Montana State.

The Bobcats have eliminated Northridge in the Big Sky tournament the last two seasons.

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Oddity or troubling symptom?

Pepperdine takes far fewer free throws than its opponents, stepping to the foul line fewer than its opponents in 15 of 17 games.

The Waves have shot 242 free throws, while their opponents have taken 368. Neither the Waves nor their opponents are especially accurate. Pepperdine, last in the West Coast Conference in foul shooting last season at 65.4%, has improved slightly to 65.7%. The Waves’ opponents are shooting 66%.

Guards Brandon Armstrong and Tezale Archie are by far the best foul shooters among the Waves (12-5, 2-0 in conference play). Armstrong has made 89.7% and Archie has hit 87%.

The main reason Pepperdine sends opponents to the line is its mix of pressure defenses. The Waves have committed 327 fouls and have been fouled 271 times.

But harassing opposing shooters has its benefits as well. Pepperdine’s opponents are shooting only 40.8% from the field, making 379 of 928. Meanwhile, the Waves have made 486 of 1,068 shots, 45.5%.