AREA COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

Cal State Northridge, assured of a berth in the Big Sky Conference men’s basketball tournament for the fourth consecutive year, can improve its standing with victories this week against Weber State and Cal State Sacramento.

Northridge (16-9, 8-6 in conference play) can move into a fourth-place tie with Weber State (17-8, 9-5), which plays at the Matadome tonight. The Matadors are two games behind Northern Arizona and Montana, tied for second with 10-4 conference records.

Six teams qualify for the Big Sky tournament, to be held March 9-11 at the home of the first-place team. The top two teams receive first-round byes.

The Matadors are 3-13 all-time against Weber State, but two of their victories have been at Northridge.

Harold Arceneaux of Weber State, the Big Sky’s scoring leader, scored 36 points in a 113-92 victory over Northridge at Ogden, Utah, in January.

Arceneaux, the Big Sky’s most valuable player last season, is averaging 22.7 points. He tied a career-high with 40 points in a 98-81 victory over Montana State on Saturday.

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In the final week, the Big Sky women’s basketball race still involves eight of nine teams.

Northridge (15-9, 9-5) plays Thursday at Weber State and Saturday at Cal State Sacramento. The Matadors, tied for third with Weber State, have clinched a tournament berth and can finish as high as second.

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The Cal State Northridge men’s bowling club won the California Intercollegiate Bowling Conference Saturday at Sacramento.

Northridge, with 188 1/2 points, edged Cal State Sacramento, which had 187 1/2, for first. The conference includes about 20 teams, including Fresno State and USC.

Jason Hoffer of Northridge rolled a 300 game in the final match.