Northridge Is One Away

Cal State Northridge earned a shot at a Big Sky Conference title and an unprecedented NCAA tournament berth with a 76-65 victory over Montana in a Big Sky tournament semifinal Friday night before 5,038 at Montana’s Adams Center.

Northridge (20-9) will play Northern Arizona (19-10) for the conference championship tonight, with the winner advancing to the NCAA tournament. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 at 7:30.

For Northridge, which joined the Big Sky in 1996, it marks the second trip to the conference title game. The Matadors were defeated by Montana in the conference final in 1997.

“It hasn’t been an easy four years,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “It’s been very hard, very trying, trying to build this program. But I am just so pleased with where our program is right now. We have so many guys coming back, it bodes well for the future.”

Northridge, which split two games with Montana this season, led 35-28 at halftime and pulled away from the top-seeded Grizzlies (17-11) in the second half.

Guard Carl Holmes scored a career-high 21 points, including two three-point baskets. Reserve Marco McCain had 17 points, including three three-pointers.

“I really think we’re going to win this whole thing,” Holmes said.

Forward Matt Williams of Montana led all players with 22 points but missed six of 14 free throws and fouled out with 1:59 to play.

Northridge extended its lead in the second half by forcing the ball inside. Jeff Parris, Andre Larry and Hewitt Rolle all made inside moves for points as the Matadors built a 47-40 lead.

McCain and Holmes each made three-point baskets down the stretch as Northridge built a 63-49 advantage with five minutes to play.

The victory avenged a 73-70 overtime loss at Montana in January. In that game, Larry, Parris and Rolle fouled out.

Northridge and Northern Arizona split two meetings this season, each winning at home.

“We know them and they know us,” Coach Mike Adras of Northern Arizona said. “It should be an interesting matchup.”

Montana opened a 15-7 lead, with Jared Buckmaster scoring five points. But Northridge pulled even at 18-18 on a driving basket by Brian Heinle.

The Matadors reversed the tide with an 11-0 run in the final six minutes that gave them a 33-25 lead.

Rolle and Heinle made inside baskets and McCain made two layups during the run.

In the final seconds, McCain made a steal and drove the length of the court for a layup to give Northridge a 35-28 halftime lead.

In the other semifinal, third-seeded Northern Arizona defeated Eastern Washington, 82-65, to advance to its third consecutive Big Sky title game.

Senior Ross Land of Northern Arizona became the all-time three-point percentage leader in NCAA among players with at least 300 baskets. Land, who led the Lumberjacks with 24 points, made six of nine from three-point range, raising his career total to 300 in 646 attempts (46.4%).

Land led the Big Sky with 77 three-pointers this season. Northern Arizona, the conference’s best three-point shooting team, made 12, including six consecutive attempts in the second half.

“We were fortunate enough tonight to knock them down,” Land said. “Our movement against them really helped our offense.”

Cory Schwab and Adam Lopez each had three three-pointers for the Lumberjacks. Schwab scored 20 points, Lopez 15.

COUNTDOWN TO MARCH MADNESS

Men’s Tournament Selections

Sunday, 3:30 p.m., Channel 2

*

First-Round Games

Thursday and Friday

Big Sky Championship

AT THE ADAMS CENTER

Missoula, Mont.

NORTHERN ARIZONA (19-10) vs. CS NORTHRIDGE (20-9)

Tonight, 7:30, ESPN2