Newest Matador Pulls Inside Job

It may be too soon to determine how good touted Cal State Northridge will be this season. But there was no doubting the Matadors’ dominance of Howard in a 90-73 season-opening victory before 1,237 Sunday night at Northridge.

Forward Joey Busch had 21 points and 12 rebounds, forward Jeff Parris had 19 points--making all 10 of his free throws--and center Brian Heinle had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Northridge, predicted to win the Big Sky Conference. The Matadors shook off a sluggish first half against the Bison (0-2), winners of only one of 28 games last season. A 49-30 Northridge lead at the half swelled to 70-37 midway through the second half.

“We’re probably not where we want to be now, but a win is a win,” Heinle said. “We need to keep improving and as long as we do, there will be no problem.”

The performance of Busch, a 6-foot-7 transfer from Chaffey College, was encouraging, considering among the Matadors’ few losses from last season are big men Hewitt Rolle and Andre Larry. Muscling inside for most of his baskets, Busch made nine of 10 shots from the field and had six offensive and six defensive rebounds.

“That’s why we recruited him,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “He plays around the basket and he gets fouled.”

Heinle, one of the Big Sky’s top returning players, was less accurate in making only four of 12 shots.

Heinle wasn’t the only player who appeared to have first-game jitters. John Burrell, a transfer from Nevada and three-point specialist, was four of 13 shooting, including two of six from three-point range. Northridge shot 44.3% (27 of 61).

“First game of the year, we’re not going to be as fluid as we will be at midseason,” Braswell said. “We still have some rough edges to smooth out.”

Northridge was a unanimous choice by conference coaches to finish first after going 20-10 last season and coming within seconds of advancing to its first NCAA tournament. The Matadors will get a stern test Tuesday, when they play UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. Northridge is winless in four games against the Bruins.

“They’re UCLA, but we’re not going to go in there intimidated,” Busch said.