Lopez Sinks Late Three-Pointer, Matadors, 76-75

This time, Northern Arizona needed only one three-point shot to polish off Cal State Northridge.

Adam Lopez sank a 24-foot basket with 8.4 seconds to play and Carl Holmes of Northridge missed a short jump shot with two seconds left, and Northern Arizona held off Northridge, 76-75, in a Big Sky Conference game before 2,058 Thursday night at Walkup Skydome.

In a rematch of last season’s Big Sky tournament final in which the Lumberjacks made 16 three-pointers in an 85-81 overtime victory, Lopez’s hurried shot was the team’s only three-point basket during a second half in which the lead changed hands five times.

Conference favorite Northridge (9-7, 2-1 in the Big Sky) overcame a 49-39 halftime deficit with an 11-0 run in the first five minutes of the second half.

John Burrell led the Matadors with 20 points, including three three-pointers, and Brian Heinle had 19.

Holmes had nine points--six in the second half--but his soft shot from the baseline fell short before time expired.

Guard Markus Carr, who missed a layup at the end of regulation against the Lumberjacks in the Big Sky final last season, tried to drive the lane again in the final seconds but was forced to pass.

“Carl Holmes is one of our best players, one of our leaders,” Carr said. “For him to take that shot and miss it, we’re OK with it. It just didn’t fall.”

Heinle, who became Northridge’s career scoring leader in the opening minute of the second half, blamed his own defensive play while praising the Lumberjacks.

“They’re a good team and they play well on their home court,” Heinle said. “Every game on the road is going to be tough.”

Northern Arizona (8-6, 2-1) moved into a second-place tie with Northridge, a half game behind idle Montana State (2-0), which plays Saturday against Montana.

The Matadors lost to the Lumberjacks for the third consecutive time. The last four games have been decided by a total of 18 points.

“We’ve always had tough games against them,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “I told the guys after the game that, on the road, you have to make plays at the end. Lopez made a huge shot. We got a good look at the end. The game didn’t end up the way we wanted it to at the end.”

Northridge effectively defended guard Cory Schwab, the Lumberjacks’ scoring leader, who made four three-pointers against the Matadors in the Big Sky title game and entered the game 52 of 105 from behind the arc.

Schwab, who averages 17.8 points, was held to six--none in the second half--and missed all five of his three-point shots.

Schwab didn’t lament his production.

“Every time we play them, it’s a close game,” Schwab said. “They did a good job on me. That’s fine.”

Lopez, who made five three-pointers in last season’s tournament final, was three of five from behind the arc this time. With the clock ticking down, he fielded a loose ball after a deflected pass by Heinle and immediately released the winning shot.