Matadors Freeze Out Bobcats in Second Half

Cal State Northridge appeared dead. Even Coach Bobby Braswell walked out on the Matadors.

But that helped to resurrect Northridge, which rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit and knocked Montana State out of first place in the Big Sky Conference, 72-65, before 5,566 Thursday night at Worthington Arena.

Northridge (12-8, 5-2 in the Big Sky) reclaimed a share of first after pulling off its biggest rally of the season, outscoring Montana State, 9-0, in the final 3:47 and quieting a torrid-shooting team that entered the game leading Division I in three-point shooting percentage.

“One of the TV guys said to me that we were like Lazarus,” Braswell said. “We were dead and we came back to life.”

Montana State (12-7, 4-2) made six of nine three-pointers and was 17 of 34 (50.0%) shooting before walking off the court with a 42-30 halftime lead.

After watching his team make only 12 of 34 shots (35.3%)--including three of 10 from three-point range--Braswell walked out of the locker room.

“I walked out on them and said, ‘I don’t know what to tell you guys,’ ” Braswell said. “It wasn’t a ploy on my part. It was the worst first half we had played all season. I chewed them a little and I was disgusted. Sometimes you have to challenge the players. This showed some character on our part. The second half was a complete turnaround.”

For both teams.

Led by center Brian Heinle, the Big Sky’s leading scorer, Northridge quickly moved to within striking distance and used a 7-1 run to pull to within 62-61 on Marco McCain’s three-pointer with 4:50 to play.

Heinle had 17 rebounds, a Northridge Division I record, to go with 18 points. Jeff Parris, playing the final 13 minutes with four fouls, muscled inside for most of his 20 points and made eight of nine free throws.

The Matadors, who hadn’t led since 5-2, moved ahead to stay, 67-65, on two free throws by Parris with 2:20 to play.

“As soon as we got the lead, it was like we had an energy pill,” Heinle said. “The whole defense seemed to clamp down. We wanted to win the game, and that was it.”

Meanwhile, Montana State went cold. The Bobcats were seven of 26 (26.9%) shooting in the second half and made only three of 15 from three-point range.

The Bobcats had their eight-game home winning streak snapped.

“We are not a team that holds a lead well,” guard Justin Brown said. “We relax instead of attacking. We need to change that.”

Forward John Lazosky had 13 points for Montana State but spent much of the second half on the bench with four fouls. Lazosky tried in vain to contain Heinle and Parris down the stretch, but they gathered momentum, he said.

“Parris, when he gets alone near the basket, it’s usually a dunk,” Lazosky said. “When their guys get down low, it’s hard to stop them.”

Northridge, picked to win the Big Sky, was outplayed in the frontcourt in an 88-75 loss to Eastern Washington at home Saturday night. Parris pointed to the team’s need to play better defense.

“This wasn’t the first time we played poorly on defense and it probably won’t be the last,” he said.

Heinle, a senior and candidate for the Big Sky’s most valuable player award, took the helm after Braswell exited at the half. But little needed to be said.

“We got in a little huddle,” Heinle said. “We knew what we needed to do.”

Northridge, which plays Saturday at Montana, is tied with Eastern Washington and Weber State at 5-2.