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Cal State Northridge (9-9, 3-5) at UC Riverside (3-11, 2-6), 7 p.m., KPRO (1570). KCSN-FM (88.5), KUCR-FM (88.3) -- Which Northridge team will show up? The Matadors had a four-game winning streak early in the season, but then they went on a six-game losing streak. They got back on a roll with three consecutive victories, but Thursday they made only 18 of 49 shots and lost a Big West game at Cal State Fullerton, 70-54. Northridge has lost its No. 3 scorer, 6-foot-5 guard John Clark, who sat out the loss to Fullerton. A school spokesman said that Clark, pending further review, has not met Northridge academic standards. Riverside continues to play without senior swingman Mark Miller, who has an injured ankle.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (8-9, 4-4) at UC Irvine (11-6, 5-3), 7 p.m., KUCI-FM (88.9) -- What a difference a week makes in the wild Big West. Seven days ago high-flying Irvine was playing its best basketball, sat atop the conference standings and had a four-game homestand on the horizon. Tonight the Anteaters, now tied with Pacific in third place, try to end a two-game losing streak against the rejuvenated Mustangs. Cal Poly ended a two-game skid at Long Beach Thursday, while UC Santa Barbara dealt Irvine its first home loss in the last seven games.
Pacific (10-7, 5-3) at Cal State Fullerton (6-12, 4-4), 7 p.m., KWRM (1370) -- Fullerton center Pape Sow is expected to return after an 11-game suspension as a result of his conviction on petty theft charges. The 6-10 junior from Senegal averaged 15.9 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds, but the Titans had only a 1-6 record with him on the court. In his absence Fullerton is 5-6. Guard Ralphy Holmes, the Titans’ leading scorer, reinjured his shoulder in the 70-54 victory over visiting Northridge and is questionable tonight, as is Pacific’s freshman-of-the-year candidate, Christian Maraker, who sat out Thursday’s 79-71 victory at UC Riverside because of a bad back.
UC Santa Barbara (9-9, 6-2) at Long Beach State (2-15, 1-7), 7 p.m., KEYT (1250) -- Santa Barbara has won four in a row and has rocketed into a first-place tie in the standings with Utah State; Long Beach’s chances of qualifying for a conference postseason tournament spot grow dimmer with each loss. “Forget about the tournament; we just need a win,” first-year 49er Coach Larry Reynolds said. “No way did I expect to be in a situation like this. It’s getting to that point in the season when you have to throw your younger guys out on the floor and see what they can do.”
-- Paul McLeod
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UCLA (12-7, 7-3) at No. 25 Washington (16-3, 8-2), 1 p.m., KBET (850), KTDD (1350) -- The Bruins won’t find the same emotionally wrought team they played at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 3. The Huskies, who dismantled USC on Thursday, are looking more like the team that was expected to challenge Stanford for the Pacific 10 Conference crown. But the upstart Bruins are only a game behind the Huskies for second place after defeating Washington State, 86-70. Nikki Blue scored 26 points.
USC (8-12, 3-6) at Washington State (0-18, 0-10), 7 p.m. -- USC’s three-game winning streak ended abruptly with a 94-76 loss to Washington. But the hapless Cougars are the cure for any ailing team. A victory would give the Trojans three victories in the last four games, which should provide some momentum for the rematch with UCLA next week. Ebony Hoffman had a career-high 27 points Thursday.
-- Mike Terry