Northridge Steps Up as Efevberha Struggles

Cal State Northridge does not want to be a one-man team, especially if that man -- Mike Efevberha, the Big West Conference’s leading scorer -- is going to have an off night.

Efevberha led Northridge with 16 points Monday, but made only five of 18 shots. There was balance throughout the Matador lineup, however, and that carried them to a 78-62 victory over UC Riverside.

Three other Matadors -- Calvin Chitwood, Rob Haynes and Terrell Jones -- each scored 12 points to end Northridge’s three-game losing streak and raise the Matadors’ record to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in the Big West.

The Highlanders, who got 12 points from guard Dedrick Bates, dropped to 2-12, 2-2.

“It was great to see other guys step up,” said Efevberha, who came in averaging 22.2 points. “They were pressuring me, doubling me. They knew before the game [Riverside] would be doubling me hard.”

The first half, in which Northridge took a 28-26 lead, was more frantic than fulfilling. Part of the problem: Each side’s marquee scorer was shut out. Efevberha, who had a school-record 39 points against Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, was 0 for 6 and also missed his only free throw. Riverside’s Rickey Porter, who scored 40 in an upset of Pacific on Saturday, was 0 for 4. Porter finished with two points.

Mike Terry

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Pepperdine 55, San Diego 54 -- Michael Gerrity scored 14 points and Chase Griffin had 12 as the Waves (5-9, 1-1 West Coast Conference) held off the Toreros (10-5, 0-2) despite going scoreless for nearly the final three minutes at Firestone Fieldhouse.

San Diego’s Ross DeRogatis missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer. Gerrity’s two free throws with 2:48 left gave the Waves their final points and their biggest lead at 55-49.

Gyno Pomare and Nick Lewis each scored 11 points for San Diego.

Loyola Marymount 84, San Francisco 75 -- Matthew Knight had 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Lions (5-11, 2-0 WCC) past the Dons (5-10, 1-1) in double overtime at Gersten Pavilion.

Armondo Surratt had 23 points for the Dons, who erased a 15-point halftime deficit.

Pacific 83, Cal State Fullerton 74 -- Christian Maraker had 26 points and 14 rebounds, and the Tigers (10-5, 1-1 Big West) went on a 12-0 run in the final five minutes to win at Stockton. Bobby Brown had 22 points for Fullerton (8-5, 2-2).

Long Beach 79, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 66 -- Shawn Hawkins had 15 points and 11 rebounds and the 49ers (6-7, 1-1 Big West) outscored the Mustangs (4-10, 2-2), 52-30, in the second half for the victory at San Luis Obispo.

Derek Stockalper had 18 points for San Luis Obispo, which committed 24 turnovers.

UC Irvine 70, UC Santa Barbara 66-- Ross Schraeder scored 11 of his 14 points in the final 14:10 and the Anteaters (6-8, 2-0 Big West) made 11 three-pointers overall to snap the Gauchos’ seven-game home winning streak. Cecil Brown had 15 points in the second half for the Gauchos (6-8, 1-3).