'Runners can't find touch in final minutes
| Monday, Nov 30 2009 10:58 PM
Last Updated Monday, Nov 30 2009 10:59 PM
NORTHRIDGE -- It was a game for the taking, but ended in another frustrating loss for Cal State Bakersfield Monday night.
The Roadrunners (1-3) rallied in the second half but missed some inside shots down the stretch, and Cal State Northridge made most of its late free throws for an 81-74 victory in the Matadome.
"These games on the road, (against) Big West teams, we like to compete and win these games," said CSUB junior point guard Donavan Bragg, who scored a career-high 26 points. "To put out all the energy tonight and not get the win was very frustrating."
The Matadors (3-3) put the game away by hitting 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:51. And the missed free throw was rebounded by Northridge's Kenny Daniels, who was fouled and hit two free throws.
Northridge had a 50-48 rebounding edge despite CSUB holding a 10-rebound edge at one point. The Matadors had 12 offensive rebounds in the second half.
"When it comes down to winning and losing games, especially close games on the road, it's really not somebody making big plays," said CSUB coach Keith Brown. "It's about extra possessions and those types of things.
"Northridge got the extra possessions in the final minutes of the game at the free throw line, and that made a difference in the game. ...Obviously we need to do a better job of boxing out."
CSUB hit only 1-of-8 shots in the last five minutes before Bragg's layup with 33 seconds left made it 77-72. But that's as close as the Roadrunners got.
Freshman guard Stephon Carter had his CSUB career-highs with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Trent Blakley had 14 points and Bryan Emanuel had 11 points while playing his typical gung-ho defense that led to three steals. Santwon Latunde was held to three points on 1-of-8 shooting but had a career-high five assists by finding the open man when he was double-teamed.
"They're very competitive and they make you make turnovers," Emanuel said. "We had to come out and be poised, be smart and not play at their tempo."
CSUB controlled the tempo for most of the first half, but Northridge ran off the final 16 points of the half to take a 42-34 halftime lead. It was the second straight game CSUB hit a scoring drought to end the first half. UCLA ended the first half on a 10-0 run in its 75-64 win on Nov. 20.
"It wasn't our transition defense that was bad," Brown said. "It was our shot selection. ... We settled for 3s early (on various possessions) and fired it up from a number of positions. That was not the game plan. It makes playing transition defense really difficult when you turn it over and when you make bad shots and quick shots."
Northridge's Vinnie McGhee had 19 points, including two clutch 3-pointers with less than six minutes to play that put the Matadors ahead to stay. Daniels added 16 and Lenny Daniel had 12 points and 14 rebounds.
CSUB is at UC Riverside on Wednesday.
