Matadors cash in on 'Runners' miscues, 76-68
| Saturday, Jan 28 2012 10:33 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Jan 28 2012 10:35 PM
It was a game of defense Saturday night in the Icardo Center.
Cal State Northridge played with intensity; CSU Bakersfield didn't on a consistent basis.
The Roadrunners fell behind for good nine minutes into the game and Northridge went on to a 76-68 victory, dropping CSUB back to .500 (11-11) with its second straight loss.
CSUB had 20 turnovers, which the Matadors (6-12) converted into 35 points. Northridge snapped a three-game losing streak with only its third win over a Division I program this season.
"We played horrible defense," said CSUB senior forward Donald Johnson, who had 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. "We all did a bad job."
Usually sure-handed junior point guard Issiah Grayson had six turnovers and Stephon Carter had five.
"I had a lack of focus," said Grayson, who had 15 points, nine assists and four steals. "I should have learned off the first two turnovers (in the game's first four minutes) when he was sitting on my cross-over (dribble). It's something I've got to get better at."
When the Roadrunners were on defense, they gave Northridge far too many open looks, and the Matadors kept knocking their shots down. Northridge finished 25-of-41 from the field (61 percent) and 8-of-15 on 3s.
"Their guys can put the ball on the floor and get into the gaps of our team," CSUB coach Rod Barnes said. "We don't defend those teams well. ... They penetrated and created shots for other guys. We were not on top of our team defensively."
Northridge hit 4-of-5 shots to open the game, with two 3-pointers, and was 11-of-17 at the final media timeout of the first half with 3:34 left.
"The biggest problem was right in the beginning," Barnes said. "They got some great looks and it gave them confidence, and when you've got a team that's been struggling the way they have ... and you give them an opportunity for a win."
Barnes added: "We could not close them down. That's something we've got to work on."
Northridge led 41-35 at halftime and scored the first seven points in the second half to build the first of three separate 13-point leads.
The Roadrunners pulled within four points three times in the final 3:40 but the Matadors responded each time. Northridge, the leading free throw shooting team in the Big West Conference, sank 9-of-10 free throws in the final 3:22 to thwart any chance of a Roadrunner comeback win.
It was CSUB's second straight loss after a four-game winning streak.
"We won four in a row, then got a little lackadaisical," Barnes said. "We thought it would be easy. We've got to get more focused. ... We know we're good enough to beat anyone on our schedule, but also anyone can beat us on our schedule.
"We let a wounded team that was hungry for a win (beat us). We never took control of the game. When you turn it over that easily you're not ever going to take control of it."
Carter and Zach Lam added 12 points each for CSUB. Stephan Hicks led Northridge with 26 points.
Notes: It was CSUB's first loss to a Big West Conference school this season after six wins. ... Grayson was knocked out of the game briefly late in the second half after dislocating the index finger of his right hand. He was able to return after having the finger popped back into place. ... CSUB is at New Mexico State on Wednesday, a 5:30 p.m. game Pacific time that will be televised on Channel 45. Cal Poly faces CSUB in the Icardo Center next Saturday. After that, CSUB has only two home games left this season.
