Matadors Get Perfect Score Entering Finals

NORTHRIDGE — Scoring 100 points in a blowout victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday put Cal State Northridge players in the perfect frame of mind for finals this week.

Keep that number in your heads, fellows. One hundred is a mighty fine test score, too.

“We needed to finish last week strong, so finals week is not a drag on anybody,” Coach Bobby Braswell said. “I do think we are getting better.”

After this week, winter break begins and classes do not resume until the last week of January, well into the Big Sky Conference schedule.

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Brian Hagens, a 6-7 junior forward who transferred from New Orleans at the semester break last winter, will be eligible beginning next week. Hagens has practiced all season with the Matadors.

“He is the most perimeter-oriented of our post guys,” Braswell said. “He can handle the ball the best. He’ll give us another look. He can step away from the basket and score, and he’s a great rebounder, too.”

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The Northridge women’s basketball team also takes momentum into finals week after beating Long Beach State, 69-66, Sunday night at Northridge.

It marked the first victory over Long Beach State since 1977 and was especially gratifying for Matador Coach Michael Abraham, who served as a Long Beach assistant from 1984-90.

“We set a goal for ourselves to beat L.A.-based teams,” Abraham said. “We want to do as well as we can in the Southland because it will help in recruiting.”

Northridge (2-4) led Long Beach by 15 points at halftime, but blew all but one point of the lead. Freshman guard hit a three-point shot with 50 seconds to play to keep Northridge ahead.