CSUN Buries Chico State by 15 Points

Earlier this week, a number of Cal State Northridge women basketball players gathered outside the gym and lit up victory cigars a la Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics. They had just beaten Cal Lutheran by 34 points.

The Lady Matadors lit up again Friday afternoon and snuffed out previously unbeaten Chico State, 61-46.

“Our defense worked really well,” said CSUN Coach Leslie Milke. “This was our best defensive performance. But the reason we got ahead was because we did a good job on the boards--especially on the offensive boards. That’s what helped us.”

Early in the game, Milke’s team was unable to shake the Wildcats. It wasn’t so much that Chico State was playing well, but that neither team was able to get untracked.

Turnovers plagued both sides in the first half. Chico had 16, CSUN had 11.

But the Wildcats managed to stay within five points of the Lady Matadors, mostly by pounding the ball inside to center Laura Ezell and forward Deann Carlson.

And when CSUN’s defense stiffened, the Wildcats were forced to hit from the outside. Chico made only nine of 27 shots in the half.

With the Matadors ahead, 22-18, guard Julie Middleton hit a 15-foot set shot from the right side to put CSUN up by six.

The first half ended with CSUN leading, 31-25.

That was as close as Chico State would come. After hitting 33% of their shots in the first half, the Wildcats slumped to 27% in the second, hitting eight of 29.

While Chico was missing shots, CSUN piled up the points. Northridge limited Chico to 21 second-half points. During one five-minute stretch, the Lady Matadors outscored the Wildcats, 9-0. Joanne Hernandez ended the skid for Chico when she hit a short jumper with 6:25 left, but by that time CSUN had built a 17-point lead.

Chico State had more height, but CSUN controlled the boards. CSUN finished with a 49-44 rebounding advantage.

Denise Sitton led the Matadors in rebounding with 12. Regan O’Hara pulled down 11.

Sitton, who also led the team in scoring with 13 points, and Tara Flanagan, who added 12, went to work inside for easy baskets.