CSUN Women Shoot Poorly, Play Sluggishly in 75-44 Loss

Just when you thought it was safe to watch the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team again. . . .

The Matadors, who played their best game of the year in a three-point loss to Long Beach State on Dec. 19, came back from their holiday break and played horribly Thursday night, losing, 75-44, to University of the Pacific in a nonconference game before 143 in the Matador Gym.

“This was our most disappointing loss of the year,” Coach Michael Abraham said. “This team was supposed to be making positive steps and today we took a huge step backward.”

The Matadors (1-9) shot 23% from the floor and turned the ball over 29 times. Their two key seniors--Carrie Dormire and Maureen Batiste--shot a combined six for 28. They each scored nine points, leading the team.

“This was a whole different team [from the Long Beach game],” said a teary Dormire. “It’s not the way we practiced. It’s hard to come off a game like Long Beach and play like this. I definitely didn’t play well.”

The game fell apart for Northridge quickly.

The Tigers (4-4), who had lost three in a row, reeled off 16 points in a row to take an 18-3 lead. They were simply beating the sluggish Matadors to the basket and making easy layups.

After that run, Northridge woke up and played the Tigers evenly for the rest of the half. Stronger defense combined with hot three-point shooting by Dormire, who hit three in a row, pulled Northridge within 27-20.

The Matadors could get no closer before halftime, but they got within seven again, 34-27, early in the second half.

The highlights ended there. The Tigers steadily added to their lead and the Matadors seemed to play worse as the final minutes ticked away in their eighth consecutive loss.

“This is a game of effort and I’m going to have to find some players on our team or recruit some who are going to play with some effort,” Abraham said.

“We’ll definitely see some changes for the next game. I’m not going to stand pat and accept this kind of effort.”