Northridge Loses Temper and Game
On the verge of making a strong statement, Cal State Northridge was undone by a few choice words and fell to Arizona State, 97-91, in an opener Sunday before 4,026 at the University Activity Center.
The Matadors had charged back from a five-point halftime deficit and led by a point with 12 minutes to play when forward Jabari Simmons responded to a foul call by arguing and drawing a technical.
The fouls were Simmons’ fourth and fifth, and Bobby Lazor made three of four free throws. More importantly, the loss of Simmons, a 6-foot-7 junior, made the Matadors thin in the front court.
Senior forward Kevin Taylor injured his right ankle two minutes later, and Northridge was left with freshman Brian Heinle and sophomore Jeffrey Parris--both playing their first collegiate game--to match up with the 6-9 Lazor and 6-8 Mike Batiste.
Lazor scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half and Batiste had 14 points and made several uncontested dunks. All-Pacific 10 guard Jeremy Veal scored a career-high 32 points.
Forward Mike O’Quinn, a senior transfer from Loyola Marymount, led Northridge with 26 points.
