College men’s basketball: Matadors Green with envy

Richard Dunn

NORTHRIDGE - Jerry Green has made so many game-winning shots in his

career that he no longer keeps track of such frivolous items.

“I really don’t keep count. I’m just glad that I hit the shot,” the UC

Irvine senior standout said of his 18-foot fade away with 16 seconds left

Thursday night to seal the visiting Anteaters’ 82-80 Big West Conference

men’s basketball victory over Cal State Northridge before 1,509 at the

Matadome.

“I kind of saved the day for us,” Green added. “I like to take the

last shot. I’m just glad it went in.”

As customary, the Anteaters were pushed to the brink in another Big

West battle as the conference co-leaders (with Utah State) rallied late

with three-pointers by Green (game-high 22 points) with 2:05 to play to

tie the game, 76-76, and by guard Mike Hood with 1:21 left to give UCI a

79-76 lead.

“Both games against Cal State Northridge were hard-fought contests. We

swapped favors,” said UCI Coach Pat Douglass, whose team (18-7, 11-3 in

the Big West) lost to Northridge, 73-72, in overtime Jan. 19 at the Bren

Events Center to snap Irvine’s school-record 19-game home winning streak.

Following Hood’s trey, Jermar Welch scored his only bucket for Cal

State Northridge on a putback with 47 seconds to play. Then UCI lost

possession after a loose ball on the floor, in which Hood picked up his

fifth foul.

Matador point guard Markus Carr (12 points, 10 of 10 from the foul line and 11 assists) put the hosts ahead, 80-79, with two freethrows when

37.3 seconds remained.

On UCI’s ensuing possession, Douglass said he was looking for one of

three options: Get it inside to 7-foot sophomore center Adam Parada, to

Jordan Harris at the high post or to Green.

On defense, Cal State Northridge’s Gene Myvett fell down on the play

and when Carr came over to help him up, Green dribbled away from them and

eventually got an open look.

“That kind of helped me out a lot,” Green said of Myvett falling to

the floor.

Carr’s shot attempt to win it for Northridge wouldn’t fall in the

closing seconds and, after a mad scramble with the ball loose on the

floor, UCI was awarded possession to ice the win. Green added a free

throw with 2.5 seconds left to provide UCI with its margin of victory.

“They made me alter my shot a little,” said Carr, who draws attention

from NBA scouts.

Cal State Northridge (8-14, 7-6) in the first half built a 30-26 lead

in the first half after a 13-0 scoring run. Curtis Slaughter scored 15 of

his season-high 20 points in the first half to lead the Matadors. He

canned 4 of 5 three-point attempts in the first half.

In addition to Green, Hood and Parada finished with 17 points each,

while Harris (11 points) and Stanislav Zuzak (10) also finished in double

figures. Harris led the Anteaters with 10 rebounds, while Green dished

out four assists and Parada added four steals and three blocks.

“It was a great win for us, especially after last Saturday night,”

said Douglass, whose team lost to Utah State at home, 62-61.

Northridge, which has now lost four straight, was also led by Lionel

Benjamin’s 16 points. UCI will be at University of the Pacific Saturday

night for a 7:05 tip-off.