In front of a record-breaking crowd at the Premier America Credit Union Arena, the CSUN women’s basketball team dropped their seventh straight game at the hands of the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 68-53 on Thursday morning.
The Matadors were hosting Education Day, which drew in a crowd of 1,704 spectators, a PACU attendance record.
From the opening tipoff, CSUN came out with a different energy than they had all season long in the first quarter, backed by much-needed energy from the crowd.
CSUN head coach Angie Ned said the energy from the crowd was felt on the court.
“It was great to have the local youth out to experience a collegiate game. The energy was electric,” said Ned.
The first quarter ended with CSUN leading 18-13, backed by a strong offensive showing from center Nnenna Orji, who scored eight first-quarter points. The Matadors fed Orji early, and it worked. It was the second time this season that CSUN led after the end of the first quarter.
Both teams struggled offensively, combining for just 11 points in the quarter. Combined, they shot 4-27 from the field, but it would be enough to keep the Matadors going into the half-up, 24-18.
Orji led the way in scoring with 10 points, as the backcourt duo of Erika Aspajo and Morgan Edwards combined for just three points on just three shots total. CSUN dominated points in the paint, with 18 of their 24 points coming inside the free-throw line.
Defensively, the Matadors kept the Gauchos’ leading scorer, Alyssa Marin, to zero points at the half. Marin came into the game averaging 15.5 points per game, but the senior guard was held to just 12 points on the night.
Both teams’ offenses opened up in the second half. CSUN held steady for much of the third quarter, with a seven-point lead, until a jumper from Olivia Bradley put the Gauchos up, 30-29, capping off an 8-0 run with 4:35 left in the quarter.
CSUN guard Karsen Marshall hit a huge three-pointer a few moments later to put the Matadors back on top, 33-32. That was the last time CSUN led in this one as the Gauchos took the lead right back seconds later, and with a last-second shot from Marin to end the third quarter, UCSB held a four-point lead, 43-39.
The Matadors cut the lead to as small as seven points, but the clutch free throw shooting of Marin and fourth-quarter scoring from Zoe Borter proved too tall for the Matadors. CSUN struggled again in the fourth quarter, getting outscored 25-14.
The Gauchos played a brilliant brand of basketball offensively in the second half, outscoring the Matadors 50-29, shooting 16-27 from the field and 14-17 from the charity stripe.
Orji scored a career-high 16 points. She has been a catalyst for the offense in the last three games, and this is her third straight game with double-digit points.
Marshall was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time since the season opener against La Sierra and scored a career-high 13 points.
“The starting lineup has consistently changed. Karsen [Marshall] was active and did what was asked on both sides of the ball,” said Ned.
Borter was big for the Gauchos. She finished with 20 points, which was her second-most points scored in a game this season.
A key factor in the Matadors’ loss was their inability to capitalize on turnovers. UCSB turned the ball over 18 times, compared to CSUN’s three turnovers.
CSUN shifts their focus to their next game on the road as they travel to Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
