Northridge Win Follows Coach’s Loss

Northridge’s 77-66 Big Sky Conference victory over visiting Eastern Washington on Saturday night lifted the Matadors out of emotional doldrums.

First-year Coach Bobby Braswell’s older brother, Victor, had died earlier in the day of undetermined causes and Northridge players weren’t even sure Braswell would show up.

Braswell said he chose to coach Saturday because “I’ve got two families, my immediate family at home and this family here. I didn’t think I could abandon this family either.”

Northridge trailed, 35-28, at halftime and was still behind, at 41-34, when Lucky Grundy made a three-pointer with 15:47 to play. Moments later, Derrick Higgins dunked an offensive rebound. It was the first of four Northridge dunks in five minutes, giving the Matadors a 53-46 lead and starting them on their way to their second victory in two Big Sky Conference games. Northridge is 6-6 overall, the latest in a season it has been .500 since going 7-7 in 1992-93.

“That man is our leader,” Northridge forward Tom Samson said of Braswell, who delivered an emotional challenge to his players at the break. “He tells us we can beat anyone on our schedule. When he told us [at halftime] we responded.”

Higgins led Northridge with 14 points.