Northridge Gets Best of Worst, 84-68

NORTHRIDGE — The best and worst of Cal State Northridge was on display Wednesday night.

But because the worst always happens to Cal State Sacramento, the Matadors won their second Big Sky Conference game in a row, 84-68, before 587 at Northridge.

The Hornets are nearing the NCAA record of 38 losses in a row, having lost 32 games in a row, including 15 this season.

Against Northridge, Sacramento had 28 turnovers, including one errant pass that spilled a can of soda all over the scorer’s table.

Northridge (11-8, 3-4 in the Big Sky) can be alternately futile and brilliant, a pattern that didn’t change simply because the opponent was Sacramento.

“We need to focus from beginning to end,” said Markus Carr, a freshman point guard who had a season-high 13 assists.

The Matadors started with heat. Full-court pressure caused turnovers on Sacramento’s first four possessions and Northridge led, 9-0. Soon it was 23-6, then 41-21.

A freeze followed. Helped by five Northridge turnovers, Sacramento staged a 21-7 run in the last five minutes of the half and pulled to within 48-42, mostly on the three-point shooting of freshman guards Rene Jacques and Nate Murase.

Northridge led, 55-46, but turnovers and hasty shots crept in and Sacramento pulled to within 61-60 with 10:26 to play.

Defensive intensity returned for the Matadors just in time, with Sacramento scoring on only one of 10 possessions, and Northridge built its lead to 80-62.

Senior guard Derrick Higgins was perfect on eight shots and four free throws for 20 points.

Higgins normally lets his actions speak for him, but a players-only meeting he called before a game at Montana on Sunday helped end a three-game skid and has resulted in back-to-back victories for the first time in a month.

“I told everybody it was time for a reality check,” Higgins said. “I said, ‘We gotta wake up.’ People have said we are the most talented team in the Big Sky. If that’s true, we have to show it.”

Post players Andre Larry, Brian Heinle and Jeff Parris each made five shots on a combined 23 tries and Northridge shot 61%.

Sacramento came in shooting 39%, but sometimes Matador defense cures any woes. Teams shoot better against Northridge than against any team in the conference and the Hornets made 60% in the first half.

The Matadors tightened up down the stretch and Sacramento made only 39% in the second half.

“I thought we played really well in spurts,” Coach Bobby Braswell said. “We started well than all of a sudden something snapped. We are immature and we do not handle leads well. But we came out in the second half and attacked well defensively.”

Matador notes

Greg Minor and Jermar Welch of Northridge had the flu, leaving the Matadors with nine players. . . . President Blenda J. Wilson of Northridge and Sam Jankovich, interim athletic director, were in attendance for the second time this season.