By NORTHRIDGE – Despite an inspiring performance from junior guard TJ Wainwright, who poured in a game-high 27 points on 6-7 shooting from three, Long Beach State men’s basketball came up short 86-76 to the Cal State Northridge Matadors on Thursday night.
The Beach’s third straight loss drops them to 3-5 in Big West play and 7-13 overall.
LBSU was physically dominated from the tipoff with CSUN getting on the board three seconds into the game with a dunk, a preview of what would come the rest of the night.
Matadors’ sophomore forward Marcus Adams Jr. set the tone with eight points in the first two minutes to help open up an early 10-point advantage with the score 18-8 in favor of the Matadors early in the first half.
“Just like the last game, I feel like we didn’t come out ready to go. It is really disappointing,” Wainwright said. “I feel like we are a lot better than we are showing, we work really hard.”
CSUN’s quick-tempo offense was effective early on as it got easy baskets in transition and knocked down shots from the perimeter.
The difference maker in this game was rebounding. The Matadors imposed their will on the glass, outrebounding The Beach 39-23.
A game-high 16 offensive rebounds for CSUN to LBSU’s six led to numerous second and third-chance opportunities that were back-breakers for The Beach’s multiple attempts at a comeback.
“Credit to them, and to every team that has bullied us on the boards. I think everyone has the same agenda when they play Long Beach State and that’s crash the boards, they’re not going to box out,” LBSU head coach Chris Acker said.
The Beach fought to keep things close with a 9-4 run powered by three consecutive triples by Wainwright and freshman guard Kam Martin that brought the deficit to single digits ahead of a CSUN timeout.
CSUN won the physical battle with The Beach in this highly emotional contest with things getting chippy throughout. A no-call on one end prompted Acker to pick up a technical foul to the delight of the rowdy CSUN student section that heckled The Beach bench all night.
With LBSU down 57-35 at the half, it was evident that CSUN was the more confident team and it showed in its play.
The CSUN lead ballooned to as much as 28, but a 14-2 LBSU run capitulated by Wainwright’s hot hand brought The Beach back into the contest as they showed life for the first time all night.
As his low-arching threes started to fall, tensions rose as Wainwright’s emotions were visible and loud.
Following a CSUN timeout, Wainwright forced a turnover on the defensive side of the ball and his reaction was costly as he was assessed a technical foul. The crowd of just under 1,000 at the Premier America Credit Union Arena were antagonistic with their celebration of the call.
Despite the chaotic atmosphere, the comeback progressed but ultimately was upheld, as the closest The Beach lowered the second-half deficit to was just 10 points at 81-71 in favor of the Matadors.
The dagger was a three-pointer hit by CSUN senior guard PJ Fuller II off of a second-chance opportunity that encapsulated the struggles of The Beach.
Senior guard Devin Askew’s double-double of 10 points and 10 assists wasn’t enough to match the scoring depth of CSUN which had six Matadors finish with double-figures.
The Beach are back on the road this Saturday afternoon as they travel north to face a struggling Cal Poly San Luis Obispo team at 2 p.m.
