CSUN Battles UC Irvine Thursday, Heads to UC Riverside Next
CSUN Men’s Basketball aims to maintain its position atop the Big West standings this week. The team is set to host UC Irvine on Thursday at 7 p.m., followed by a Saturday road game against UC Riverside at 5 p.m. Both matchups will be available on ESPN+, with audio broadcasts provided by GoMatadors.com/Radio.
Big West Race Intensifies
Currently, CSUN leads a competitive race in the Big West. With a record of 18-10 overall and 11-5 in conference play, the Matadors are tied for first place alongside UC Irvine and Hawai’i. Only four league games remain, increasing the stakes for these teams.
The standings are tightening beneath the leaders as UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal State Fullerton are all contenders in fourth place with 10-7 records. Meanwhile, UC San Diego closely trails at 9-7, and Cal Poly occupies the crucial eighth spot at 8-8. CSUN holds tiebreakers against UCSB, UC San Diego, and Cal Poly.
Recent Highlights
Last week, CSUN achieved a thrilling victory against UC Santa Barbara. Rallying from a 13-point deficit, CSUN won 85-83 in overtime. Key contributions came from Josiah Davis, who scored a career-high 31 points, along with 14 rebounds.
The Matadors extended their winning streak to seven games with a narrow 78-76 victory over Long Beach State. Davis led the team again, scoring 21 points and providing nine assists, while his teammate Joshua O’Garro added 13 points.
Josiah Davis: Player of the Week
Josiah Davis’s impressive performance earned him multiple player of the week honors on February 23. He averaged 26.0 points and 8.0 assists over two games. This recognition includes the Lute Olson Award and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week accolades.
CSUN and UC Irvine Showdown
Looking ahead, CSUN’s matchup against UC Irvine promises to be competitive. The Anteaters, who have a record of 18-10 and 11-5 in conference play, have excelled in scoring defense this season. They limit opponents to just 67.8 points per game and rank first in blocks per game with 6.0.
Player Profiles: UC Irvine
- Jurian Dixon: Leading scorer with 15.6 points per game.
- Kyle Evans: Second in Big West rebounding, averaging 8.8 rebounds per game.
- Derin Saran: Contributes 11.3 points per game.
Upcoming Challenge Against UC Riverside
After facing UC Irvine, CSUN heads to UC Riverside on Saturday. The Highlanders have a record of 9-20 overall and 4-13 in the conference but recently defeated Cal State Bakersfield. With the league’s third-best average of 4.2 blocks per game, Riverside poses a challenge.
Player Profiles: UC Riverside
- Andrew Henderson: Averaging 17.9 points per game, placing third in the Big West.
- Marqui Worthy: Contributing 15.7 points per game.
- Osiris Grady: Adding 10.6 points per game.
As CSUN gears up for these pivotal matchups, they are on the lookout for continued success in their pursuit of the Big West title.
