Chevalier Caps Rally to Give CSUN 4th Win in Row

The coach said that it was pure coincidence.

But he said it with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

With the clock running down and Cal State Northridge at a one-point disadvantage, the ball should be in only one place as far as Matador Coach Pete Cassidy is concerned: Andre Chevalier’s hands.

Which is exactly where it was Saturday night when, with 12 seconds to play, Chevalier started a whirling-dervish drive to the basket that concluded with the ball banking in off the glass for Northridge’s 87-86 win over Northern Arizona in a nonconference basketball game at Matador Gym. “I’m glad it was Andre who had the ball,” Cassidy said.

Chevalier’s winning shot fell through the net with nine seconds left. A desperation three-point attempt at the buzzer by Northern Arizona’s Demetreus Robbins fell far short of the rim, giving Northridge (6-7) its first four-game win streak in 2 1/2 seasons of competing in Division I.

“Everybody gets their night when they’re hot,” said Chevalier, who scored a game-high 24 points. “Lucky tonight it was me.”

Chevalier, a junior guard, scored 18 points in the second half and 11 in the final six minutes as the Matadors rallied from a nine-point deficit.

Northern Arizona (4-6) led, 76-67, with 6:23 to play when Chevalier sparked a 9-2 run by making one of his four three-point baskets. Northern Arizona regained the lead, and held an 85-80 edge with 1:30 left, but Chevalier and Peter Micelli each made three free throws in the next 20 seconds.

A free throw by Jason Word with 1:18 to play allowed Northern Arizona to cling to a one-point advantage and the Lumberjacks had the ball with less than a minute left when Chevalier batted it off the knee of Robbins and it rolled out of bounds to give Northridge possession.

The Matadors called time out with 34 seconds remaining and Cassidy said he gave instructions to “spread the ball around and take what they give us.”

The Lumberjacks, who had a three-game winning streak snapped, didn’t give much.

Chevalier started his drive up the right side of the key, spun clockwise around a defender, twisted, and flipped in an underhanded bank shot. “I can’t even explain it,” he said of the shot.

He wasn’t the only person perplexed by the way the game ended.

Harold Merritt, Northern Arizona’s coach, blasted the officiating and said he would “consider whether we’re ever going to come back to play (at Northridge) again.”

The Lumberjacks were called for seven more fouls than Northridge. The Matadors took two more free throws than Northern Arizona, making 24 of 31 to the Lumberjacks’ 16 of 29.

“I thought we got screwed by the officials, flat out,” Merritt said. “It was every call down the stretch.”

Merritt was particularly incensed by a call with 5:39 to play that sent James Morris of Northridge to the free-throw line and Ken Bosket of Northern Arizona to the bench with his fifth foul.

Bosket, who scored 12 points off the bench, was called for blocking. Merritt said Morris should have been called for charging. The Lumberjacks led, 76-70, before Morris made both shots.

Northern Arizona, which shot a season-high 56.1%, was paced by Jason Word, who scored 21 points. Word’s brother, Benny, added 18.

Northridge had five players in double figures, including Micelli, who had 17--his first double-digit performance in nine games. Morris added 16, Brooklyn McLinn had 11 and Chris Yard had 10.