Northridge Can’t Quite Hit Target
NORTHRIDGE — The improvement in the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team is immediately evident to the casual observer. The Matadors can run, play defense, force turnovers and handle the ball.
They can shoot too. It’s just that most of the shots don’t go in the basket.
And when they play a team that shoots accurately, they can’t keep pace, making all their running, defending and ball-handling a 40-minute exercise in futility.
Perennial Big Sky Conference power Montana made seven of 11 three-point shots in the first half and rolled over the earnest but cold-shooting Matadors, 71-48, Thursday night at Northridge.
At least Northridge can take consolation knowing the Grizzlies (21-4, 11-0 in Big Sky play) treat nearly every opponent this way. Montana has won every conference game this season by at least nine points and stretched its conference winning streak to 29.
The Matadors (9-10, 5-4), meanwhile, are slipping back to the pack after beginning Big Sky play by winning five of six. Shooting performances such as the 31.6% effort against Montana are facilitating the slide.
“We don’t have any offense,” Coach Michael Abraham said. “We get good looks but can’t put the shots away.”
Montana cooled off from long range in the second half, making only two more three-pointers, but maintained a comfortable lead by making 18 of 26 free throws and getting numerous second chances by grabbing 24 offensive rebounds.
Early on, Northridge stayed even. A layup by Neda Milic after a sharp pass by Edniesha Curry tied the score, 17-17, with 9:40 to play in the first half and it appeared the Matadors would keep the score much closer than the 75-38 loss at Montana two weeks ago.
But Northridge went 5:35 without scoring, and Montana blew it open, 41-25 by halftime.
“We aren’t experienced enough to survive a lull like that,” Abraham said.
Montana’s lead grew to 60-32 with 9:25 remaining before play dissolved into the chaotic run-and-gun of a game hopelessly one-sided. Northridge made only two of six three-pointers and was outrebounded, 52-33.
Most encouraging for Northridge was the play of Milic, a 6-foot-1 freshman forward from Belgrade, Serbia, who had 10 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 8:26 to play.
Milic must continue to play well because 6-4 center Maya Muzurovic is out indefinitely after spraining the medial collateral ligament in her right knee Saturday against Northern Arizona. Muzurovic, also from Serbia, had been the Matadors’ most effective post player the past 10 games.
Curry, a freshman guard who leads Northridge with a 15.9 scoring average, had 13 points but made only six of 18 shots, including one of two three-pointers.
Abraham said his team spent all week preparing for Saturday’s game against Montana State. In other words, he knew the Matadors had no chance against Montana.
The next five games are against opponents Northridge defeated the first time around the Big Sky, giving the coach reason for optimism.
“Not having Maya hurts us, but overall I’m ecstatic about the way we played against a veteran opponent,” Abraham said.
