Men’s basketball: Matadors experience season déjà vu in overtime loss at UC Irvine
Photo credit: Jonathan Pobre.
By Alonso Tacanga
Published on Feb. 26, 2012 at Daily Sundial
IRVINE – To say the 16th season of head coach Bobby Braswell’s career at CSUN has been a struggle would be putting it lightly. Already ineligible to play in the Big West Conference Tournament to start the year, Braswell’s Matadors have taken enough tumbles through 2011-12 to ensure the coach will finish with the fewest single-season wins of his CSUN tenure.
On Saturday night at the Bren Events Center, it seemed like the whole dreadful year had been concentrated and put into one single, miserable game: a 94-85 overtime loss against UC Irvine (11-17, 6-8 Big West).
“Déjà vu all over again, seems like a broken record,” Braswell said.
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Published on Feb. 26, 2012 at Daily Sundial
IRVINE – To say the 16th season of head coach Bobby Braswell’s career at CSUN has been a struggle would be putting it lightly. Already ineligible to play in the Big West Conference Tournament to start the year, Braswell’s Matadors have taken enough tumbles through 2011-12 to ensure the coach will finish with the fewest single-season wins of his CSUN tenure.
On Saturday night at the Bren Events Center, it seemed like the whole dreadful year had been concentrated and put into one single, miserable game: a 94-85 overtime loss against UC Irvine (11-17, 6-8 Big West).
“Déjà vu all over again, seems like a broken record,” Braswell said.
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Men’s basketball: Matadors don’t give themselves
chance in last-gasp play, lose to UCR on Senior Night
Photo credit: Tessie Navarro.
By Alonso Tacanga
Published on Feb. 23, 2012 at Daily Sundial
Down two points with 4.3 seconds to go Wednesday night, CSUN head coach Bobby Braswell drew up a play for guard Josh Greene to be the hero who would send his senior teammates off with a win in their last home game of their careers.
Greene, who coming into the game had scored 20 or more points in four of the Matadors’ last five games, got the ball on his own end of the court and dribbled as fast as he could towards the UC Riverside basket.
He also dribbled right into three Highlanders who engulfed him and made him lose the ball as the final horn went off.
“Well, that was not the play,” Braswell said after his team’s 63-61 loss to UC Riverside on Senior Night.
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Published on Feb. 23, 2012 at Daily Sundial
Down two points with 4.3 seconds to go Wednesday night, CSUN head coach Bobby Braswell drew up a play for guard Josh Greene to be the hero who would send his senior teammates off with a win in their last home game of their careers.
Greene, who coming into the game had scored 20 or more points in four of the Matadors’ last five games, got the ball on his own end of the court and dribbled as fast as he could towards the UC Riverside basket.
He also dribbled right into three Highlanders who engulfed him and made him lose the ball as the final horn went off.
“Well, that was not the play,” Braswell said after his team’s 63-61 loss to UC Riverside on Senior Night.
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Men’s basketball: Matadors’ defense not close
to good enough against Gauchos in home loss
Photo credit: Tessie Navarro.
By Alonso Tacanga
Published on Feb. 2, 2012 at Daily Sundial
As the season has progressed, the Matadors’ defensive effort has improved in such manner that at times it has pleased the sometimes-seemingly-unpleasable Bobby Braswell.
Even as the Matadors lost by 46 points at Cal Poly on Jan. 21, Braswell showed satisfaction over his team’s effort and scrappiness.
Fast-forwarding to late Thursday night, however, it was safe to say a lot of the fulfillment the coach felt about his young team went out the window during an 85-70 loss against UC Santa Barbara.
“Our defensive effort wasn’t what I wanted it to be,” Braswell said.
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Published on Feb. 2, 2012 at Daily Sundial
As the season has progressed, the Matadors’ defensive effort has improved in such manner that at times it has pleased the sometimes-seemingly-unpleasable Bobby Braswell.
Even as the Matadors lost by 46 points at Cal Poly on Jan. 21, Braswell showed satisfaction over his team’s effort and scrappiness.
Fast-forwarding to late Thursday night, however, it was safe to say a lot of the fulfillment the coach felt about his young team went out the window during an 85-70 loss against UC Santa Barbara.
“Our defensive effort wasn’t what I wanted it to be,” Braswell said.
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Men’s basketball: Weird night as CSUN uses
second-half defense to blast undermanned Pacifica
Photo by Jonathan Pobre.
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published Dec. 17, 2011 at Daily Sundial
There were less than 20 minutes to go until tip-off of what eventually became a 99-58 CSUN win over Pacifica College Saturday night at the Matadome when CSUN head coach Bobby Braswell received some alarming news.
Pacifica didn’t have enough players to start the game.
“They were telling me, ‘Coach, they only got four players here.’” Braswell said. “My stomach was turning.”
Fortunately for the sake of Braswell’s nerves, two more players made it just in time (driving themselves, it seemed) to start the game, one that was surprisingly close in the first half.
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Published Dec. 17, 2011 at Daily Sundial
There were less than 20 minutes to go until tip-off of what eventually became a 99-58 CSUN win over Pacifica College Saturday night at the Matadome when CSUN head coach Bobby Braswell received some alarming news.
Pacifica didn’t have enough players to start the game.
“They were telling me, ‘Coach, they only got four players here.’” Braswell said. “My stomach was turning.”
Fortunately for the sake of Braswell’s nerves, two more players made it just in time (driving themselves, it seemed) to start the game, one that was surprisingly close in the first half.
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BASKETBALL: We almost never knew you
Men's basketball: Rodrigue Mels' chance at stardom came through others' adversity
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Wednesday, March 19, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Rodrigue Mels always had it in him. His résumé authenticated it: Went to school with an NBA Finals MVP? Check. Played pickup basketball with him and his all-time defensive ace buddy? Check. Won nationwide MVP honors? Check.
Yet the senior’s elbow-rubbing with Tony Parker didn’t help him get a prominent role with the Matadors men’s basketball team coming into the 2008-09 season. His experience going heads up against Bruce Bowen didn’t make him Division-I ready. His MVP trophy from the national junior college tournament was nothing but a memento of a has-been.
CSUN Head Coach Bobby Braswell knew what he was getting in Mels: an athletic guard, a shooter and a scorer. Mels never thrived as a one-on-one stopper, but his active hands made him a defensive treat whenever a pass traveled from an opponent’s hands towards another’s.
“I told Rodrigue he was probably the most talented guy in our program,” Braswell said.
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Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Wednesday, March 19, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Rodrigue Mels always had it in him. His résumé authenticated it: Went to school with an NBA Finals MVP? Check. Played pickup basketball with him and his all-time defensive ace buddy? Check. Won nationwide MVP honors? Check.
Yet the senior’s elbow-rubbing with Tony Parker didn’t help him get a prominent role with the Matadors men’s basketball team coming into the 2008-09 season. His experience going heads up against Bruce Bowen didn’t make him Division-I ready. His MVP trophy from the national junior college tournament was nothing but a memento of a has-been.
CSUN Head Coach Bobby Braswell knew what he was getting in Mels: an athletic guard, a shooter and a scorer. Mels never thrived as a one-on-one stopper, but his active hands made him a defensive treat whenever a pass traveled from an opponent’s hands towards another’s.
“I told Rodrigue he was probably the most talented guy in our program,” Braswell said.
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BASKETBALL: Matadors go down swinging
Men's basketball: CSUN not able to pull off shocker as No. 3 Memphis rallies
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Thursday, March 19, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Kansas City, Mo. – Senior Tremaine Townsend sat red-eyed next to his locker Thursday afternoon as Kenny Daniels approached him to give him a congratulatory hug for having lost.
“We lost. We gave it a good effort,” Daniels said. “I’m not going to hang my head down.”
The silent commendation among the men in tears was warranted following the Matadors’ 81-70 defeat to No. 3 Memphis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. A loss to a team that came into the Sprint Center riding a 25-game winning streak did not spoil the end of the Northridge season; especially not since the almighty Tigers had to dig like miners to pull off a result everyone except the Matadors thought would be effortless.
“People don’t really know of CSUN basketball,” point guard Mark Hill said. “That’s what we wanted to show today.”
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Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Thursday, March 19, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Kansas City, Mo. – Senior Tremaine Townsend sat red-eyed next to his locker Thursday afternoon as Kenny Daniels approached him to give him a congratulatory hug for having lost.
“We lost. We gave it a good effort,” Daniels said. “I’m not going to hang my head down.”
The silent commendation among the men in tears was warranted following the Matadors’ 81-70 defeat to No. 3 Memphis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. A loss to a team that came into the Sprint Center riding a 25-game winning streak did not spoil the end of the Northridge season; especially not since the almighty Tigers had to dig like miners to pull off a result everyone except the Matadors thought would be effortless.
“People don’t really know of CSUN basketball,” point guard Mark Hill said. “That’s what we wanted to show today.”
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BASKETBALL: Dance, Matadors, Dance!
Men's basketball: Matadors defeat nemesis in championship to qualify to NCAA Tournament
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Sunday, March 15, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Anaheim -- It had been one day since CSUN coach Bobby Braswell told ESPN that if he had to pick one of his guys to take a game-deciding shot, he wouldn’t do it. He’d let his team figure that out.
"Somebody would step up,” Braswell said.
On Saturday night, it was Rodrigue Mels one more time. The interview-shy guard wasn’t timid about taking the big shots against the biggest nemesis ever known to Matador: Pacific.
“Rodrigue is unbelievable,” said CSUN guard Kenny Daniels following the Matadors’ 71-66 overtime win over the Tigers in the Big West Tournament Championship game. “He’s been through so much. There was a point in time when he was down because he didn’t even know if he was going to play the next game.”
Mels was bound to get some time on the court following a 28-point night Friday against UC Santa Barbara. The no-brainer paid off. Mels’ 31 minutes at the Anaheim Convention Center turned him into the Big West Conference’s biggest star and got the Matadors in dancing mode. Mels had six of CSUN’s 10 overtime points as Northridge earned its second-ever bid to an NCAA Tournament.
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Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Sunday, March 15, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Anaheim -- It had been one day since CSUN coach Bobby Braswell told ESPN that if he had to pick one of his guys to take a game-deciding shot, he wouldn’t do it. He’d let his team figure that out.
"Somebody would step up,” Braswell said.
On Saturday night, it was Rodrigue Mels one more time. The interview-shy guard wasn’t timid about taking the big shots against the biggest nemesis ever known to Matador: Pacific.
“Rodrigue is unbelievable,” said CSUN guard Kenny Daniels following the Matadors’ 71-66 overtime win over the Tigers in the Big West Tournament Championship game. “He’s been through so much. There was a point in time when he was down because he didn’t even know if he was going to play the next game.”
Mels was bound to get some time on the court following a 28-point night Friday against UC Santa Barbara. The no-brainer paid off. Mels’ 31 minutes at the Anaheim Convention Center turned him into the Big West Conference’s biggest star and got the Matadors in dancing mode. Mels had six of CSUN’s 10 overtime points as Northridge earned its second-ever bid to an NCAA Tournament.
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BASKETBALL: 'Maqnifique'
Men's basketball: Mels' 28 points send Matadors into Big West Tournament final
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Saturday, March 14, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Anaheim -- Rodrigue Mels has learned from one of the best international basketball has to offer. Little-known to the public, the Matador played backyard ball with the Spurs' Tony Parker.
"We went to the same high school," Mels said.
Those years - probably spent getting torched by the All-Star point guard - have come full circle. On Friday night, it was Mels no one could stay in front of.
Mels, from Guadeloupe – which is French territory in the Lesser Antilles – wooed the Anaheim Convention Center with 28 points to fend off UC Santa Barbara, 67-60. The victory put the Matadors in the Big West Tournament final against Pacific (Saturday at 9:00 p.m.).
The winner will go to the NCAA Tournament.
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Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Saturday, March 14, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Anaheim -- Rodrigue Mels has learned from one of the best international basketball has to offer. Little-known to the public, the Matador played backyard ball with the Spurs' Tony Parker.
"We went to the same high school," Mels said.
Those years - probably spent getting torched by the All-Star point guard - have come full circle. On Friday night, it was Mels no one could stay in front of.
Mels, from Guadeloupe – which is French territory in the Lesser Antilles – wooed the Anaheim Convention Center with 28 points to fend off UC Santa Barbara, 67-60. The victory put the Matadors in the Big West Tournament final against Pacific (Saturday at 9:00 p.m.).
The winner will go to the NCAA Tournament.
More>
BASKETBALL: No time to cry
Men's basketball: Matadors lose at Pacific, win outright championship regardless
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Sunday, March 8, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Stockton, Calif. -- A somber, quiet locker room full of long-faced Matadors went from mourning to rejoicing in a matter of seconds after four magical words were uttered Saturday night.
“Long Beach State lost,” someone said.
The disappointed Matadors (15-13, 11-5 Big West), who had just dropped a game for the ninth straight time at the Spanos Center against Pacific – 62-57 –, stopped feeling the sour taste of defeat for a few moments to savor the sweet flavor of being the outright Big West Conference champions and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Long Beach State's (15-14, 10-6) loss at UC Santa Barbara (76-75 and at the buzzer of all things) gave Northridge a title despite its own shortcoming The Matadors got byes directly to the conference semifinals and will play the lowest of the seeds that will remain by Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center.
CSUN senior Rob Haynes had just heard the news also as he stepped out of the room and – even though he might have also wanted to join in on the clapping – showed perturbation at his teammates’ cheers.
“What are they doing in there?” he said frowning.
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Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Sunday, March 8, 2009 in the Daily Sundial
Stockton, Calif. -- A somber, quiet locker room full of long-faced Matadors went from mourning to rejoicing in a matter of seconds after four magical words were uttered Saturday night.
“Long Beach State lost,” someone said.
The disappointed Matadors (15-13, 11-5 Big West), who had just dropped a game for the ninth straight time at the Spanos Center against Pacific – 62-57 –, stopped feeling the sour taste of defeat for a few moments to savor the sweet flavor of being the outright Big West Conference champions and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Long Beach State's (15-14, 10-6) loss at UC Santa Barbara (76-75 and at the buzzer of all things) gave Northridge a title despite its own shortcoming The Matadors got byes directly to the conference semifinals and will play the lowest of the seeds that will remain by Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center.
CSUN senior Rob Haynes had just heard the news also as he stepped out of the room and – even though he might have also wanted to join in on the clapping – showed perturbation at his teammates’ cheers.
“What are they doing in there?” he said frowning.
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BASKETBALL: Baddest in the Big West
Men's basketball: Matadors cruise against Cal Poly, grab top spot in conference
Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Thursday, February 12, 2009 at the Daily Sundial
Wes Dipprey clanged one of Cal Poly’s multiple misses on Wednesday night and, with 13:43 to go and the Matadors ahead by 17, the rebound came right to CSUN forward Willie Galick, who turned around and couldn’t believe what he saw … no one.
Although not by much and not counting the referees, Galick was ahead of every person on the court. Seeing it as his chance to show off his ball-handling prowess in the midst of a walk-in-the-park 67-55 win over Cal Poly at the Matadome, the 6-8 junior decided to rumble ahead in search of two more points via dunk express.
“That’s Willie Jordan right there. Willie was trying to be Michael Jordan,” CSUN point guard Josh Jenkins said.
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Alonso Tacanga / Sports Editor
Published: Thursday, February 12, 2009 at the Daily Sundial
Wes Dipprey clanged one of Cal Poly’s multiple misses on Wednesday night and, with 13:43 to go and the Matadors ahead by 17, the rebound came right to CSUN forward Willie Galick, who turned around and couldn’t believe what he saw … no one.
Although not by much and not counting the referees, Galick was ahead of every person on the court. Seeing it as his chance to show off his ball-handling prowess in the midst of a walk-in-the-park 67-55 win over Cal Poly at the Matadome, the 6-8 junior decided to rumble ahead in search of two more points via dunk express.
“That’s Willie Jordan right there. Willie was trying to be Michael Jordan,” CSUN point guard Josh Jenkins said.
More>