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With the loss, Illinois State falls to 5-3 overall, while Cal
State-Northridge improves to 5-3. The Matadors took the first
decisive run of the game with a 13-4 spurt at the start of the
second half, including nine points by Mike Efevberha, and held a
51-41 lead with 9:28 remaining in the contest. The Redbirds chipped
away at the double-digit deficit and closed the gap to 51-44 with
5:50 on the clock.
The Matadors rattled off six straight points and regained a 57-44
lead, setting up the 3-point heroics by Illinois State. Nedu Onyeuku
buried the first of six 3s at the 1:35 mark as the Redbirds closed
to within 60-54. Following a jumper and free throw by Efevberha,
Ford dropped in a trey to bring the deficit back to six points at
63-57.
CSUN's Jonathan Heard sank a pair of free throws to extend the
margin to 65-57, but a Brandon Holtz 3-pointer made the score 65-60.
After Efevberha missed one of his free-throw attempts on
back-to-back two-shot trips to the line, 3-pointers by Onyeuku and
Neil Plank closed the gap to 67-66 with 26 seconds on the clock.
Efevberha was fouled again, but made both charity attempts;
however, Ford's 3-pointer from atop the key forced a 69-69 tie with
20 seconds left in the game. On the ensuing play, Holtz put pressure
on Efevberha in the corner of the court on a trap but was whistled
for the foul. The Matadors' leading scorer stepped to the line and
sank both free-throw attempts for his 27th point of the night,
including 23 in the second half. Ford launched another 3-pointer
from the left wing for the win, but it bounced short off the rim.
CSUN's Thomas Shewmake was fouled and hit a pair of free throws for
the final margin.
[to top of second column]
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 The two teams battled to a 30-30 tie in the first frame amidst
six lead changes. The Redbird defense stifled the Matadors,
including Efevberha, who was held to 1-for-6 shooting and four
points in the first half. CSUN countered its 36.4 first-half field
goal percentage with a 12-for-12 effort from the foul line on ISU's
10 personal fouls. Holtz led the charge for the Redbirds with a
career-best eight points in the initial frame, including six points
off a pair of treys.
Holtz finished with a career-best 11 points, while Ford led the
Redbirds with 15 points and Onyueku added 14. Plank finished with 10
points, a team-high seven rebounds and seven assists.
Illinois State returns to action on Thursday when the Redbirds
open up Missouri Valley Conference play at Indiana State. Tipoff is
scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Central time.
[Todd Kober,
assistant athletics director, media relations,
Illinois
State University]
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