Dec. 29, 2008

Box Score

Fullerton, Calif. - Deon Tresvant scored 20 points and Willie Gallick added 17 along with a game-high 13 rebounds Monday night as Cal State Northridge routed Cal State Fullerton, 90-64, in both teams' Big West Conference opener.

The Matadors improved to 4-7 overall with their first road win in eight tries while Fullerton lost its first home game after four wins to fall to 6-7.

Aaron Thompson led Fullerton with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Josh Akognon, among the nation's scoring leaders at 25.8 points per game, was held to eight points, failing to score in double figures for only the fourth time in his Titan career and the first time in the past 25 games dating to last season.

Northridge shot a blistering 64 percent from the 3-point line, making 14 of 22, and finished at 60 percent overall from the floor. Fullerton shot only 36 percent overall and only 30 percent from the 3-point arc.

The margin of defeat was the worst at home in Coach Bob Burton's 6-year Titan career and Fullerton's worst home defeat since a 72-46 loss to UC Irvine on Feb. 2, 2002. It was the most lopsided loss to CSUN since the 1964-65 season.

Northridge jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never trailed. The Titans got within a point at 15-14 on a Thompson jumper at 12:38 but they didn't score again until Gerard Anderson made a free throw with 5:42 to go in the half, stopping a 15-0 Matadors' run. The half ended with CSUN ahead, 40-24, after shooting 60 percent to Fullerton's 30 percent from both the floor overall and the 3-point line.

Fullerton appeared to get into the game early in the second half. Marcio Lassiter's basket made the score 49-40 with 15:19 to play. But the Matadors hit their next five 3-point shot attempts -- by four different players -- and it was 68-48 with 10:58 remaining.

Northridge won the rebounding battle, 41-31, and had 21 assists on 34 baskets.

Fullerton plays at UC Irvine on Saturday while CSUN hosts Pacific on Friday night.