Tough Schedule Means Big Payoff for Northridge

NORTHRIDGE — Part of the reason is money, Bobby Braswell readily admits, but providing his players a wealth of experience is more important.

The Cal State Northridge men’s basketball team will open its season in November with trips to Arizona State and Oregon State. A month later, the Matadors visit Ohio State and Ohio, then play in a tournament at Fresno State.

Padding a schedule with patsies this is not.

Northridge is guaranteed $30,000 or more, plus expenses, to step into hostile arenas against established programs to try to emerge unscathed.

“This is what mid-level Division I programs do to survive financially,” said Braswell, who led the Matadors to a 14-15 record in his first season.

“But the main reason to play a tough schedule is that by taking lumps early, we will be a better team in the end.”

Which is the whole point. The champion of the season-ending Big Sky Conference tournament gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Northridge, despite its losing overall record, came close last year, falling to Montana in the Big Sky final.

“Padding the schedule with soft games early, winning 18, 19 games, then losing in the (Big Sky) tournament won’t get us into the NCAA tournament,” Braswell said.

Northridge’s only Southern California opponents are Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount and Cal State Dominguez Hills, all home games. UCLA, which beat the Matadors last season, won’t return to the Northridge schedule until next season.

“I will try to play local teams, but my thinking behind scheduling is to do what will make our basketball team better down the stretch, and that might mean travel,” Braswell said.

Most of the Matador players, including the five incoming freshmen, spent the summer playing in leagues at Cal State Los Angeles and L.A. City College. The 10 new players who join returners Trenton Cross, Lucky Grundy, Derrick Higgins and Kevin Taylor will begin what Braswell terms rookie camp the second week of the fall term, which begins Aug. 25.

NCAA rules allow coaches to work with up to three players at a time for two hours a week until practice officially begins Oct. 18. Braswell will add veterans to the workouts by mid-September.

Finding a place to practice is a problem. The Matador gym is undergoing mostly earthquake-related renovations and will not open until November.

“We will be doing some practicing in parks open to the public,” Braswell said. “We are going to get out a little bit.”

And when games begin, get out of town for some seasoning.

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It’s a Date

1997-98 CSUN Men’s Basketball Schedule

* Nov. 16--at Arizona State

* Nov. 20--at Oregon State

* Nov. 29--Pepperdine

* Dec. 2--at University of San Diego

* Dec. 6--Loyola Marymount

* Dec. 15--at Ohio State

* Dec. 17--at Ohio

* Dec. 22-23--at Fresno State Coors Light Classic

* Dec. 29--CS Dominguez Hills

* Jan. 2--at Portland State

* Jan. 5--at Eastern Washington

* Jan. 8--Montana State

* Jan. 10--Montana

* Jan. 15--Sacramento State

* Jan. 17--Weber State

* Jan. 22--Idaho State

* Jan. 31--Northern Arizona

* Feb. 5--at Montana

* Feb. 7--at Montana State

* Feb. 12--Eastern Washington

* Feb. 14--Portland State

* Feb. 19--Weber State

* Feb. 21--Sacramento State

* Feb. 25--Northern Arizona

* Feb. 27--at Idaho State

* March 5-7--Big Sky Conference Tournament