Dec. 30, 2006

Box Score

STOCKTON, Calif. - Sophomore Anthony Brown recorded game-highs of 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Pacific men's basketball team to a 68-64 Big West Conference victory over Cal State Northridge in the conference opener for both teams on Saturday, Dec. 30, at the Alex G. Spanos Center.

With the win, Pacific improved to 4-9 overall (1-0 Big West). Cal State Northridge dropped to 6-6 (0-1 Big West).

The Tigers got off to an early 11-6 lead, but the Matadors turned the tables at the end of the first half, using a 10-2 run over the final 4:05 of the first half to take a 36-30 halftime lead. Senior Michael White (Capitola, Calif.) scored seven of the Tigers' first 13 points, but left the game with a foot injury. Although Pacific hit 11 of 22 shots in the first half, the Tigers were just 1-of-8 from three-point range.

Pacific began the second half by hitting four of its first five shots and used a 12-2 run to take a four point lead (42-38) with 16:16 left. An 8-3 run by Cal State Northridge gave the Matadors a 46-45 lead with 12:25 left. After a few lead changes, the Tigers used a 7-0 run to take a 65-58 lead with 3:03 to go. The Matadors then scored the next five points to cut the Tigers' lead to two (65-63) with 1:02 left. Pacific hit three free throws in the final minute to seal the game as the Matadors hit just one free throw the rest of the way.

Sophomore Joe Ford (Altadena, Calif.) scored a career-high 10 points in just his second game back after missing almost two months with a stress fracture in his right leg.

Pacific is next in action at UC Riverside on January 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Riverside.