2008 Cal State Northridge Matadors Basketball Preview

The Cal State Northridge Matadors (20- 10 overall, 12- 4 Big West) finished in a three-way tie for first in the Big West with Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara. Coach Bobby Braswell won Coach of the Year in the Big West for his efforts in bringing the team along. This season, the Matadors could be alone at the top of the Big West.

The frontcourt features senior forward Tremaine Townsend, who stands six-foot-nine and weighs 220 pounds. He’s a solid force, scoring 10.1 PPG and taking down 9.8 RPG. Last season, he posted 10 double-doubles. Against UC Davis he notched an extraordinary 21-point, 22-rebound game. Look for Townsend, who’s considered to be the best forward in the league, to play big again this season. Seven-foot-even center Xavier Crawford, a junior college transfer, should add some strength and bulk upfront. Crawford is the first seven-footer to ever play for Cal State Northridge.

The backcourt is deep with three leading players returning. Last season, Josh Jenkins led the Big West in assists with 6.9 per game. He also posted an average of 10.5 PPG. Senior Deon Tresvant scored an average of 13.9 PPG and Rob Haynes put in 6.8 PPG. Tresvant looks to be All-Big West this season. He’s a real go-to guy with an excellent shot. This is an experienced backcourt that offers honed ball handling skills and solid shooting chops. It could be the best backcourt in the Big West bar none.

This is a team that will be tested when they play Pac 10 big boys UCLA and Stanford early in the season. Beating one of those teams will go a long way to the Matadors making it to the Big Dance. The potential for a huge season, including finishing alone at the top of the conference, is there. This is a club with a lot of experience, an excellent coach and two of the top starters in the conference. If they do get to the NCAA Tournament, Cal State Northridge will play one and then watch the remainder of the tourney on their televisions.