Talent-laden Northridge presents test for EWU
The Eastern Washington men’s basketball team, coming off its first road win of the season, faces a tough test at home.
Cal State Northridge (3-1) is at Reese Court today at 1:05 p.m.
The Eagles (2-3) pulled away down the stretch for a 68-55 win at Idaho on Wednesday, but the Matadors are a different challenge. Northridge opened the season with an 81-76 win over Southern California, and less than a week later the Trojans smoked Eastern 69-51 at the Great Alaska Shootout.
“They are very, very talented,” Eagles head coach Mike Burns said. “They have some new faces, including a transfer who is averaging almost 25 points a game. He’s going to be a handful. Physically we can match up with them, so we just have to come out and get after it.”
Mike Efevberha, a 6-foot-5 guard, is averaging 24.3 points a game for Northridge with a season-high 36 in a win over Tulsa. For the season he has hit 14 of 28 3-pointers.
“(Coach) Bobby Braswell does a great job with that group,” Burns said. “They play extremely hard, and they are very athletic. They beat USC on USC’s home court, so I think that says it all right there. … We have to have a definite focus.”
The Eagles are averaging 70.6 points a game this season and giving up 70. Freshman point guard Rodney Stuckey leads in scoring at 17.4 a game. Sophomore forward Jake Beittinger is adding 12.3. Junior forward Paul Butorac is the top rebounder with eight a game.
Dave Trimmer, staff writer