Cal State Northridge holds off UC Riverside late, 82-76

Jan 5, 2017, 12:35 am

LOS ANGELES -- Darin Johnson and Kendall Smith each scored 21 points and Cal State Northridge held off UC Riverside to earn a win in the Big West Conference opener for both schools Wednesday night.

The victory is the second straight for the Matadors, who snapped a four-game win streak with an 82-61 win over Morgan State last week.

The Highlanders tied the game at 68 on Chance Murray's layup with 2:31 to play, but Kendall Smith hit a pair of free throws to put Northridge in front, 70-68, and the Matadors held on the rest of the way. Smith hit two more free throws with 34 seconds left to put the lead to five, 77-72.

Northridge (5-9, 1-0) was 25 of 54 from the field (46.3 percent), including 5 of 13 from long range, but converted 27 of 36 (75 percent) from the line.

Murray finished with 21 points for Riverside (2-10, 0-1)