NORTHRIDGE – CSUN returns home for a pair of women’s basketball games this week. The Matadors get the action underway Friday night when CSUN welcomes Loyola Marymount.

Coverage on the CSUN Sports Network presented by Dignity Health begins at 6:50 p.m. with tip set for 7 p.m. Eric Kaback is on the call. Friday’s game is part of the Faculty/Staff Series and is Youth Team Day. Fans who bring a new unwrapped toy to the game will be admitted in for free. There will be a Fanny pack giveaway while CSUN Students will get a chance to win the following one of the following; 2019 Spring Parking Pass, FIFA ’19, NBA 2K19, a scooter and a MataMoney gift card.

The Lions opened the season by defeating UCLA 69-63 and have defeated Big West foes UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis on their way to a 5-2 record. LMU is coming off a 104-75 loss at Denver last Saturday.

Chelsey Gipson leads the team in scoring at 15 points per game. Jasmine Jones is second on the team in scoring (12.1) and rebounding (6.9). CSUN defeated Loyola Marymount 75-68 in Los Angeles last season. The Lions lead the all-time series 11-5.

CSUN hosts San Diego State Sunday afternoon to conclude the weekend. If fans purchase two tickets, they will be able to get up to three free). Fans who bring a new unwrapped toy to the game will be admitted in for free. Kevin Strauss anchors the coverage on the CSUN Sports Network presented by Dignity Health. Strauss is on the air at 3:50 p.m. for the 4 p.m. start.

San Diego State is 4-4 coming into the week. SDSU will be at UC Irvine Friday night before heading up to Northridge on Sunday.

Four Aztecs are averaging in double figures, led by Sophia Ramos who is scoring at a 14.1 points per game average. Najé Murray is 18th in Division I in three-point field goal attempts (66) and 25th in D-1 in made three-point field goals (24). She is second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game. Tea Adams (12.1) and Mallory Adams (10.0) round out the quartet of double-figure scorers. This is the 16th time that CSUN and SDSU are playing with the Aztecs leading the all-time series 11-4.

CSUN went 1-1 on a Northern California swing last weekend. The Matadors are now 4-5 on the season. Channon Fluker scored 27 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to lead CSUN past Santa Clara 53-38 in women’s basketball action Nov. 30. Fluker went 11-of-14 from the field. She grabbed at least 20 rebounds in a game for the sixth time in her career. The 6-4 center also added three blocks and two assists.

A 10-0 California run to start the third quarter proved to be too much for CSUN to overcome as the No. 15/18 Bears defeated the Matadors 67-42 Dec. 2. De’Jionae Calloway led the Matadors with 13 points. Jordyn Jackson charted 10 points and three assists. Juliana Louis, a sophomore, grabbed a career high 13 rebounds. She added six points and two steals.
Fluker jumped two spots to 16th in Big West history in career points with 1,749. She has a chance to become the all-time leading scorer in Matadors’ history this weekend. She is now 12 away from CSUN assistant coach Ashlee Guay’s school record for career points which is 1,761.