Love and Basketball Edges Northridge, 81-72, in Exhibition Opener

Junior Kayla Rutherford Leads Matadors with 23 points in the Defeat

Nov. 1, 2008

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team lost an exhibition game, 81-72, to Love and Basketball Saturday afternoon at The Matadome. Junior Kayla Rutherford led the Matadors with 23 points, while junior Katrina Thompson had a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Rutherford, a transfer from Hope International that sat out last season, finished 8-of-20 from the field and 4-of-9 from beyond the 3-point arc in the contest. She also grabbed three rebounds, had two assists and made three steals.

Thompson’s 15 boards would have represented a new career high for the junior had the game been an official contest. She was 4-of-9 from the field and also dished out three assists in the defeat.

Seniors Tonicia Tademy, Whitney Ligon and Ashley Blake all chipped in eight points for Northridge. Tademy had a game-high nine assists in the contest, while Blake doled out two assists and Ligon was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

After trailing 46-29 at halftime, the Matadors erupted for 43 points in the second half. They shot 39 percent from the field in the second half and 36.4 percent overall (28-of-77) for the game.

Danielle Rainey paced Love and Basketball with 20 points, including 12-of-16 shooting from the free throw line. Denise Woods also posted a double-double for Love and Basketball, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the contest.

Other standouts for Northridge included senior Crystian Trice, who came off the bench to score seven points and grab three rebounds. Freshman Bridgette Conejo chipped in six points and five rebounds off the bench for CSUN.

Northridge returns to action Wednesday, Nov. 5 when they host The Master’s College in the final exhibition contest of the season. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at The Matadome.

Junior Kayla Rutherford scored 23 points in her Northridge debut.