From June 17 to August 9, GoMatadors.com will present the top CSUN Moments from the 2023-24 sports season. Today, we celebrate the Matador men’s basketball team memorable 2023-24 season, which included the team’s most wins in 16 seasons, an upset win at UCLA and the team’s first Big West tournament win in 10 years.
CSUN finished the season at 19-15 overall, clinching the program’s first winning season in 15 years. The 19 wins were the program’s most since 2007-08 and the most by a first-year head coach in school history. Picked to not make the Big West Championship prior to the season, Newman led CSUN to not only clinching a spot in the tournament but a first round victory as the Matadors secured their first win at the conference tournament in 10 seasons.
The 12-game turnaround from the year before was also the fifth-most in the nation.
Promising to bring a high-scoring team to Northridge, Newman molded CSUN into one of the fastest-playing teams in the nation. The Matadors finished 10th-best in Division I basketball in fastbreak points, averaging 14.88 points. CSUN also improved its scoring average by nearly 12 points from the season before. The Matadors would go on to record their second-most field goals made (940) and their fourth-most points scored (2,551) in a season in team history.
While scoring was a big factor to the team’s success, CSUN was perhaps anchored by its rebounding and defense.
The Matadors emerged as the top rebounding team in the Big West, leading the conference and ranking 15th in the nation in rebounds per game (40.1). CSUN also topped the Big West in defensive rebounds per game (28.2) and rebounding margin (5.1). CSUN set a school record for defensive rebounds with 960 while the team recorded a Division I record for total rebounds with 1,362. In defensive field goal percentage, CSUN was first in the conference and 17th in the nation in holding teams to a 40.5 clip.
On the court, returning senior De’Sean Allen-Eikens would lead the team on the offensive end, scoring a career-best 18.8 points to go with 5.3 rebounds per game. His efforts led him to collecting All-Big West First Team honors. Fellow returner Dionte Bostick helped shoulder the load offensively by scoring a career-high 15.4 points en route to picking up an All-Big West Honorable Mention. Among the many new additions to the team, perhaps one of the biggest difference makers was forward Keonte Jones, a Midland College transfer, who went on to lead CSUN in rebounding (6.9), steals (1.6) and blocks (1.5) to go with averaging 11.4 points.
The tone was set early in the season when CSUN began the year at 7-3 before setting its sights to UCLA in December 19 showdown at Pauley Pavilion.
It had been 23 years since CSUN had beaten UCLA in men’s basketball, and few college basketball experts gave the Matadors much of a chance against a Bruins team that had won 19-straight home games. Aside from a 2-0 lead at the start, UCLA never led again in the contest. The Matadors established a double-digit lead early, leading by a 40-26 margin at halftime before eventually building a 19-point edge early in the second half. Despite a furious rally from UCLA down the stretch, the Matadors would not be denied on the night. Key threes from Allen-Eikens and Gianni Hunt along with a gigantic basket from Bostick with under two minutes to play ensured a 76-72 upset of UCLA.
Five Matadors scored in double figures in the UCLA victory led by Bostick with 18 points. Allen-Eikens scored 17 points while Jones added 12 and the CSUN bench poured in 27 total points.
CSUN began Big West play red hot with a 3-0 record, knocking off Long Beach State on the road and Hawai’i at home as the Matadors tied a school Division I record with seven consecutive victories. During the Big West season, the Matadors would put together a four-game win streak in February, highlighted by an 82-74 win at defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara as they avenged an early season loss at home. CSUN also completed a season sweep of Cal State Fullerton, a Big West runner up in 2023, during the campaign.
CSUN entered the Big West Championship as the sixth seed and drew UC Santa Barbara in the first round. In a seesaw matchup with 17 lead changes, 40 minutes was not enough to decide a winner. In overtime, Jones and Bostick each hit timely field goals while Allen-Eikens made a jumper with 40 seconds left and two late free throws to secure an 87-84 victory. Jones led the way in the victory with 24 points followed by Allen-Eikens scoring 23.
The Matadors advanced to play Hawai’i in the Big West quarterfinals, falling just short by a 75-68 margin. Despite the loss, Allen-Eikens was honored with Big West All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 22.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in the two tournament games.
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