The question hanging over the Matadome this season is a heavy one: can the Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team turn their season around? As someone who has followed Big West basketball for years, analyzing trends from both a fan's and a tactical perspective, I've seen promising starts fizzle out and dismal openings transform into March magic. This CSUN squad, with its current struggles, feels perched on a knife's edge. Their situation, interestingly, brings to mind a piece of wisdom from far outside the college game, from the professional courts of the Philippines. San Miguel Beermen coach Leo Austria, after a crucial win, noted his team played with a "sense of urgency," because they "didn’t want to go down 0-3" before a pivotal overseas trip. That phrase—sense of urgency—isn't just coach-speak; it's the exact, non-negotiable ingredient missing from many teams stuck in a rut, and it might just be the key for the Matadors.
Let's be blunt about where things stand. At the time of writing, CSUN's record sits at a disappointing 7-15 overall, and a grim 2-8 in Big West conference play. They're languishing near the bottom of the standings, and their defensive metrics are a genuine concern, allowing opponents to shoot nearly 46% from the field. Offensively, it's been inconsistent, relying too heavily on spurts of individual brilliance rather than sustained, systemic execution. I've watched games where they look capable of hanging with anyone, followed by stretches of baffling turnovers and defensive lapses. The talent is there—you can see it in flashes from players like sophomore guard Atin Wright, who's averaging a solid 16.8 points per game. But talent without consistent urgency is just potential, and potential doesn't win games in the gritty, possession-by-possession world of conference play.
This is where Coach Austria's insight becomes painfully relevant. A "sense of urgency" isn't about panic or frantic play. It's a palpable, collective mindset. It's diving for a loose ball in the first minute with the same desperation as the last. It's executing a defensive rotation with crisp communication, every single time down the floor. It's the understanding that every game, every possession, carries the weight of the season's trajectory. Right now, I'm not sure the Matadors have internalized that. You see it in their slow starts; they've been outscored by an average of 6 points in the first half of their conference losses. They often seem to be waiting for a moment to spark them, rather than creating that spark from the opening tip. Going down 0-3, as Austria feared for his team, creates a psychological hole that's incredibly difficult to climb out of. CSUN isn't 0-3, but they are in a deep hole of their own making, and the clock is ticking on their season.
So, how do they manufacture this urgency? It has to start with the leadership, both from the coaching staff and the veteran players. Head coach Trent Johnson has a wealth of experience, and this is precisely the moment it needs to translate. The practices leading up to their next homestand need to be wars. The film sessions need to be brutally honest. There can be no more "almost" moments. From a tactical standpoint, I'd love to see them commit to a more aggressive, pressing defensive style, even if just in short bursts. Force the tempo. Create easy baskets off turnovers. They have the athleticism to do it. It's a risk, but playing it safe when you're 2-8 isn't a strategy; it's surrender. Offensively, they need to simplify. Run sets for their best shooters early to build confidence, and pound the ball inside more consistently to draw fouls and slow the game down. Their assist-to-turnover ratio is barely above 1.0, which tells me the ball is sticking too much. Urgent play is also smart, shared play.
Personally, I believe they can turn it around, but my belief is cautious. The Big West is competitive but not impenetrable. The difference between the 5th and 10th place teams is often just a couple of possessions spread across a few games. CSUN has 8 regular-season games remaining. A run of, say, 5-3 down the stretch could completely reshape the narrative and build momentum for the conference tournament, where anything can happen. I've seen crazier things happen. But it requires an immediate, visceral shift in mentality. They have to play like a team that understands their season is on the line every single night—because it is. They need to adopt that San Miguel Beermen mindset: avoid the devastating 0-3 start to this final chapter of their season. The upcoming game against Long Beach State isn't just another fixture; it's a referendum on their collective will. The path to a turnaround is clear, but it's steep and demanding. It's paved not with highlight-reel plays, but with relentless effort, tactical discipline, and that all-important sense of urgency. The Matadors have a choice: they can let the season slip away, or they can fight for a rewrite. My hope, as an observer who loves seeing teams defy expectations, is that they choose the fight. The ball, as they say, is in their court.