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Date Posted: 00:50:31 03/09/02 Sat
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Record Article: UOP over CSUN

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Originally Published Friday, March 8, 2002
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Eye of the Tiger

Despite injury, forward steps up to spark offense

By Bob Highfill

Record Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- Eli Nolan barely could walk on Sunday after he fractured a bone in his left foot in University of the Pacific's final regular season game against Idaho.

On Thursday, the junior forward came off the bench and played his best game in a Pacific uniform. Nolan showed no effects from his injury and set career highs with 21 points and nine rebounds to help Pacific beat pesky Cal State Northridge 78-66 in the first round of the 27th Big West Men's Basketball Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center.

"There was nothing that was going to hold me back," said Nolan, who credited head athletic trainer Chris Pond and adrenaline for helping him play. "I didn't know if I expected this much, but I expected to come in and help out."

Pacific (20-9) will play Utah State (22-5), which beat Idaho 61-41 in the second quarterfinal, in the semifinals at 6 p.m. today in a rematch of last season's tournament championship.

Pacific's current six-game winning streak started with a 55-51 victory over the Aggies on Feb. 28 at Spanos Center. In that game, the Tigers proved they could match Utah State's physical style of play, and after manhandling the Matadors inside on Thursday, they're confident they can do it again.

"I think beating Utah State last week help-ed us, so we know we have the toughness to beat them," said Pacific coach Bob Thomason, who will meet the Aggies in the tournament for the fourth time in the last five years. "It's a tough matchup. We've been through this enough. We know what to do."

The Tigers worked all week on breaking Cal State Northridge's pressure defense, using six defenders in practice. The Matadors forced 17 turnovers, but guards Maurice McLemore and Demetrius Jackson weren't rattled, and Nolan, forwards Mike Hahn and Eli Kiedrowski, and center Mike Preston spaced themselves on the court to create driving and passing lanes.

The Tigers shot 50 percent from the floor for the game and made a season-high 32 free throws on a season-high 40 attempts.

Pacific played a box-and-one zone defense, with Jackson, McLemore or David Bunts sticking to Matadors guard Markus Carr. On both ends of the court, the Tigers were strong on the boards, but Preston was at a different level, blocking out and soaring for a career-high 16 rebounds, including nine on offense. Preston also had his way inside on offense. He made 7-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the line for a career-high 19 points.

"Preston was awesome on second efforts," Thomason said. "He was jumping so high, so strong."

Preston said Cal State Northridge's zone defense created favorable matchups inside the paint.

"They were so spread out in their 1-3-1 zone, a lot of times we'd have two guys in there and they had only one," Preston said. "We shot a lot of long shots, and we got a lot of long rebounds."

Thomason didn't know what to do about Nolan before tipoff.

Nolan said he felt about 80 percent during practice on Wednesday. During shootaround early Thursday, he told Thomason he was 100 percent. Thomason didn't buy it.

"He didn't look 100 percent, so we started Jono (Metzger-Jones)," Thomason said. "Jono started for us here last year."

But with the Tigers trailing 13-8 with 14:34 left in the first half, Thomason called on Nolan. The 6-foot-5 transfer from Solano College played 10 minutes in the first half and made 3-of-4 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the line for 10 points to go with four rebounds and one turnover. Pacific trailed 36-34 at halftime and 39-34 early in the second half after Carr made a 3-point shot.

The Tigers whittled away at the lead and took the lead (47-44) after Preston was fouled attempting a put back and Chris Davis was called for a technical foul. Jackson made both technical shots and Preston made one free throw on the personal foul. The Tigers then went on a 12-1 run and created a little breathing room, 59-45, with 9:25 left in the game.

"(The technical) was critical," Cal State Northridge coach Bobby Braswell said. "We talk about the importance of keeping your composure ... and Chris got a little emotional. There was a little frustration."

Jackson was whistled for a technical in the first half after a fracas in front of the Matadors' bench.

Pacific made some big shots down the stretch, including a 3-pointer by McLemore that made it 71-57 with 5:59 left, and an offensive rebound and putback by Preston that made it 76-59 with 2:30 remaining.

"We believed in ourselves all year," Thomason said. "I read in the paper (Wednesday) about the hot teams entering this tournament, and it didn't mention us. Obviously, now getting 20 wins and six in a row, that's OK. We'll just quiet our way all the way."

* To reach reporter Bob Highfill, phone 546-8299 or e-mail bhighfil@recordnet.com

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