NEWARK, Del. (Interstat) — Cal State Northridge built a commanding 20-point halftime lead and cruised to an 88-66 men’s basketball victory over Delaware on Saturday at Bob Carpenter Center. Larry Hughes led the Matadors with 23 points and seven rebounds. Christian Bliss scored 21 points for the Blue Hens. Cal State Northridge improved to 6-5, while Delaware fell to 3-7 before an announced crowd of 1,517. The Matadors shot efficiently and controlled the glass, with Joshua O’Garro adding 18 points and eight rebounds. Delaware could not overcome its slow start, despite outscoring Northridge in the second half. The result defied pregame expectations, as Delaware was a narrow favorite.

NEWARK, Del. (Interstat) — Larry Hughes scored 23 points and Cal State Northridge used a dominant first half to cruise past Delaware 88-66 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Bob Carpenter Center. The Matadors (6-5) seized control early, building a 20-point halftime lead and never letting the Blue Hens (3-7) mount a serious challenge. Cal State Northridge shot 50.8% from the field and 47.8% from 3-point range, while its defense forced 14 turnovers and held Delaware to 39.6% shooting. The most important stretch of the game came in the opening 20 minutes, where Cal State Northridge established its superiority on both ends. After Delaware’s Christian Bliss opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, the Matadors responded with a 13-2 run, fueled by transition opportunities and stifling defense. The sequence set the tone, as Northridge consistently turned Delaware miscues into points, finishing the half with a 17-4 advantage in points off turnovers. Hughes, a 6-foot-4 guard from St. Louis, led all scorers and added seven rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes. He was supported by a balanced attack as four other Matadors reached double figures. Joshua O’Garro had 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Davius Loury and Mahmoud Fofana each added 12 points, with Loury contributing six rebounds and three assists. Delaware, which entered the game as a 2.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, struggled to find consistent offense outside of Bliss and Justyn Fernandez. Bliss finished with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists. Fernandez added 17 points. The Blue Hens were outscored 36-18 in the paint and managed only four fast-break points to Northridge’s 13. Cal State Northridge’s offensive efficiency was stark, scoring 88 points on 71 possessions for a rating of 124.6. Delaware managed just 66 points on 68 possessions, an offensive rating of 97.7. The Matadors also shared the ball effectively, recording 11 assists to Delaware’s six, and were more disruptive defensively with 11 steals. The Matadors led 48-28 at halftime after shooting 51.5% from the field and holding the Blue Hens to 34.5% shooting. Delaware showed more life after the break, outscoring Northridge 38-40 in the second half, but never cut the deficit below 14 points. For Cal State Northridge, the win marked its second straight and third in four games. Delaware lost for the fifth time in its last six outings. Cal State Northridge returns home to face La Sierra on Dec. 19. Delaware hosts Rider on Dec. 16. An announced crowd of 1,517 attended the game.

Preview: Cal State Northridge Matadors at Delaware Blue Hens NEWARK, Del. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum before conference play begins will meet Saturday when the Cal State Northridge Matadors visit the Delaware Blue Hens in a nonconference men’s basketball game at the Bob Carpenter Center. The Matadors (5-5) enter on a high note after a thrilling 89-87 home victory over Fresno State on Wednesday. Delaware (3-6) also snapped a three-game skid with a 70-58 road win at George Washington the same night. Cal State Northridge has shown a potent offense in its wins, averaging 87.5 points in its five victories, but has been held to an average of 64.8 points in its five losses. Consistency will be key for a team that followed an 87-66 rout of Cal State Bakersfield with a 71-85 loss at UC Irvine last week. The Matadors are led by guard Larry Hughes, who is coming off a 25-point performance against Fresno State. Over his last three games, Hughes is averaging 23.3 points, including a 27-point, five-assist effort in the win over Cal State Bakersfield. Delaware’s path has been uneven, with its three wins coming at home. The Blue Hens will rely heavily on guard Justyn Fernandez, who scored a season-high 27 points in 40 minutes during the win at George Washington. Fernandez has been a workhorse, averaging 38 minutes over his last three contests. The game features a contrast in recent schedules. Cal State Northridge has played eight of its first 10 games in California, while this contest is part of a seven-game homestand for Delaware that stretches into early January. For the Matadors, this East Coast trip is a final tune-up before a stretch of games against regional opponents, including a Dec. 27 matchup at Stanford. Delaware continues its extended home stand with a visit from Rider on Tuesday before facing Missouri State on Dec. 29. Saturday’s matchup could hinge on which team’s star guard gets more support. Hughes’s backcourt mate Joshua O’Garro added 23 points against Fresno State, while Delaware’s Christian Bliss dished out eight assists alongside Fernandez’s scoring against George Washington. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon at Bob Carpenter Center.