GAME NOTES: A couple of teams vying for their first win of the season get together at The Matadome on Wednesday night, as the Cal State Northridge Matadors play host to the Montana State Bobcats.

The Matadors are playing at home for the first time after tangling with a pair of nationally-ranked programs right out of the gate. First, CSUN was leveled by the San Diego State Aztecs at Viejas Arena in the season opener, 79-58, and then two days later came up short against second-ranked Arizona, 86-68.

After this game the Matadors head to Little Rock, Arkansas to take part in the Maui Invitational Mainland Challenge over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Bobcats were on the big stage in their opener Friday night and were beaten soundly by UCLA, 113-78, the most points the Bruins have scored in a season opener in more than two decades. Montana State then landed at Grand Canyon three days later and proceeded to drop a 61-45 decision.

With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Matadors own an 11-7 advantage, winning four of the six games played on their floor over the years.

Somehow the Bobcats managed to move out to a three-point lead in the first half against Grand Canyon on Monday night, but that was before they wound up shooting a miserable 6-of-20 from the floor. The second half was just as dismal for Montana State with just 9-of-23 shooting, so it should not have come as a surprise that the visitors lost by double digits.

Danny Robison managed to produce 17 points and Zach Green another 11, but between the two of them they accounted for eight of the unit's 22 turnovers.

In the opener against UCLA, Robison put up 14 points as he shot 5-of-7 from the floor and Michael Dison also logged 14 points, but it was the defense that did in the Bobcats as they allowed the Bruins to shoot 57.4 percent from the field.

With almost as many turnovers (eight) as field goals (10) in the first half against the second-ranked team in the nation, the Matadors certainly made things hard on themselves and fell behind by double digits, never to be heard from again. Stephen Maxwell tried to give the visitors a fighting chance with his game-high 19 points, but with only Aaron Parks (15 points) and Tre Hal- Edmerson (11) also going for double figures, there simply was not enough fire power supplied by CSUN shooters.

Through two games, Maxwell leads the offense with 17.0 ppg, followed by Parks (12.0 ppg) and Stephen Hicks (10.0 ppg), but more importantly it is the defense that has been the bigger issue, surrendering a hefty 82.5 ppg on 51.9 percent shooting from the field.

Perhaps being at home will give the Matadors a little more incentive to put forth a stronger effort at the defensive end of the floor. But honestly, if the Bobcats don't come out shooting the ball any better there might not be a need for the CSUN defense to play harder.