GAME NOTES: The Oregon Ducks will begin a seven-game homestand on Wednesday as they welcome the Cal State Northridge Matadors to Matthew Knight Arena.

The Matadors ended a five-game losing streak on Saturday with a 70-58 victory over NAIA opponent Vanguard University at home. Coach Reggie Theus' team is 0-5 on the road this season, with four of the five losses coming by double- digit margins. CSUN struggled against its first Pac-12 foe on its schedule, as it suffered an 86-68 setback at Arizona on Nov. 16. The Matadors had high hopes coming into 2014-15 after returning three starters from the team that fell by just two points in the 2014 Big West Conference Tournament Championship.

The Ducks return to Eugene after an impressive 77-70 victory over Illinois at the United Center on Saturday. The win improved the team to a 6-3 standing and followed Oregon's 77-70 loss to Ole Miss at home, which was its first setback at Matthew Knight Arena this season. The Ducks are 33-2 at home versus non- conference opponents since the venue opened prior to the 2011-12 campaign. Coach Dana Altman's squad is ranked in the top 30 nationally in scoring (79.9 ppg, 21st), rebounding (44.3 rpg, 5th), assists (17.7 apg, 12th) and blocks (5.9 bpg, 21st).

Oregon is 3-1 versus the Matadors in the all-time series between these schools, which has been idle since the 2006-07 season.

The Matadors are ranked last in the Big West in scoring defense with an allowance of 72.1 ppg. Offensively, CSUN has managed to post only 66.9 ppg and is sinking just 23.7 percent of its attempts from behind the 3-point line. Stephan Hicks is the fourth-leading scorer in the conference at 17.7 ppg, which he is accompanying with 5.5 rpg, 2.0 apg and 1.2 spg. The 6-foot-5 senior swingman has poured in 66 points on 23-of-34 shooting from the floor over his last three games. Hicks is currently 17 points away from setting the school record for career points and is on pace to break Brian Heinle's existing record of 1,641 against the Ducks on Wednesday night. CSUN has also received strong play out of Stephen Maxwell (14.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and junior center Tre Hale-Edmerson (7.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg).

The Matadors will attempt to be the first team to contain Oregon's rookie star Dillon Brooks, who is the only Duck to score in double figures in all nine games. The 6-foot-5 guard is the top scorer among freshmen in the Pac-12 with 15.8 ppg after setting a new career-high in points in four of his last five outings, including a 24-point outburst versus the Fighting Illini. Brooks is second on the team in scoring behind senior guard Joseph Young, who has compiled 19.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 4.9 apg despite hitting on only 26.1 percent of his tries from beyond the arc. Junior forwards Elgin Cook (12.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Dwayne Benjamin (8.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg) play important roles for Oregon on the interior.

The Ducks' ability to rebound and block shots is amazing considering the 6-7 Benjamin is the tallest player in Altman's rotation. Although CSUN has a solid post player in Hale-Edmerson, he is not the type of player who can dominate a game on both ends. Oregon's explosive backcourt duo of Young and Brooks, along with the team's overall unselfish play, will be too much for the Matadors to counter.