Cal State Northridge

at Cal State Northridge 81, Cal State Bakersfield 74: Vinnie McGhee scored 19 points off the bench as the Matadors won their home opener by fighting off the Roadrunners. Lenny Daniel had a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Matadors (3-3). Kenny Daniels scored 16 points, and Raymond Cody had 10. The Roadrunners (1-3) got 26 points from Donavan Bragg, who made four three-point shots. Stephon Carter had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Trent Blakley scored 14 points and Bryan Emanuel scored 11, while Santown Latunde pulled down 10 rebounds.

When: 8. Where: Galen Center. On the air: Radio: 710. Records: Season opener. Record vs. opponent: USC leads all time, 4-1. Update: USC is surrounded by question marks. The only certainties are the Trojans will work hard on defense and guard Maurice Jones will be the No. 1 scoring option. The tallest player expected to be in Northridge's starting lineup is 6 feet 6, so expect USC's post players to be a main focus. Northridge, which returns two starters from a team that finished 14-18 last season, beat USC the last time they met, in 2005.

at Cal State Northridge 95, Long Beach State 74: Tremaine Townsend scored 17 points to lead six players in double figures as the Matadors (14-12, 10-4 Big West) took over first place with two games to play in the regular season. Mark Hill scored a career-high 15 points for Northridge, which shot 62%. The 49ers (14-13, 9-5), who trailed by as many as 28 points, got 19 points from T.J. Robinson and 16 from Larry Anderson.

As home to the new Valley Performing Arts Center, Cal State Northridge hopes to become the cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley, as well as its intellectual hub. The $125-million arts center, which opened Saturday, could become the signature landmark of the 52-year-old campus, drawing world-class orchestras, productions and entertainers while enhancing the university's academic arts programs. Patrons attending the opening gala, however, passed near a far different symbol of the campus: bent and pockmarked remains of a parking structure that collapsed during the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

BIG WEST CONFERENCE at Anaheim Convention Center Cal State Northridge (15-13) vs. UC Santa Barbara (16-14), 5:30 p.m., ESPNU -- The top-seeded Matadors are guaranteed a bid to the National Invitation Tournament because they won the Big West regular-season title. But they have their eyes on the school's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2001.

Dianne F. Harrison, a veteran educator in Florida and California, has been named the new president of Cal State Northridge. Harrison will succeed Jolene Koester, who retired in December after 11 years in the post. Northridge provost Harold Hellenbrand has been serving as interim president. Since 2006, Harrison has been president of Cal State Monterey Bay, a campus of about 5,000 students located on the former Ft. Ord Army Base in Seaside. At Northridge, she will take the reins of one of the nation's largest public universities, with 34,000 students and a budget of more than $300 million.

at Cal State Northridge 73, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 68: Lenny Daniel scored 20 points and Kenny Daniels scored 19 to lead the Matadors (10-16, 5-7 Big West), who scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 43-29 lead. The Mustangs (9-16, 6-7) made up a 14-point deficit and took a 65-64 lead with 2 minutes 3 seconds to play. Lorenzo Keeler scored seven of the first nine points for the Mustangs and finished with 23, and Shawn Lewis scored 14. UC Santa Barbara 73, at Cal State Fullerton 65: James Nunnally and Orlando Johnson each scored 18 points to lead the Gauchos (15-8, 10-3 Big West)

Jason Gudzunas, a first-team All-Freeway League defensive tackle at Troy High School, will attend Cal State Northridge in the fall, the college announced Tuesday. Gudzunas, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, was the top tackler on the Warriors' special teams and second in quarterback sacks. He is expected to play outside linebacker at Northridge.

Tim Carey passed for 328 yards, Quincy Jacobs scored two touchdowns and the Hawaii defense accounted for another 10 points Saturday night as the Rainbows defeated Cal State Northridge, 34-21, at Honolulu. The victory was the Rainbows' second of the season, equaling their victory total of last season. The loss evened the Matadors' record at 1-1. Carey completed 25 of 30 passes to set a school record for passing percentage at 83.