NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Darius Brown II scored 26 points, leading three into double figures as Cal State Northridge defeated Cal Poly 81-73 on Thursday night.

Lamine Diane added 19 points for CSU Northridge, going 7-for-11 at the line, where the Mustangs nearly doubled Cal Poly, converting 19 of 25. Terrell Gomez scored 17.

Up 34-32 at the break, CSU Northtridge (11-15, 6-4 Big West Conference) opened the second half on a 9-2 run, with Brown scoring four, and built a lead as large as 15 points. The Matadors turned the ball over just six times.

The Matadors' win, coupled with UC Santa Barbara's loss clears the way for CSU Northridge to take sole possession of third place in the Big West.

Jamal Smith led the Mustangs (7-17, 4-6) with a career-high 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Cal Poly had won two in a row and three of its last four prior to falling to the Matadors. Nolan Taylor added a season-best 11 for the Mustangs. Colby Rogers also scored 11.

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