NORTHRIDGE - After a hot offensive start in the first quarter and a strong comeback in the fourth, LMU women's basketball fell in overtime, 57 - 62, to the CSUN Matadors.

After the Matadors opened the game with a three on their first possession, the Lions responded with a triple of their own from Kimora Sykes. Both teams went cold for the better part of two minutes, until Jasmine Jones gave the Lions the lead from the line. Another three from Sykes opened the scoring as the Lions and Matadors traded baskets for the next three minutes. A quick 5-0 run gave the Lions an eight point lead, but the Matadors closed the first quarter with four points of their own.

An early foul in the second quarter brought the Matadors within two, but Ariel Johnson added another triple for the Lions to push the lead back to five. The Matadors closed the lead again, but Khari Clark answered with a bucket to send the Lions into the media timeout with a 23-21 lead.

Clark returned from the timeout with a rebound and bucket to push the Lions back to a two possession lead. The bucket would be the Lions final field goal of the half, as they would finish the second quarter 0-for-6. At the half, the Matadors were ahead 27-25.

The third quarter was fairly even with the Matadors scoring 15 points on 53% shooting and the Lions scoring 12 on 40% shooting, but a 9-2 run by the Matadors midway through the third set the Lions back. Meghan Mandel got her first minutes of the season and immediately proved beneficial on both ends of the court. She recorded three blocks and knocked down a pair from the line to keep the Lions within five headed into the fourth quarter.

Both squads opened the quarter with a bucket before going cold for the next four minutes. Mandel put her first field goal of the season in, and Cassandra Gordon followed that with a point from the line. The Matadors quickly extended the lead back to five, until Zoe Jenkins came off the bench and knocked down a clutch three pointer to bring the Lions within two. 

A free throw and layup gave the Lions a 48-47 lead before Sykes was fouled with nine seconds left of the clock and converted one of two from the line. With just four seconds remaining, the Matadors missed a three pointer, but crashed the boards and laid the offensive rebound in to send the game to overtime.

The Matadors started the extra period on a 5-0 run before Jones and Jenkins converted for a 5-0 run of their own with just under two and a half minutes remaining. The Matadors next six straight points proved to be too much to overcome for the Lions despite a Sykes three pointer with five seconds to go.

Sykes finished the game with a team high 12 points, followed by Jones with 10 of her own. Se'Quoia Allmond finished with a career high eight rebounds, and Jenkins went a perfect 2-2 from downtown.

The Lions move to 2-4 on the year and will head to Hawaii on Friday for a pair of games against the University of Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific.