NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -  In a game that featured several big swings, Cal State Northridge made the big shots late to pull out an 81-74 win over CSUB Monday night at the Matadome.

CSUB (1-3 overall) got a career-high 26-point effort from junior guard Donavan Bragg (Inglewood/Serra HS). Freshman guard Stephon Carter (Garces HS) continued the hot start to his collegiate career by notching his first double-double with 15 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.

Senior forward Santwon Latunde (Landover, Md./Cowley County CC) chipped in 10 rebounds and a career-high five assists.

Vinnie McGhee came off the bench to lead Northridge (3-3) with 19 points. Lenny Daniel also came off the bench to add a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double.

CSUB led by as many as 10 in the first half, the last time at 32-22 inside the final five minutes of the period. But as they did last season in Northridge, the Matadors caught fire late in the half. Last season, Northridge used a 17-0 run to erase a seven-point CSUB lead at the end of the first half. Monday night, CSUN closed the period on a 16-0 run to turn a 34-26 Roadrunner lead into a 42-34 Matador lead at intermission.

The Roadrunners didn't back down from the defending Big West Conference champions, battling back to take the lead again at 52-51 on a Carter alley oop dunk following a Bryan Emanuel (Lakewood/Mayfoar HS) steal.

The lead changed hands several times down the stretch, with neither team able to forge more than a four-point advantage until the final minute. Northridge, which compiled a 39-19 edge in free throws, made five from the line down the stretch to open the lead to seven points at the end.

CSUB continues its five-game road trip Wednesday when it travels to the Inland Empire to face another Big West opponent at UC Riverside.