LOS ANGELES — Barrington Hargress was instrumental in UC Riverside’s victory over Cal State Northridge, scoring 27 points in a closely contested game that ended with a score of 68-64 on Thursday.

Hargress excelled defensively as well, recording four steals for the Highlanders, who improved their record to 5-4 overall and started off the Big West Conference with a 1-0 mark. Kaleb Smith contributed significantly with 14 points, connecting on 5 of 12 attempts from the field, including 1 of 5 from beyond the arc. In addition, he was efficient at the free-throw line, sinking 3 of 4 shots, and he also gathered five rebounds. Isaiah Moses added 10 points to the Highlanders’ efforts, hitting 3 of 5 field goal attempts.

For the Matadors, who now hold a record of 6-3 and are 0-1 in conference play, Scotty Washington was the standout performer, scoring 23 points and recording three steals. Keonte Jones had a strong all-around performance, contributing 11 points along with 10 rebounds, six assists, and three steals. PJ Fuller also made his mark by adding eight points to his team’s total.