Cal State Northridge junior Ofa Tulikihihifo (Hawthorne, Calif./Redondo Union HS) made no mistake about securing her second Big West Women’s Basketball Player of the Week award of the season when she exploded for a career-high 37 points in a double-overtime win over Cal State Fullerton. She also tore down 16 rebounds for the Matadors in the conference-opening victory. Tulikihihifo’s 37-point performance is the most scored by any Big West player — male or female — this season.
Two days later, the 5-11 forward pumped in 20 points and had six rebounds to push Cal State Northridge to a 2-0 Big West record — the Matadors’ best conference start since 1999-2000.