Ball showed immediate progress, taking the team to a 9–17 record in 1963–64, a six-game improvement over Thomas's final season.
Ball was replaced by Pete Cassidy, an SFVSC assistant coach who was a player during the program's first two seasons.
Led by Division II All-Americans Terry Miller and Larry Singleton, and Chuck Evans the team would finish 22–7 and win the CCAA title.
That changed in 1984–85, when the Matadors finished 20–10, winning the CCAA and reaching the NCAA West Regional, where they were eliminated by Cal State Hayward.
Cal State Northridge moved its athletics program, including basketball, to Division I starting with the 1990–91 season.
Braswell brought with him an up-tempo, high-pressure style of play that kept the Matadors among the national leaders in steals and turnovers forced during his tenure.
The turnaround was immediate, as CSUN went 14–15 and reached the Big Sky tournament championship game, falling just short of an NCAA berth in an 82–79 loss to Montana.
CSUN reached the Big West Conference men's basketball tournament finals in 2003–04 after shocking 23rd-ranked Utah State in the semifinals.
As Cal State Northridge celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Matador men's basketball team played well.
Rodrique Mels, who scored 23 points in the championship game against Pacific, was named tournament MVP.
Mels also scored a career-high 28 points the previous night in the semifinals against UC Santa Barbara.
As the Matadors entered the arena from the locker room, (being officially welcomed by the announcer) they were greeted with only a few cheers from their small fanbase.
As the game got underway, the Matadors, playing in Kansas City, Missouri at the Sprint Center, hit a three-pointer to start the scoring.
With approximately ten minutes left in the game, the Matadors hit a three pointer that brought the capacity crowd to its feet and gave them a five-point lead.
On March 7, 2018, Theus was relieved as head coach alongside CSUN Director of Athletics Brandon Martin.
[5] In April 2021, Gottfried was placed on administrative leave due to an internal investigation into NCAA rules violations.
[8] During this era, the Matadors were once again upset by non-NAIA/NCAA program, Bethesda University, 82-80 still under the leadership of coach, Leo Balayon.