LONG BEACH, Calif. – Close but no cigar is becoming the theme of the Cal State Bakersfield men's basketball team as the Roadrunners fell just short once again against one of the top teams in the Big West Conference, falling at preseason favorite Long Beach state 73–70 at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach Friday night.
Bakersfield (0–2 overall) got a yeoman's effort from senior center Carl Damus (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Pensacola CC) who recorded his first career double–double with game highs of 24 points and 12 rebounds. The 24 points were a career high, eclipsing his previous best of 10 points set last season.
But the Roadrunners couldn't throw it in Long Beach from the free throw line, making just 11-of-26 from the stripe. That and 24 turnovers helped the 49ers (2–1) overcome some home–opener jitters of their own to take tenuous control in the second half then hold on for the win.
Long Beach built a 10–4 lead in the opening moments before gradually walking out to a 16–point advantage at 28–12 with 7:22 remaining in the half. That's when the Roadrunners found their sea legs, however, and they sprinted back on the strength of an 18–2 run to close the period tied at 30–30.
The run continued at the start of the second half as Bakersfield quickly forged a 34–31 lead (making the final streak 22–3) before Long Beach regained its form. The 49ers went a 14–3 streak of their own to regain control, 45–37. Their lead grew to as many as 11 points at 65–54 with 4:17 to play before Bakersfield made its final charge.
Damus' final bucket got the Roadrunners back to within four at 69–65 with 29 seconds remaining. Long Beach then went just 2-of-4 from the line on its next two trips to give Bakersfield hope. A tough layup in traffic from Richard Andrews (Kingston, Jamaica/SE Illinois) helped the Roadrunners get to within 71–67 with the ball in the final 20 seconds. But they couldn't get a shot off with the possession and a pair of Sterling Byrd freethrows inside of six seconds iced the game.
Senior guard Aaron Nixon led Long Beach with a season–high 22 points. Artis Gant led the 49ers with a career–high eight rebounds.
In addition to Damus, Rice chipped in 13 points and Andrews added his second career double–double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Bakersfield will stay in Southern California to take on West Coast Conference contender Loyola Marymount University Sunday afternoon in Westchester.
CS BAKERSFIELD (0–2 overall): Richard Andrews 4-11 3-9 11; Rick Robinson 2-2 0-2 4; Dwuan Rice 4-19 3-4 13; Randall Harding 0-3 3-4 3; Zack Grasmick 3-11 0-0 9; Brandon Robinson 0-0 0-0 0; Trent Blakley 0-2 0-0 0; Brandon Nevens 1-4 0-0 2; Demarcus Hall 2-8 0-1 4; Carl Damus 11-13 2-6 24. TOTALS: 27-73 11-26 70.
LONG BEACH STATE (2–1 overall): Sterling Byrd 4-7 6-7 15; Dominique Ricks 1-4 2-3 4; Louis Darby 1-4 0-0 2; Kevin Houston 3-9 1-3 8; Aaron Nixon 9-17 2-3 22; Kejuan Johnson 5-17 2-4 13; Artis Gant 1-3 3-4 5; Mark Dawson 0-4 1-4 1; Tim Island 0-1 0-0 0; Chris Peys 0-0 0-0 0; Dominic Freeman 1-1 1-1 3. TOTALS: 25-67 18-29 73.
HALFTIME: Tied 30–30. 3-PT FG: CSUB 5-20 (Grasmick 3-9, Rice 2-5, Andrews 0-1, Nevens 0-1, Blakley 0-2, Harding 0-2); LBSU 5-19 (Nixon 2-6, Houston 1-2, Byrd 1-4, Johnson 1-5, Gant 0-1, Island 0-1). ASSISTS: CSUB 15 (Rice 4); LBSU 13 (Houston 5). TURNOVERS: CSUB 24, LBSU 20. STEALS: CSUB 9 (Rice 4); LBSU 12 (Byrd 5). FOULED OUT: Harding. OFFICIALS: Starkins, Crozier, Vinovich. ATTN: 1,949.
