THE WEEK AHEAD: The Roadrunners (6-3 overall) will conclude the NCAA Division I portion of their schedule this week when they head to Boulder, Colorado to take on Big 12 Conference member the University of Colorado (5-6 overall) Thursday (Dec. 28). The game will tip at 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. PST).
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Simply one more opportunity for the 'Runners to prove they belong at the NCAA Division I level. They've acquitted themselves well in their first five DI games, and a win at Colorado would level their record against DI competition at 3–3.
TICKET INFO: Season tickets for Roadrunner basketball are on sale now. Advance single game tickets also are on sale now. For more information, call (661) 654–BLUE or visit us online at www.gorunners.com.
The 'Runners return home to host Cal State Dominguez Hills Jan. 12.
ON DECK: After they return from Colorado, the 'Runners will get the weekend to rest up before resuming California Collegiate Athletic Association play next week. The 'Runners will play at Cal State Stanislaus Jan. 5 and at Chico State Jan. 6.
The team comes home for the first time this season to host Cal State Dominguez Hills Jan. 12 in Rabobank Arena for the annual Pack The House Night. Check www.gorunners.com for more information.
BUFFALO NOTES
The Buffaloes will enter Thursday's game vs. CSUB in the midst of a 4–game losing streak…in that run is an 89–77 loss at Cal State Fullerton, where the 'Runners won 69–61 last week…all five Colorado wins have come within the friendly confines of the Coors Events Center… Jr. P Jackie McFarland leads Colorado by averaging a double–double (19.5 ppg & 10.5 rpg)…Sr. F Jasmina Ilic is the only other Buffalo in double figures at 13.6 ppg…only Ilic (64), Fr. G Bianca Smith (36) and Jr. G Susie Powers (22) have attempted more than 5 three–pointers this season (by comparison, 5 'Runners have attempted more than 10)…Ilic and Smith have combined to make 32 of CU's 44 treys.
SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 1st ever meeting between the Roadrunners and the Buffaloes.
WHAT ARE THE ROADRUNNERS? With the Roadrunners beginning their four–year transition to full NCAA Division I status this season, a common question that comes up is, “what division are the 'Runners?”
For this season (and the next three) CSUB is considered an NCAA Division I institution. Because the 'Runners are not playing a full Division I schedule in 2006–07, however, they are not an RPI counter against Division I opponents this season. They already count as an NCAA Division I opponent when playing DII, DIII and NAIA members.
The 'Runners are scheduled to become NCAA Division I championship eligible beginning in the 2010–11 season.
'RUNNERS TOPPLE TITANS: The Roadrunners earned their second–ever NCAA Division I regular season victory with a 69–61 win at Cal State Fullerton last week. The 'Runners fell behind early but rallied thanks to a defense that held the Titans to just 31 percent shooting from the field. Senior center Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons) led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
LORING GETS ANOTHER DOUBLE–DOUBLE: Jessi Loring continued her solid run of early–season play with a pair of double–doubles last week. In addition to her effort at Fullerton, Loring went for 21 and 11 in the 68–48 win over Cal State L.A. They were the fifth and sixth double–doubles of the season for Loring, who already has doubled last season's total of three.
WHOSE TURN IS IT TONIGHT? While Jessi Loring has held the hot hand recently, this season just about any player could be the one to step up on a given night. All nine players who have seen action in the each of the first nine games have led the team in either scoring (5 different players) or rebounding (5 different players) so far this season.
To take that statistic one step further, no player has led the team in scoring more than three times through the first nine games.
FREE THROW SHOOTING ON A RECORD PACE: The Roadrunners are making the most of their opportunities from the charity stripe this season, making free throws at a record–setting pace in 2006–07. They enter the week converting 77.2 percent (152-of-197) from the line. Should they maintain that pace, they will shattered the record of the 2001–02 team that made 74.6 percent of its free throw attempts.
TWO CHALLENGING INDIVIDUAL FREE THROW MARK: While the 'Runners shoot free throws well up and down the roster, two players are making a run at the individual season record of 87.3 percent (62-of-71) set by Krista Arase (Alhambra/Keppel HS) last season. Jessi Loring has made a remarkable 89.7 percent of her free throws (35-of-39) so far this season. Arase, meanwhile, is close behind at 84.8 percent (28-of-33).
FIRE AND ICE: The 'Runners have been either red hot or ice cold when it comes to shooting the three ball this season. In one four–game stretch, the 'Runners hit a sizzling 26-of-52 (.500) from beyond the arc. In their other five games, however, they are just 17-of-75 (.227).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN: This week's game at Colorado will be the continuation of a record road trip for the 'Runner women. The 'Runners will traverse four states to play 11 games on a trip that began Nov. 20 at UNLV.
At 11 games and 53 days, it will be the longest road trip in Cal State Bakersfield history for any sport — except this season's men's basketball team, which opens with 12 on the road.
For good measure, the Roadrunner men's team will not play its first home game until a January 12 meeting with Dominguez Hills — a span of 12 games and 62 days.
ROADRUNNER BASKETBALL: A Championship Tradition
The 2006–07 season marks the seventh anniversary of Roadrunner women's basketball. The 'Runners have won an incredible 146 games against just 36 losses (.802).
More than just winning games, 'Runner basketball is about winning championships. Bakersfield has two CCAA titles and one NCAA West Region title. The 'Runners are the only team in NCAA history—men's or women's at any level—to reach the NCAA Tourney every season of their existence.
