THE WEEK AHEAD: The Roadrunners continue their four–game homestand this week when they host a pair of Northern California foes at Rabobank Arena. The festivities begin Thursday (Jan. 18) when Sonoma State pays its final CCAA visit to Bakersfield. Saturday (Jan. 20) Humboldt State will make its first and only visit to Bakersfield as a CCAA member.
Both games will tipoff at 5:30 p.m. as the openers of men's/women's doubleheader action.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Entering play one game behind in the loss column, the 'Runners need a pair of wins this week to stay in the hunt for first place in the CCAA race.
With four conference losses and seven losses overall, Sonoma State must sweep this weekend or risk falling hopelessly behind in both the CCAA and West Region races. After qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 2006, Humboldt State is right in the thick of the 2007 postseason chase and within striking distance in its first–ever hunt for the CCAA championship.
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.
ON DECK: The Roadrunners will return to the road—where they've played 11 of their first 14 games—when they travel to Cal Poly Pomona and San Bernardino Jan. 27-28.
SEAWOLF NOTES (5-7, 4-4 CCAA)
The Seawolves have posted several quality results this season, including wins over regional contenders Seattle Pacific and Humboldt State …were a UCSD miracle buzzer –beater away from upsetting the Tritons…USF transfer Jr. F/G Danae Wellander leads 3 Seawolves averaging in double figures at 12.4 ppg…she adds a team–best 6.0 rpg.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUB leads 9–3…CSUB leads the series in Bakersfield 5–1…CSUB won the last meeting in Bakersfield, 66–60, behind 16 points each from Rhonda Johnson and Kelley Tarver…CSUB has won 8 of the last 11 meetings…SSU's last win in the series came in 2005 (70–57).
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2006 'RUNNERS 74, @SSU 59
2006 @'RUNNERS 66, SSU 60
2005 @'RUNNERS 73, SSU 55
2005 @SSU 70, 'RUNNERS 57
2004 @SSU 61, 'RUNNERS 53
2004 @'RUNNERS 83, SSU 68
2003 @'RUNNERS 78, SSU 61
2003 'RUNNERS 81, @SSU 71
2002 SSU 82, @'RUNNERS 76
2002 'RUNNERS 57, @SSU 52
LUMBERJACK NOTES (10-3, 5-3 CCAA)
The Lumberjacks have adapted well to their 1st–ever CCAA campaign, racing to a 10–3 start overall…reached the NCAA West Regional in 2006 as a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Confer-ence…have enjoyed the opposite role of the 'Runners with 10 of their 1st 13 games played at home…enter the week having won 3 in a row and 5 of their last 6, all at home…are 2–2 vs. teams with winning records this season…the wins came against Dominguez Hills and North-west Nazarene…Sr. C Mia Spasowska, a transfer from DI Towson State, leads 3 Lumberjacks averaging in double figures at 15.5 ppg…she also leads the team in rebounding at 5.5 rpg…Sr. G Katie Wilder chips in 14.4 ppg and Jr. F Biava Arganda adds 10.3 ppg.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 1st–ever meeting between the Lumberjacks and the 'Runners.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
First–ever meeting
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.
ABOUT LAST WEEK: The 'Runners finally returned to Rabobank Arena and made the most of their first home–cooked meal since Nov. 17 with a convincing 69–54 win over regional contender Cal State Dominguez Hills. They couldn't sustain that momentum, however, and fell to UC San Diego, 72–61, in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
WIRE–TO–WIRE: In last Friday's win over Cal State Dominguez Hills, the 'Runners scored the first basket 14 seconds into the game and never relinquished the lead in an eventual 69–54 victory. It marked the fourth time this season that the 'Runners never trailed in a game en route to victory.
BATTLE OF THE BOARDS: To be certain, the only statistic that matters when the final horn sounds is the score. Almost as telling for the 'Runners this season has been rebounding. Friday's win over Dominguez Hills marked the first time this season that the 'Runners were outrebounded yet went on to victory. They are 7–0 this season when outrebounding opponents and 1–6 when they do not win the battle of the boards.
HOME SWEET HOME: Although it was the largest NCAA Division II arena in the West Region (and now is one of the largest in Division I), Rabobank Arena has proved to be a cozy little venue for the 'Runners. CSUB has posted a 49–10 record all–time (.831) in the building.
HOME SWEET HOME OPENERS: The 'Runners have enjoyed hosting CCAA home openers during their brief history. Last Friday's win over Dominguez Hills will leave the 'Runners with a final record in CCAA home openers of 6–1.
THE CCAA FAREWELL TOUR: With their NCAA Division I schedule complete for 2006–07, the 'Runner focus returns to the CCAA as they complete their final tour of the conference. Although ineligible to win the CCAA title as an NCAA Division I program, the 'Runners will try to finish atop the standings for the third time in their seven–year history of CCAA play.
WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD SHOTS GONE? After leading the West Region and finishing No. 4 (three–point) and No. 8 (overall) in NCAA Division II field goal percentage last season, the 'Runners have cooled off considerably this season.
They shot 46 percent from the field and 39 percent from beyond the arc as a team in 2005–06. This season, they are at 42 percent and 30 percent. Both of those marks would rank last in school history.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS AT THE LINE: While the 'Runners have not shot well from the field, they continue to take care of business at the free throw line. CSUB enters the week ranked No. 1 in the CCAA from the charity stripe, converting 74 percent of its tries (219-of-296).
IT'S A TEAM GAME AFTER ALL: Head Coach Tim La Kose emphasizes a team–first concept that is reflected in the CCAA statistics. The 'Runners are within a game of the CCAA lead despite having only one player lead the CCAA in a statistical category. Fittingly, sophomore Krista Arase (Alhambra/Keppel HS) leads in a that most unselfish of stats, assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.56).
ROADRUNNER BASKETBALL: A Championship Tradition
The 2006–07 season marks the seventh anniversary of Roadrunner women's basketball. The 'Runners have won an incredible 148 games against just 39 losses (.791).
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.
