THE WEEK AHEAD: The Roadrunners (6-4, 3-0 CCAA) will renew their farewell tour of the CCAA this weekend when they head north on Highway 99 for a pair of conference tilts. The weekend begins Friday (Jan. 5) in Turlock at Cal State Stanislaus. Saturday (Jan. 6) will find the 'Runners in Chico to take on the Wildcats.
Both games will tipoff at 5:30 p.m. as the openers of men's/women's doubleheader action.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The 'Runners resume CCAA action alone in first place at 3–0. Although they are not postseason eligible, they will look to continue their run atop the conference standings.
Cal State Stanislaus is looking to keep its recent hot streak alive with a win Friday night. Meanwhile, Chico would grab at least a share of first place with wins over Cal State L.A. and Bakersfield this weekend.
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 team comes home for the first time since Nov. 17 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.
CAL STATE STANISLAUS NOTES (3-5, 0-4 CCAA)
After a slow start to the season, Stanislaus has caught fire by winning 3 straight entering Friday's game…the Warriors opened with a grueling schedule that featured 3 of their 1st 5 games against 2006 NCAA Tourney qualifiers …Jr. F Gwendolyn Page leads 4 Warriors averaging in double figures at 14.6 ppg…she adds a team–best 7.5 rpg.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUB leads 9–4...Stanislaus leads the series in Turlock 4–2...Stanislaus won the 1st 4 in Turlock but CSUB has won the last 2...CSUB has won 6 of the last 7 and 9 of the last 11 in the series...CSUB took both meetings last season, including a 96–77 decision in Turlock.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2006 'RUNNERS 96, @CSUS 77
2006 @'RUNNERS 79, CSUS 57
2005 @'RUNNERS 89, CSUS 76
2005 'RUNNERS 80, @CSUS 68
2004 @CSUS 72, 'RUNNERS 64
2004 @'RUNNERS 78, CSUS 70
2003* 'RUNNERS 116, CSUS 106 (ot)
2003 @'RUNNERS 100, CSUS 87
2003 @CSUS 72, 'RUNNERS 59
2002 @CSUS 69, 'RUNNERS 64
*NCAA Tournament Game
CHICO STATE NOTES (7-1, 3-1 CCAA)
Chico enters the week ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA DII poll…the only blemish in their schedule is a 73–54 loss at CS Dominguez Hills on Dec. 2…Molly Goodenbauer took over for CCAA Coach of the Year Lynne Roberts, who became the head coach at Univ. of the Pacific…Jr. F Amber Simmons leads a balanced attack at 13.9 ppg.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUB leads 9–4...The teams split the series in 2006, with each winnIng at home...Chico won the rubber match with a thrilling 83–80 win in the NCAA West Regional semifinals...Chico won in Chico, 78–68, to clinch the CCAA title...Chico has won 4 of the last 5 in the series.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2006* CHICO 83, 'RUNNERS 80
2006 @CHICO, 78, 'RUNNERS 68
2006 @'RUNNERS 92, CHICO 68
2005 CHICO 112, @'RUNNERS 96
2005 @CHICO 92, 'RUNNERS 80
2004 @'RUNNERS 73, CHICO 60
2004 'RUNNERS 80, CHICO 69
2003 'RUNNERS 92, @CHICO 80
2003 @'RUNNERS 101, CHICO 71
2002 'RUNNERS 79, @CHICO 77
*NCAA Tournament Game
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.
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL: This week's games at Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State will be the conclusion of a record road trip for the 'Runner women. In total, the 'Runners will have traversed 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.
SAYONARA TO DIVISION I PLAY FOR THE SEASON: Bakersfield's game at the University of Colorado last week was the last of six against NCAA Division I competition in 2006–07. The 'Runners went 2–4 in those games, with wins over UT–San Antonio and Cal State Fullerton.
Bakersfield will play a full NCAA Division I schedule beginning in 2007–08.
WHOSE TURN IS IT TONIGHT? While Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons) 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 10 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, only Loring has led the team in scoring more than three times through the first 10 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 77.0 percent (167-of-217) from the line. Should they maintain that pace, they will shatter 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 85.1 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 six games, however, they are just 19-of-88 (.216).
'RUNNERS AMONG THE CCAA LEADERS: Even though the 'Runners are the lone unbeaten team in the CCAA through 13 percent of the conference season, they are surprisingly under represented among the CCAA statistical leaders. Jessi Loring and Krista Arase ranked 1–2 in free throw percentage. At +1.44, Arase also leads in assist-to–turnover ratio. That is it for 'Runner individuals atop the charts.
Arase also ranked No. 2 in assists (4.4 apg) and No. 6 in steals (2.3 spg). Loring checks in at No. 3 in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and No. 6 in scoring (15.0 ppg) and blocks (1.2 bpg).
The only other 'Runner ranked higher than No. 10 in any category is sophomore guard Kelley Tarver (Valencia HS), who is No. 4 in free throw percentage (.789), No. 5 in assists (3.6 apg) and No. 6 in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.03).
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 37 losses (.798).
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.
