LA JOLLA, Calif. – It took the better part of 40 minutes, but the Cal State Bakersfield men's basketball team finally subdued a pesky UC San Diego squad, 67-56, at RIMAC Arena in La Jolla Friday night.
Senior guard Dwuan Rice (Pasadena HS) led a balanced Bakersfield (13-11, 12-5 CCAA) attack with 13 points. He scored 11 of those after halftime to help the Roadrunners ease away in the final minutes. Henry Patterson led all scorers with 20 points for UCSD (10-12, 8-9).
Although the final margin indicated a double-digit win, the 'Runner lead was tenuous at best for most of the affair. UCSD did a good job of slowing the tempo to keep the 'Runners from utilizing their dangerous transition game.
“UCSD did some things to slow the game down and keep us from getting out in transition,” said CSUB Head Coach Keith Brown, whose team won its third consecutive game for the first time this season. “I thought Dwuan did a good job of taking over the game in the second half and leading us the way we expect a senior point guard to lead.”
Bakersfield never led by more than six points in the first half. The Tritons actually took a brief lead at 34-33 on a short Patterson jumper three minutes into the second half. But a Carl Damus (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Pensacola CC) layup on the ensuing Bakersfield possession sparked a quick 9-2 run that gave the 'Runners a 42-35 lead they would never relinquish.
UCSD got as close as 42-41 with 12:36 remaining, but the Tritons never again held the ball with a chance to take the lead.
In addition to Rice, Damus and freshman forward Trent Blakley (Alta Loma HS) each chipped in 11 points for Bakersfield. Senior guard Randall Harding (Oklahoma City/Contra Coast CC) came off the bench to add 10 points and three steals.
The Roadrunners continue their four-game road trip Saturday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Cal State Bakersfield 67, UC San Diego 56
CS BAKERSFIELD (13–11, 12–5 CCAA): Richard Andrews 2-2 0-0 4; Trent Blakley 3-8 2-3 9; Carl Damus 4-7 3-3 11; Dwuan Rice 4-8 5-6 13; Brandon Robinson 1-4 1-3 4; Randall Harding 3-4 4-4 10; Robert Rose 1-3 0-0 2; Zack Grasmick 0-2 2-2 2; Demarcus Hall 0-1 1-2 1; Rick Robinson 4-8 3-3 11. TOTALS: 22-47 21-26 67.
UC SAN DIEGO (10–12, 8–9 CCAA): Henry Patterson 9-14 2-7 20; Brett Stuckey 1-1 1-2 3; Robby Peters 3-7 0-0 7; Kelvin Kim 0-3 2-2 3; Clint Allard 3-8 0-0 6; Jordan Lawley 2-6 5-5 9; Darryl Lawlor 1-5 1-2 3; Shane Poppen 3-6 0-0 6; Andrew Browning 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-50 11-19 56.
HALFTIME: CSUB 28-26. 3-PT. FG: CSUB 2-7 (B. Robinson 1-2, Blakley 1-4, Rice 0-1); UCSD 1-13 (Peters 1-5, Poppen 0-1, Kim 0-2, Allard 0-2, Lawley 0-3). REBOUNDS: CSUB 33 (Damus 6); UCSD 26 (Patterson 5). ASSISTS: CSUB 12 (Andrews 4); UCSD 13 (Allard 4). TURNOVERS: CSUB 13, UCSD 11. BLOCKS: CSUB 2 (Blakley, Damus); UCSD 1 (Browning). STEALS: CSUB 8 (Harding 3); UCSD 6 (Allard). TECHNICALS: None. FOULED OUT: None. OFFICIALS: Kollen, Thomas, Cota. ATTN: 403.
