THE WEEK AHEAD: The 'Runners will look to keep the ball rolling as they finish their final road trip of the season this weekend with a pair of games in Northern California. They kick off the week with their first—and last—CCAA trip to Arcata to take on conference NCAA hopeful Humboldt State Thursday (Feb. 22). Saturday (Feb. 24) the Roadrunners will drive down the 101 to meet resurgent Sonoma State.
Both games will tipoff at 5:30 p.m. as the opening games of men's/women's doubleheader action.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The 'Runners control their own destiny in their bid to win their third (and final) CCAA title. The only way to ensure that the crown rests in Bakersfield is to win their final four games—the next three of which are against teams in NCAA Tournament contention.
With Bakersfield now classified as an NCAA Division I member, their games against the 'Runners will not affect HSU's or SSU's NCAA tournament quests.
TICKET INFO: Advance single game tickets for Roadrunner Basketball are on sale now. For more information, call (661) 654–BLUE or visit us online at www.gorunners.com.
ON DECK: The 'Runners will say sayonara to the CCAA when they return home to close the season March 2–3 in the Icardo Center against San Bernardino and Pomona.
LUMBERJACK NOTES (18-8, 10-8 CCAA)
The Lumberjacks are in the thick of the NCAA Tournament chase…snapped a 4–game losing streak (their only multi–game streak this season) with a 53–49 win at SFSU Saturday night…had won 7-of-8 (with the only loss coming at CSUB) before the recent skid…were upset at Cal State Monterey Bay Friday night (77–67)…have key regional wins over Chico, Sonoma and Dominguez Hills …Sr. C Mia Spasowska, a transfer from NCAA Div. I member Towson State, leads Humboldt in scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg)…Sr. G Katie Wilder is the only other Lumberjack scoring in double figures at 14.4 ppg…the Lumberjacks lead the CCAA with 143 3-point field goals in 2007.
SERIES HISTORY: The 'Runners took the 1st and only previous meeting, 72–45, in Rabobank Arena on Jan. 20…Sr. C Jessi Loring led the way with 24 points for the 'Runners…Spasowska scored 17 to lead HSU.
LAST MEETING
2007 @'RUNNERS 72, HSU 45
SEAWOLF NOTES (12-10, 10-8 CCAA)
After a quiet start to the season, the Seawolves have come on strong to climb into NCAA Tourney contention… have won 6 of their last 7 games, including wins over regional contenders Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Dominguez Hills…Jr. F Danae Wellander leads a balanced Seawolf offense at 13.1 ppg …she adds 5.3 rpg.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUB leads 10–3…CSUB leads the series in…Rohnert Park 4–2…CSUB took the 1st meeting, 66–56 in Rabobank Arena, behind Florida Siaosi's 17–point, 17–rebound double–double…CSUB has won 4 in a row and 7 of the last 9…SSU's last win in the series came in 2005 (70–57).
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2007 @'RUNNERS 66, SSU 56
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
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.
WIN STREAK HITS 11: With two wins last week, the 'Runners upped their longest win streak of the season to 11 games. They now have accomplished the exceedingly rare feat of posting at least one five–game (or better) winning streak in all seven seasons of their existence.
This is the third–longest winning streak in 'Runner women's basketball history. It also marks the 14th time in less than seven full seasons of women's basketball in Bakersfield that the team has won at least four games in a row.
WINNING BIG: It's not just that the 'Runners are winning games, it's they way they are winning that makes the current streak so impressive. Only one win in the streak has come by fewer than 10 points (a 59–51 win at Cal State San Bernardino). Remarkably, five of the wins have come by 27 or more points, including three wins by 40 or more.
Bakersfield's average margin of victory during its current streak is +24.0 points per game.
A STREAK WITHIN A STREAK: Perhaps the most remarkable 10 minutes (well, 10:49 to be precise) of the streak came at the start of Friday's 69–58 win at then No. 14 UC San Diego. The 'Runners raced to an almost unbelievable 23–0 lead before the Tritons got on the scoreboard.
ANOTHER WIRE–TO–WIRE WIN: The 'Runners earned perhaps their most impressive wire-to-wire win (that is, they never trailed after scoring the first point of the game) in Friday's win at NCAA title contender UC San Diego. That brings their total for such victories to an impressive 10 wins this season.
LET'S PLAY TO 70: On the playground, basketball games generally are “timed” by score: That is the first to 11 (or 21, etc…) is the winner. For the 'Runners, 70 has been the magic number this season. Bakersfield is a spotless 13–0 when it scores at least 70 points this season.
35 MINUTES IS PLENTY: Of course, for those teams that insist on using a timer when playing the 'Runners, you might as well set the clock for 35 minutes. Bakersfield is 19–1 (17–0 vs. NCAA Division II competition) when leading with five minutes remaining this season.
FLORIDA SIAOSI: ROADRUNNER OR ENERGIZER BUNNY? It is no coincidence that the current 'Runner hot streak happened just as freshman forward Florida Siaosi (Hesperia/Sultana HS) began to hit her stride. Like the battery commercial bunny, she just kept going last week, adding two more double–doubles to her resume.
Siaosi now has a team–leading nine double–doubles on the season, including six in her last eight games. During that run, she is averaging 15.3 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
GAME #200 ON DECK THIS WEEKEND: The 'Runners will reach a milestone Saturday at Sonoma State when they play the 200th game in the program's brief, but illustrious, history. The 'Runners own a 159–39 (.803 record). Some other milestone games for the 'Runners:
1ST GAME: L. at Menlo College, 65–63
1ST WIN: d. Chapman University, 81–67
1ST HOME GAME: d. CS Dom. Hills, 74–57
50TH GAME: d. San Fran. State, 76–60
100TH GAME: L. at Cal State L.A., 96–90
150TH GAME: d. Grand Canyon, 105–68
LORING CLIMBS INTO SCORING TOP 5: With 20 total points in Bakersfield's two wins last weekend, senior center Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons) climbed to No. 5 on the 'Runners career scoring list with 752 points. She passed former great Jasmere Kirby (2003–04) who scored 751 points in her two–year 'Runner career.
ROADRUNNER BASKETBALL: A Championship Tradition
The 2006–07 season marks the seventh anniversary of Roadrunner women's basketball. The 'Runners have won an incredible 159 games against just 39 losses (.803).
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.
