THE WEEK AHEAD: The 'Runners (14-6, 11-2 CCAA) will close their season–high five–game homestand with three games at Rabobank Arena this week. After hosting Cal State L.A. Tuesday (Feb. 6), the 'Runners will face a showdown with two–time defending CCAA champion Chico State Thursday (Feb. 8). Saturday (Feb. 10) will bring Cal State Stanislaus to town for its final CCAA game in Bakersfield.
All three games will tipoff at 5:30 p.m. as the openers of men's/women's doubleheader action.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Defending the home court with three wins this week would guarantee the 'Runners at least a share of first place as they hit the road to face CCAA co–leader UC San Diego next week.
Chico State dipped one–half game behind the 'Runners with a loss last week and would find itself in dire circumstances with a loss Thursday night.
Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State L.A. sit at the bottom of the CCAA standings.
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 hit the road for four consecutive games, beginning Friday (Feb. 15) at CCAA co–leader UC San Diego. The trip will feature four games against NCAA West Region contenders, with Cal State Dominguez Hills, Sonoma State and Humboldt State also on the schedule.
A WORD ABOUT CAL STATE L.A.: While the front page (of the PDF version) of this notebook focused on this weekend's games, the 'Runners also will be hosting Cal State L.A. (3-15, 1-2 CCAA)for the final time in a CCAA contest Tuesday night. The 'Runners led the Golden Eagles wire-to-wire in a 68–48 win in Los Angeles on Dec. 21. Bakersfield owns an 11–2 edge in the all–time series, including a spotless 6–0 mark in Bakersfield.
CHICO STATE WILDCAT NOTES (15-3, 11-3 CCAA)
Chico State held the CCAA lead for most of the season before losing to UC San Diego Saturday afternoon…Jr. C Amber Simmons ranks No. 5 in the CCAA in scoring (15.7 ppg) and No. 3 in rebounding (8.7 rpg)…Sr. F Niki Simons and Jr. G Audrianna Spencer also rank among the CCAA scoring leaders at 12.6 ppg and 12.3 ppg respectively.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUB leads 9–5…Chico took the first meeting this season, 70–62…Amber Simmons (19-12) and Renee Goldoff (12-13) each had double-doubles…CSUB has won 5 of the 6 meetings played at home, including a 92–68 win last season…Chico has won 5 of the last 6 in the series.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2007 @CHICO 70, 'RUNNERS 62
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
*NCAA Tournament Game
CAL STATE STANISLAUS WARRIOR NOTES (5-13, 2-12 CCAA)
The Warriors are rebuilding this season…snapped a 4– game losing skid with a 51– 49 upset of regional contender Cal State Dominguez Hills last week…Jr. F Gwen-dolyn Page ranks among the CCAA leaders in both scoring (No. 4 at 15.8 ppg) and rebounding (No. 2 at 8.8 rpg).
SERIES HISTORY: CSUB leads 10–4…CSUB leads the series in Bakersfield, 6–0…CSUB took the 1st meeting this season, 85–70…Jessi Loring led the way in That win with 20 points…CSUB has won 7 of the last 8 and 10 of the last 12 in the series…CSUB took both meetings last season.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2007 'RUNNERS 85, @CSUS 70
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
*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.
WIN STREAK HITS SIX: With two wins last week, the 'Runners upped their longest win streak of the season to six 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.
TWO MORE WIRE–TO–WIRE WINS: The 'Runners picked up a pair of wire-to-wire wins (that is, they never trailed after scoring the first point of the game) in defeating Cal State Monterey Bay and San Francisco State last weekend. That brings their total for such victories to an impressive seven wins this season.
'RUNNERS REACH THE CENTURY MARK AGAIN: The 'Runners surpassed the 100–point plateau (106, to be exact) for the second time this season in Thursday's 106–54 win over Monterey Bay. They have cracked the century mark at least once in six of their seven seasons of existence (the 2004 CCAA Champion 'Runners are the lone exception).
The 'Runner record for 100–point games in a season stands at six (2003).
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: In last week's win over Monterey Bay, the 'Runners set a school record by placing seven scorers in double figures. The previous high water mark was six players, accomplished four times previously (last in a 119–65 win over Western New Mexico on Nov. 19, 2005). The magnificent seven players were: Florida Siaosi (21 points); Tiffany Belt (13 points); Jessi Loring and Krista Arase (12 points); Rhondi Naff, Kelley Tarver and Rhonda Johnson (10 points).
ALMOST THE ELITE EIGHT: The magnificent seven almost became the elite eight as freshman forward Kelly Blair (Morro Bay HS) chipped in a career–high nine points.
A NIGHT FOR CAREER HIGHS: The win over Cal State Monterey Bay proved to be a night for career highs as a trio of Roadrunners established personal bests. The most noteworthy achievement was the 21–point, 18–rebound double–double by freshman forward Florida Siaosi (Hesperia/Sultana HS). Both the point and rebound totals were career bests by a 'Runner freshman as she extended her 'Runner freshman record for double–doubles to five.
Freshman guard Tiffany Belt (West HS) reached double figures for the first time with her 13–point effort while Blair's nine points eclipsed her previous high of six.
ARASE REACHES ANOTHER MILESTONE: With 14 assists in two wins last week, Krista Arase (Alhambra/Keppel HS) reached exactly 100 assists for the season. She becomes just the second player in Roadrunner history (Jasmere Kirby, 2003–04) to record 100+ assists twice.
For the record, Arase enters the week with 272 career assists and needs just 22 more to pass Katie McElree's career record of 293.
LORING NEARS SCORING MILESTONE: With 682 career points entering the week, Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons) is on the verge of becoming the sixth player in 'Runner history to score 700 or more points in her 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 154 games against just 39 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.
