BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – With Cal State Bakersfield bidding farewell to the California Collegiate Athletic Association this season, there are few teams who will enjoy not having to come to Rabobank Arena anymore than Chico State.
One season after dropping a 24-point loss to Bakersfield at Rabobank, the Roadrunners cruised past Chico State by an 83-50 margin on Thursday night to take a slight half-game lead in the CCAA standings while winning their eighth game in a row.
Chico State might have been the team to eliminate Bakersfield from its final NCAA Division II West Regional competition last season in a neutral-site game in Bellingham, Wash., but there is little doubt that the Roadrunners simply have the Wildcats' number at Rabobank. Bakersfield won 92-68 last season and improved on that in 2007 with the 33-point win.
But the second that Chico State walked off the floor on Thursday night, the Wildcats became huge fans of the Roadrunners. For Chico State to have any chance of winning the 2007 CCAA title, it needs the Roadrunners to win out — including a win at UC San Diego next week — and will also need a little help along the way. Bakersfield is equal with UC San Diego in the loss column and holds one more win in CCAA competition.
It was expected that the players in the post would decide this game, and it became clear early on that Bakersfield would win that battle. Freshman Florida Siaosi (Hesperia/Sultana HS) had a first-half double-double on the way to 17 points and 15 rebounds in 29 minutes of play while senior center Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons) had a quiet 15 points and eight rebounds for the Roadrunners. Siaosi and Loring nearly single-handedly outrebounded the Wildcats as the Roadrunners controlled the boards by a 53-30 margin.
Siaosi and Loring led four players in double-figure scoring for the Roadrunners. Sophomore guard Kelley Tarver (Valencia HS) scored a season-high 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and added five steals. Backcourt teammate Krista Arase (Alhambra/Keppel HS) added 18 points and equaled Tarver with five steals.
Chico State was led by Amber Simmons with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Jade Smith-Williams scored 12.
There was very little that Bakersfield Head Coach Tim La Kose could complain about on Thursday, but if there was one thing, it would be turnovers. The Roadrunners committed 32 turnovers, which equals a season high. But Chico State had 28 turnovers to keep things close in that category.
Bakersfield will close its season-long five-game homestand with a game Saturday night against Cal State Stanislaus at 5:30 p.m.
CHICO STATE (16–4, 11–4 CCAA): Audriana Spencer 2-12 0-0 5; Amber Simmons 6-12 4-6 16; Renee Goldoff 2-4 1-2 5; Jade Smith-Williams 5-8 1-2 12; Niki Simons 0-7 0-0 0; Teresa Karcher 1-5 0-0 2; Melissa Richardson 1-5 0-0 3; Amanda Monteith 0-2 0-0 0; June Burt 0-3 0-0 0; Cory Edwards 1-3 2-2 4; Christine Vest 1-4 1-1 3. TOTALS: 19-65 9-13 50.
CS BAKERSFIELD (16–6, 13–2 CCAA): Rhondi Naff 0-3 0-0 0; Florida Siaosi 5-8 7-8 17; Jessi Loring 5-8 5-6 15; Kelley Tarver 9-16 1-2 21; Krista Arase 5-11 4-4 18; Tiffany Belt 0-2 0-0 0; Katherine Smith 0-2 0-0 0; Christine Kepenekian 1-5 0-0 3; Naomi Johnson 0-0 0-0 0; Kelly Blair 1-1 0-0 3; Rhonda Johnson 3-6 0-0 6. TOTALS: 29-62 17-20 83.
HALFTIME: CSUB 42-26. 3-PT. FG: CHICO 3-13 (Smith-Williams 1-1, Richardson 1-2, Spencer 1-3, Simmons 0-1, Simons 0-1, Monteith 0-1, Burt 0-1, Edwards 0-1, Karcher 0-2); CSUB 8-16 (Arase 4-8, Tarver 2-2, Kepenekian 1-1, Blair 1-1, Naff 0-1, Belt 0-1, Smith 0-2). REBOUNDS: CHICO 30 (Goldoff 9); CSUB 53 (Siaosi 15). ASSISTS: CHICO 7 (Spencer, Smith-Williams 2); CSUB 16 (Smith 4). TURNOVERS: CHICO 28; CSUB 32. BLOCKS: CHICO 3 (Simmons 2); CSUB 6 (Johnson 3). STEALS: CHICO 19 (Spencer, Simmons 4); CSUB 13 (Tarver, Arase 5). TECHNICALS: CHICO: Goldoff, Simons; CSUB: Tarver. FOULED OUT: None. OFFICIALS: Lisa Ulmer, Liz Mitchell, Burt Nelson. ATTN: 291.
