FOR THE FULL VERSION OF THIS
RELEASE, COMPLETE WITH STATISTICS, SCHEDULES AND ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE (IF AVAILABLE) OR VISIT
WWW.GORUNNERS.COM.
UP NEXT: The Roadrunner men's basketball team (6-13 overall) begins a five-game roadtrip that
will cover more than 8,000 miles round trip with a short hop to Long
Beach State Wednesday (Jan. 23). Tipoff is scheduled for 7:35
p.m. at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach.
ON THE AIR: As always, you can follow all of the
action on the radio at KERN NewsTalk 1410 AM. Corey Costelloe will call
the play-by-play.
49ER NOTES (4-12 0verall): The 49ers are the defending Big West champions but have lost 6 of 7 entering the CSUB game...fell at UC Riverside, 70?66 Saturday night...Jr. G Donovan Morris, a transfer from Fresno State, is the only 49er in double figures at 18.3 ppg...5 other 49ers average between 6.8 and 8.1 ppg...Morris and Jr. C Brian Freeman share the team rebounding lead at 5.1 rpg.
SERIES HISTORY: LBSU leads 2?0...CSUB made just 11-of-26 from the free throw line in a tough 73?70 loss in Long Beach last season...In the only other meeting, the 49ers won 61?58 in the 1985 season.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2007 -- at LBSU 73, 'RUNNERS 70
1985 -- at LBSU 61, 'RUNNERS 58
THIS DATE IN ROADRUNNER HISTORY: One must travel all the way back to the 1981?82 season to find the last time CSUB lost a game played on Jan. 23 (a 55?54 loss at Chapman College).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Roadrunners head to Long Beach State Wednesday night to kick off a five?game road trip. The trip will include stops in four states: California (Long Beach State, San Jose State); Oregon (Univ. of Portland); Texas (UT?Pan American) and Wyoming (Univ. of Wyoming). By the time the 'Runners return to Bakersfield on Feb. 13, they will have covered 23 days and 8,088 miles round trip.
ROAD SWEET ROAD: Returning to the road road may actually be a good thing for the 'Runners, who will look to earn their fourth consecutive road victory Wednesday night. They will be seeking their first four?game road win streak since they won four?straight from Jan. 20 through Feb. 18, 2006.
POINT?A?MINUTE MAN: Junior forward Donald Lee (Los Angeles/Pierce College) turned in his most impressive performance of the season, scoring nearly a point per minute Saturday versus Utah Valley University. Lee scored a career?high 14 points in just 15 minutes.
SPREADING THE WEALTH: The Roadrunners have been very generous this season when it comes to sharing the statistical glory. Through the first 19 games of 2007?08, seven different players have led the team in scoring while eight different players have led the team in rebounding. See page six of this release for the detailed lists.
BALANCING ACT: Although junior swingman Terrence Johns (Chicago/Bakersfield College) is the only 'Runner averaging in double figures, Head Coach Keith Brown has not had a problem finding double?figure scorers this season. When Donald Lee notched 14 points Saturday night, he became the 10th 'Runner to reach that plateau in 2007?08.
ANOTHER STARTER BIT BY THE INJURY BUG: Senior guard Zack Grasmick (Strathmore/Granite Hills HS) became the latest Roadrunner start to get bit by the injury bug this season. Although he saw action Saturday night, he gritted out a season?low 16 minutes. It was the fewest minutes he has played since Mar. 11, 2006, a span of 49 games.
In total, CSUB starters have missed 14 games due to injury this season. That list does not include junior guard Javarus Stewart (Camilla, Ga./Georgia Perimeter College) who was expected to start at the point this season, but played just four minutes due to medical concerns before leaving CSUB after the fall quarter.
BROWN RETURNS FROM INJURY: Freshman forward Cory Brown (Lakeside/El Capitan HS) returned to the floor?although not the starting lineup?after missing one game with an ankle injury. Brown scored two points in a season?low nine minutes Saturday versus Utah Valley. Brown is the first freshman in CSUB history to start the first 17 games of his career.
...AND THE LITTLE ONES SHALL LEAD THEM: With an eye towards the future, the Roadrunners continue to play a rotation that leans heavily on their younger players. Freshmen and sophomores account for 46 of CSUB's 95 total starts this season and have played 1,976 of a possible 3,825 minutes this season (52 percent).
GRASMICK PASSES 600?POINT PLATEAU: Senior guard Zack Grasmick recently became the 35th player in CSUB history to reach the 600?point plateau for his career. Grasmick enters the Long Beach State game ranked No. 35 all?time with 608 points. He needs just two points to pass Dock Ellis, Tony Hoggatts and Derrick McCray (609) for 32nd place. He is 20 points away from tying Don Davis (628) for the No. 30 spot.
'RUNNERS VS. DI COMPETITION: Although 2007?08 is the first time the Roadrunners take on a full NCAA Division I schedule, it does not mark the first Bakersfield foray into NCAA Division I play. The 'Runners own an all?time mark of 23?57 in 80 games against 39 different Division I opponents. Note that this mark does not include games against current DI teams that were not DI when they met.
36 YEARS OF CSUB BASKETBALL: The 2007?2008 season marks the 37th anniversary of Roadrunner men's basketball at CSUB. Since the program's inception in 1971?72, the Roadrunners have posted an impressive all?time record of 736?319 (.698).
WHERE OTHERS HAVE GONE BEFORE: Making the leap from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I play is a big step. It's also a step taken by several Roadrunner rivals over the past few seasons. Bakersfield is the sixth West Region school to make the jump since 1990. The others are: Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Sacramento State, UC Davis and UC Riverside.
In fact, DII and the California Collegiate Athletic Association have been jumping off points for many of the current DI programs in the West. All nine Big West Conference members are former DII schools and all but UC Irvine were formerly in the CCAA. Other former DII and CCAA schools from the West include Fresno State, Pepperdine, San Diego State and San Jose State.
