FRESNO ? The CSUB men's basketball team shot just 29.7 percent in the second half and Fresno State blew open a close game to win going away, 66-51, Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center.
Trailing by six at the half, 29-23, the Roadrunners closed to within one on a Trent Blakley (Alta Loma HS) dunk early in the second half. But they went ice cold after that, missing 17 of 20 shots at one point, as Fresno State pulled away.
Blakley led CSUB with 11 points, but suffered through a cold-shooting game, making just 4-of-13 from the field. The ?Runners ended the night shooting 30.6 percent (19-of-62). It was their lowest percentage since opening the season converting 30.3 percent at Wyoming.
On the bright side for CSUB fans, the ?Runners got some solid performances from their bench. Junior center Jose Lara (Santa Paula/College of the Sequoias) scored a season-high seven points and chipped in a team-leading five rebounds in just 13 minutes off the bench. Junior guards Ryan Brown (Crystal Lake, Ill./Oakton College) and Justin Dennis (Toronto/Panola College) saw their most extensive action of the season and helped CSUB end the game on a 10-2 run.
Paul George led Fresno (4-4 overall) with a game-high 17 points. Sylvester Seal was the only other Bulldog to reach double figures, finishing with 15.
CSUB (3-6) continues its longest road trip of the season Saturday at defending Big West Conference champion Cal State Fullerton. The ?Runners will return home to host defending WAC champion Boise State Dec. 20 in Rabobank Arena.
Fresno State 66, CSU Bakersfield 51
CSU BAKERSFIELD (3?6): Blakley 4-13 3-4 11; Lee 0-0 0-0 0; Bragg 2-10 0-0 6; Emanuel 1-6 0-0 3; Carlson 2-8 0-0 6; Johnson 0-2 0-0 0; Dennis 1-3 0-0 2; Johns 2-6 3-4 8; R. Brown 1-1 0-0 2; Lara 3-3 1-1 7; Latunde 3-9 0-1 6; C. Brown 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19-62 7-10 51.
FRESNO STATE (4?4): Golubovic 3-6 1-2 8; George 6-11 0-0 17; Seay 5-9 5-6 15; Cartwright 1-5 0-0 3; O'Neil 4-11 0-0 9; Ladd 2-4 3-4 8; Ambers 0-0 0-0 0; Green 0-1 0-0 0; Seals 2-3 0-0 6; Sperling 0-2 2-2 2; Webster 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 23-52 11-14 66.
Halftime: FS 29-23. 3-point goals--CSUB 6-25 (Bragg 2-7, Carlson 2-7, Johns 1-2, Emanuel 1-4, Dennis 0-1, Johnson 0-2); FS 9-24 (George 5-8, Cartwright 1-3, Ladd 1-3, Golubovic 1-4, O'Neil 1-4, Seay 01-, Sperling 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--CSUB 33 (Lara, Latunde 5); FS 38 (Golubovic 9). Assists--CSUB 6 (Johnson, Dennis 2); FS 20 (Cartwright 6). Total fouls--CSUB 14, FS 10. Technical fouls--None. A-9,104.
