ROADRUNNERS (3-7 overall) at
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (4-7 overall)
DECEMBER 16, 2008  ?  7:00 p.m. (CST)
TITAN GYM  ?  FULLERTON, CALIF.
KERN NEWSTALK 1410 AM  ? LIVE VIDEO AT WWW.GOJACKS.COM

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JACKRABBIT NOTES
SDSU is off to a 4?7 start, but 3 of its 4 victories have come in Frost Arena...the Jackrabbits have dropped 3 straight entering Tuesday's game...Jr. G Gar-rett Callahan, who scored 16 against CSUB last season, leads the Jackrabbits at 17.4 ppg...So. F/G Clint Sargent is the only other SDSU player in double figures at 15.2 ppg...So. F Anthony Cordova adds a team?best 7.9 rpg.

SERIES HISTORY
The teams met for the first time last season, with CSUB taking a 73?71 win in OT at Rabobank Arena. . .Both teams are former Div. II powers. . .Both teams advanced to the 1997 Div. II Elite 8, although they did not meet there. . .CSUB went on to win its third NCAA Div. II title that season.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2008    @'RUNNERS 73, SDSU 71 ot

THIS DATE IN ROADRUNNER HISTORY
The 'Runners are a pedestrian 3?2 in games played on Dec. 16. Their last win on this date was an 89?48 victory over Cal State Hayward in 1994.

WHEN LAST WE MET: In their first?ever meeting, CSUB and SDSU put on a slugfest that was every bit as close as the 73?71 overtime final indicated. The teams played through 12 ties and 13 lead changes. They nearly needed a second overtime, but Garrett Callahan's jumper at the buzzer circled the rim and came out as CSUB held on for the win.

Then sophomore forward Trent Blakley (Alta Loma HS) enjoyed what was then a career night, leading four Roadrunners in double figures with 23 points. Current Assistant Coach Zack Grasmick added 14 points. Ben Beran led all scorers with 25 points for the Jackrabbits. Callahan chipped in 16.

FIRE AND ICE: The 'Runners have been a hot?and?cold team this season. When they've been hot, they've been red hot, shooting 51 percent against Sacramento State and 54 percent at UC Davis. When they've been cold, they've been ice cold. Saturday's game at Cal State Fullerton marked the fifth time this season CSUB has shot less than 35 percent from the field.

IN A FOUL MOOD: So far this season, the foul count has been sure indicator of Roadrunner fortunes each game. CSUB is 0?5 when it is whistled for more fouls than its opponents and 3?1 when the count is reversed.

BOMBS AWAY FOR BLAKLEY: Coming into the 2008?09 season, Trent Blakley had hit his share of big three?point field goals. But never has he been more prolific?nor as deadly accurate?as he has been recently. Blakley is on a tear in which he has made 13 of his last 24 three?point attempts (54 percent). For the season, he is shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc (18?for?41).

JOHNS MAKES MOST OF START... After coming off the bench and averaging 11 points in his last six games as sixth man, senior guard Terrence Johns (Chicago/Bakersfield College) made the most of his starting opportunity at Cal State Fullerton Saturday. Making his first start since Nov. 16, Johns exploded for a season?high 19 points.

...WHILE LATUNDE CONTINUES TO SHINE OFF BENCH: While Terrence Johns was making hay in his first starting assignment in a month, junior forward Santwon Latunde (Landover, Md./Cowley County CC) not?so?quietly continues to contribute off the bench. CSUB's leading rebounder and second?leading scorer poured in a career?high 19 points and a game?high nine rebounds while making his 10th relief appearance of the season at Cal State Fullerton.

JOHNSON LENDS A HAND: Although he has yet to make his first start as a sophomore?after starting 17 games as a freshman?Alex Johnson (Toronto/Vaughan Road Academy) has come on to lead the 'Runners in assists in five of the last seven games. He has passed fellow sophomore Donavan Bragg (Inglewood/Serra HS) for most times leading the team this season (5?4), although Bragg still leads in total assists (31?25).

SPREADING THE WEALTH: As is typical for a Keith Brown coached team, the 'Runners are doing spreading the wealth offensively so far in 2008?09. Entering Saturday's game at Cal State Fullerton, six different players have led the team in scoring in the first 10 games (see page six for a complete list).

BUT NOT SPREADING THE WEALTH: While the 'Runners have spread the scoring wealth this season, Santwon Latunde has hogged the rebounding glory. Latunde, who averages a team?leading 7.6 rebounds per game, has been CSUB's top rebounder in eight of 10 games.

'RUNNERS vs. DI COMPETITION: Although 2008?09 will be just the second time the Roadrunners take on a full NCAA Division I schedule, Bakersfield already has a bit of history in NCAA Division I play. The 'Runners own an all?time mark of 28?73 in 101 games against 42 different Division I opponents. Note that this mark does not include games against current DI teams that were not DI when they met CSUB.

WE MEET AGAIN: The 'Runners may be relative new kids on the block at the NCAA Division I level, but they possess a wealth of experience against the Division I opponents they will meet this season. CSUB owns an aggregate 152?119 all?time record against this season's opposition. Note that most of those results came when both CSUB and its opposition were competing at the Division II level.

37 YEARS OF CSUB BASKETBALL: The 2008?2009 season will mark the 38th 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 740?334 (.689).

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.