SAN JOSE, Calif. - Led by senior Christine Kepenekian, a shorthanded CSUB women's basketball team powered its way past host San Jose State, 78-59, Saturday evening on the final day of the Battle by the Bay Classic at the Event Center. Kepenekian scored a game-high 32 points, 25 coming in the first half. She also pulled down seven rebounds and had five assists. Classmate Krista Arase had 14 points and a game-best eight assists while Morgan Saso grabbed eight boards and scored a season-best 17 points. By holding San Jose State (1-8) to 59 points, the ?Runners (5-5) are now 76-0 in program history when keeping opponents under 60.
Senior Kelley Tarver, who left Friday night's game against Oklahoma, did not play. Juniors Phynique Allen and Tiffany Belt remained inactive for the contest which left the ?Runners with just eight active players.
The ?Runners shot 50.9 percent from the field and were an even 50 percent from behind the arc. CSUB held SJSU to just 31.5 percent shooting including 5-for-25 from behind the arc. The Roadrunners outrebounded the Spartans, 44?33 and earned nine more trips to the line.
Kepenekian got the ?Runners started as she collected an offensive rebound and scored on the put back after three empty trips to start the contest. The next time down, Krista Arase drove and drew defensive pressure leaving Morgan Saso open for an uncontested layup. Nikhol West scored on the ensuing possession as CSUB took the lead, 6-5. San Jose's Natalie White hit a three but Kepenekian answered right back with a quick layup to send the teams into the first media timeout tied, 8-8.
Saso would give the ?Runners a 10-6 lead as she backed down her defender in the lane and hit a tough inside jumper. Krista Arase would score seven of CSUB's next 10 points but the Spartans kept pace, trailing by only one, 22-21. Kepenekian added a layup before the Spartans scored four unanswered to take the lead, 25-24.
Christine Kepenekian scored eight of the next 10 Roadrunner points, Saso added a quick jumper of her own as well, as the CSUB lead extended to nine, 34?25. With the ?Runners up by eight, CSUB set up a last-second offensive set to take the last shot of the half. Arase dribbled down and kicked a pass over to Kepenekian who took her defender down into the lane, drew contact for a foul and hit the bucket. She would hit the ensuing free throw to give CSUB a 45-28 lead at the break.
The first half belonged to Kepenekian as she scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting. She was a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the arc and 3-for-3 from the free throw line. She also pulled down four rebounds and had two assists. The ?Runner defense held the Spartans to just 35.3 percent shooting while CSUB shot 58.6 percent and was 5-for-8 from behind the arc. The 45 first-half points represented a season-high for the ?Runners, one night after scoring 42 against No. 6 Oklahoma.
Saso took advantage of a size mismatch inside to open up the second frame, scoring deep in the lane on a nice move underneath. The ?Runner defense kept the Spartans off the board for over three minutes to start the half as the lead grew to 21 points, 51-30. Kepenekian knocked down her fifth three pointer in five tries to move the lead to 54-30.
After making a quick move around her defender, Arase dropped an easy layup and was fouled. She hit the free throw attempt and immediately stole a Spartan pass on an acrobatic move, finding Kepenekian to save the posession while falling out of bounds.
Krista Arase found herself in the right position again as she intercepted a San Jose pass and started a fast break. As she worked the ball up the left side of the court to draw the defense to her, she delivered a no look pass to a driving Nikki Leon for an easy two to move the lead to 65-36. For almost 11 minutes, the Roadrunners controlled the ball, outscoring the Spartans, 27?8, to take a 33 point lead.
San Jose State would score 14 of the next 15 points to pull back to within 20 at 70-50 before Katie Williams found Saso underneath for an uncontested layup.
With CSUB resting as many starters as it could late in the game, the Spartans pulled to within 17 before Jana Smith scored an easy layup with 13 seconds remaining.
The ?Runners return to the Icardo Center for a quick two-game homestand beginning on Tuesday against Saint Mary's followed by a visit from Pepperdine on Thursday. Both games are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff. Call 654-BLUE for ticket information.
CSU Bakersfield 78, San Jose State 59
CSU BAKERSFIELD (5-5)
Kepenekian 11-16 5-5 32; Saso 7-8 3-4 17; Arase 3-7 7-7 14; Smith 3-7 0-1 6; West 2-5 1-2 5; Leon 2-8 0-0 4; Carter 0-2 0-0 0; Williams 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-55 16-19 78.
SAN JOSE STATE (1-8)
White 5-18 6-6 17; Brown 6-12 0-0 13; Ridge 4-12 1-1 11; Blair 3-8 1-1 8; Sumler 3-7 0-0 6; Coble 1-1 0-0 2; Shavers 1-11 0-0 2; Hamilton 0-3 0-2 0; Edinburgh 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-73 8-10 59.
CSU Bakersfield 45 33 78
San Jose State 28 31 59
3-point goals--CSU Bakersfield 6-12 (Kepenekian 5-6; Arase 1-2; Leon 0-3; Williams 0-1), San Jose State 5-25 (Ridge 2-8; Blair 1-4; White 1-6; Brown, 1-1; Shavers 0-6).
