BROOKINGS, S.D. ? For the second consecutive game, the CSUB men's basketball team met an opponent that opened the game shooting much better than it is likely to shoot the rest for the season. For the second consecutive game, that translated to an early deficit the Roadrunners simply couldn't overcome in an 86-65 loss at South Dakota State Tuesday night.
Junior forward Santwon Latunde (Landover, Md./Cowley County CC) made the most of his first start this season, recording game highs of 16 points and nine rebounds. But it wasn't nearly enough to offset the balanced effort of SDSU, which placed five scorers in double figures.
SDSU (5-7 overall), shooting just 41 percent on the season, was lights-out in the early going. The Jackrabbits scored on their first nine possession, going 7-for-10 from the field over that span, opening a quick 16-6 lead. Although CSUB (3-8) managed to cut the deficit to six at one point, the Jackrabbits' hot start continued almost unabated and the their lead was a comfortable 49-24 by halftime.
For its part, CSUB converted just 33 percent (10-of-30) from the field in the first half. The Roadrunners out-shot SDSU 45 percent to 43 percent in the second half, but that helped them trim only four points off the final margin.
Of course, the 22?14 foul count--made a bit more palatable by the four fouls called against SDSU in the final 2:17 with the game out of hand--didn't help CSUB any. But the ?Runners made the most of their trips to the line, converting a season-best 14-of-15 freethrows.
CSUB returns home to host its second 2008 NCAA Tournament qualifier of the season when defending Western Athletic Conference Champion Boise State visits Rabobank Arena Saturday for a 7 p.m. tip.
South Dakota State 86, CSU Bakersfield 65
CSU BAKERSFIELD (3?8): Blakley 1-5 0-0 2; Latunde 7-11 2-2 16; Johnson 2-8 3-4 8; Emanuel 2-3 0-0 5; Johns 3-8 2-2 8; Dennis 1-3 4-4 7; Bragg 3-11 0-0 6; R. Brown 3-4 0-0 6; Carlson 1-4 2-2 4; Lara 0-1 0-0 0; C. Brown 1-3 1-1 3; Lee 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 24-61 14-15 65.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (5?7): Cordova 7-11 2-4 16; Engren 2-4 0-2 4; Palarca 3-6 1-2 7; Callahan 3-7 2-2 11; Tivis 0-2 1-2 1; Casey 1-3 2-2 4; Wipf 1-1 0-0 2; Moss 3-7 4-6 10; Sargent 4-8 2-2 12; Williams 5-9 2-2 14; Cassaday 1-3 2-2 5. TOTALS: 30-61 18-26 86.
HALFTIME: SDSU 49-24. 3-PT. FG: CSUB 3-12 (Emanuel 1-1, Dennis 1-1, Johnson 1-4, Carlson 0-1, Blakley 0-3); SDSU 8-18 (Callahan 3-5, Williams 2-4, Sargent 2-5, Cassaday 1-1, Engren 0-1, Palarca 0-1, Casey 0-1). REBOUNDS: CSUB 30 (Latunde 9); SDSU 43 (Williams 9). ASSISTS: CSUB 6 (Johnson 4); SDSU 19 (Casey 5). TURNOVERS: CSUB 14, SDSU 12. BLOCKS: CSUB 4 (R. Brown 2); SDSU 4 (4 with 1). STEALS: CSUB 6 (Emanuel 2); SDSU 4 (Palarca 3). TECHNICALS: None. FOULED OUT: None. OFFICIALS: Mahre, Flores, Lamoreux. ATTN: 1,080.
