ROADRUNNERS (5-12 overall) vs.
UC RIVERSIDE (9-7 overall)
JANUARY 17, 2009 ? 7:00 p.m.
RABOBANK ARENA ? BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
KERN NEWSTALK 1180 AM ? BRIGHTHOUSE CH. 21
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HIGHLANDER NOTES
UCR had an 8?game home win streak snapped in a 64?56 loss to CSU Northridge Wednesday night...UCR is just 2?6 on the road and has lost 4 straight away from the Student Rec Center...So. F Kyle Austin, a transfer from USC, leads the Highlander offense at 16.7 ppg...Jr. G Javon Borum adds 10.8 ppg...Sr. F/G Aaron Scott is UCR's top rebounder at 6.4 rpg.
SERIES HISTORY
CSUB and UCR have met 69 times, with CSUB holding a 41?28 lead. . .CSUB leads the series at home, 21?14. . .The teams have Played six overtime games, including one double-overtime and one triple overtime game. . .23 of their games have been decided by three or fewer points. . .Seven games have been decided by a single point.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2008 'RUNNERS 71, UCR 53
2000 @'RUNNERS 67, UCR 53
2000 @UCR 73, 'RUNNERS 68
1999 'RUNNERS 82, @UCR 81**
1999 UCR 80, @'RUNNERS 74**
1998 'RUNNERS 72, @UCR 68
1998 @'RUNNERS 72, UCR 65
1997 'RUNNERS 74, @UCR 67
1997 @'RUNNERS 78, UCR 67
1996 'RUNNERS 69, @UCR 62
**Indicates overtime game
THIS WEEK IN ROADRUNNER HISTORY
The 'Runners hold a 13?game lead in the all?time series but are just 13?11 vs. UC Riverside in games played during the month of January.
WHEN LAST WE MET: Then senior guard (and current Roadrunner assistant coach) Zack Grasmick drilled a career?high eight three?pointers as CSUB opened up a close game at the half to defeat UC Riverside 71?53 at the Student Rec Center on Dec. 22, 2007. Grasmick finished with a game?high 26 points while Terrence Johns (Chicago/Bakersfield College) added 17 points and eight rebounds. Aaron Scott and Larry Cunningham paced the Highlanders with 12 points apiece.
JUST LIKE OLD TIMES: The Roadrunners will renew one of the best rivalries in NCAA Division II history when they host UC Riverside Saturday night. The teams met 68 times when both were members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association from 1973 through 2000.
BIG FISH IN A LITTLE POND: Although both schools have now moved up to the NCAA Division I level, CSUB and UCR were two of the biggest fish in the Division II pond for many years. Between 1973 and 1998, the two schools combined to win 17 of 26 CCAA titles. Between 1989 and 1997, CSUB and UCR were the only teams to win NCAA Division II West Region titles. Either CSUB or UCR played in the Final Four in eight of those nine seasons and one of the two schools played in the Division II championship game in five of those eight years.
50 WOULD BE NIFTY: Head Coach Keith Brown will be looking to pick up his 50th win as CSUB's head coach Saturday night vs. UC Riverside. Note that his win total does not include three victories he picked up while subbing for then head man Henry Clark during his eight seasons as an assistant coach.
NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH: Sophomore guard Donavan Bragg (Inglewood/Serra HS) has made the most of his opportunities for free points this season. Shooting a healthy 82.3 percent from the charity stripe this season, Bragg saw his streak of 17 consecutive free throws made end when he missed from the line with 11 seconds left last week vs. Saint Mary's College. He is 27?for?31 (.871) from the line over the past six games.
WORKING OVERTIME: After winning their previous three overtime games, the Roadrunners dropped their second extra?time decision in December 30th's 79?76 heartbreaker vs. Portland. The 'Runners are now 10?6 in overtime games with Keith Brown on the bench. During his tenure as head coach (2006?current), they are 4?2.
MIRROR IMAGES: Both the 'Runners and Highlanders have found success this season by forcing more turnovers than they make. CSUB enters Saturday's game forcing 16.3 turnovers while committing just 14.0 of their own (a +2.3 differential). UCR, meanwhile forces 15.6 while committing just 13.9 (+1.7).
A BETTER THAN 50?50 CHANCE: The 'Runners shot better than 50 percent (26?for?49, 53.1 percent) for the fourth time this season in the win over Cal Poly. Since February 2000, the 'Runners are now 36?1 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
The 'Runners shot a season?high 54.1 percent (33?for?61) in their loss at UC Davis. It marked the first time in 35 games that the 'Runners lost when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. Prior to that, CSUB hadn't wasted such an effort since shooting 56.4 percent (31?for?55) but dropping an 84?79 decision at Chico State on Feb. 18, 2000.
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR: Close games have not been friendly to the 'Runners as of late. After earning a two?point, 67?65 win over Big West Conference favorite Cal State Northridge in their home opener, the 'Runners have dropped five of their last six games decided by four or fewer points, including a 72?69 heartbreaker at Loyola Marymount.
LATUNDE IN TOP 5 AMONG INDEPENDENT REBOUNDERS: Junior forward Santwon Latunde (Landover, Md./Cowley County CC) holds at the No. 4 slot in the nation among NCAA Division I Independent rebounders. He enters the UC Riverside game averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. Stevy Worah-Ozimo of North Carolina Central tops the list at 9.1 rpg.
OTHER 'RUNNER NOTABLES IN THE INDY RANKINGS: Junior forward Trent Blakley checks in at No. 11 on the Independent scoring list at 13.2 points per game. He is also No. 10 in rebounding at 5.6 rpg. Donavan Bragg is No. 5 in free throw percentage at 82.3 percent (min. 2.0 FTM per game). Donavan Bragg is 10th in assists at 2.9 apg.
HOME SWEET HOME: The 'Runners picked up their fourth home win of the season Monday vs. San Jose State. That equalled their home win total from last season?their first playing a full NCAA Division I schedule. Including Saturday's UCR game, the 'Runners still have four home dates to add to their total.
'RUNNERS vs. DI COMPETITION: Although 2008?09 is just the second time the Roadrunners have taken 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 30?78 in 108 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 154?124 all?time record against this season's opposition. Note that many 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 742?339 (.686).
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.
