ROADRUNNERS (5-13 overall) at
UC IRVINE (5-12 overall)
JANUARY 21, 2009 ? 7:00 p.m.
BREN EVENTS CENTER ? IRVINE, CALIF.
KERN NEWSTALK 1180 AM ? NO TELEVISION FOR THIS GAME
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ANTEATER NOTES
After getting off to a frigid start in which it won just 1 of its 1st 10 games, UCI has gone 4?3 since...the Anteaters shoot just 41 pct. from the floor, but their 39 pct. three-point mark ranks No. 20 nationally...Fr. F Eric Wise leads a balanced UCI offense at 13.3 ppg...Sr. C Kevin Bland adds 10.5 ppg and 6.6 rpg...Sr. G Brett Lauer shoots 49 pct. (35?72) from beyond the arc.
SERIES HISTORY
From CSUB's perspective, this will be just the second regular season meeting with UCI, with the series tied 1?1. . .CSUB took a 63?56 decision November 2002 that counted as an exhibition for CSUB but a real loss for UCI. . .Both previous regular season meetings came when both schools were NCAA Div. II members.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2003 @'RUNNERS 63, UCI 56**
1977 'RUNNERS 98, UCI 86
1972 @UCI 81, 'RUNNERS 76
**Game counted as exhibition for CSUB but real game for UCI
THIS WEEK IN ROADRUNNER HISTORY
The 'Runners set a school record for highest score in a losing effort when they dropped a 109?108 decision at Cal State Stanislaus on Jan. 21, 1980.
WHEN LAST WE MET: The game was supposed to be played as an exhibition for both teams. As it turned out, CSUB's 63?56 win over UC Irvine on Nov. 9, 2002, actually counted on UCI's record due to a quirky NCAA scheduling rule. The game was close throughout and CSUB didn't take the lead for good until a Billy Speer jumper sparked a 7?0 run that put the 'Runners ahead to stay 50?44 in the final five minutes. The Anteaters never had a chance to tie or take the lead again.
Fred Nichols led CSUB with 16 points while Terri Miller chipped in 14 points and a game?high nine rebounds. Stanislav Zuzak led UCI with 19 points and seven boards.
RENEWING ACQUAINTANCES: It's difficult to believe that 12 years have passed since current UCI Head Coach Pat Douglass left the CSUB bench after guiding the Roadrunners to the 1997 NCAA Division II crown. Douglass spent 10 seasons at CSUB, leading the 'Runners to a 257?61 record and three NCAA Division II championships (1993?94?97).
50 WOULD BE NIFTY: Head Coach Keith Brown will be looking to pick up his 50th win as CSUB's head coach Wednesday night at UC Irvine. 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 against Saint Mary's College. It was the second?longest streak in CSUB history. He is 27?for?31 (.871) from the line over the past seven 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.
A BETTER THAN 50?50 CHANCE: The 'Runners shot better than 50 percent (25?for?49, 51.0 percent) for the fifth time this season Saturday against UC Riverside, yet, shockingly, did not win the game. Since February 2000, the 'Runners are now 36?2 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, with both losses coming this season.
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 six of their last seven games decided by four or fewer points, including Saturday's 64?63 heart?breaker vs. UC Riverside.
LATUNDE IN TOP 5 AMONG INDEPENDENT REBOUNDERS: Junior forward Santwon Latunde (Landover, Md./Cowley County CC) checks in at No. 5 in the nation among NCAA Division I Independent rebounders. He enters the UC Irvine game averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. Stevy Worah-Ozimo of North Carolina Central tops the list at 8.9 rpg.
OTHER 'RUNNER NOTABLES IN THE INDY RANKINGS: Junior forward Trent Blakley (Alta Loma HS) moved up to the No. 10 spot on the Independent scoring list at 13.4 points per game. He is also No. 9 in rebounding at 5.6 rpg. Donavan Bragg is No. 4 in free throw percentage at 82.3 percent (min. 2.0 FTM per game). Bragg and Alex Johnson (Toronto/Vaughan Road Academy) are tied for 11th in assists at 2.8 apg.
'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?79 in 109 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?125 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?340 (.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.
