ROADRUNNERS (3–3) vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA (4–2)
NOVEMBER 30, 2010 • 7:00 p.m.
RABOBANK ARENA • BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
ESPN RADIO 1230 AM • BRIGHT HOUSE CH. 26
LUMBERJACK LOOK
After dropping their first 2 games to open the season, the Lumberjacks come to Bakersfield on a roll, having won 4 straight…are coming off an 88–74 win at Pepperdine Sunday…had 28 assists against just 6 turnovers in the win…are3 a sizzling 49 pct. (47–97) from beyond the arc…Sr. F/G Eric Platt and So. G Gabe Rogers both have 18 treys and shoot better than 50 pct. from long range…Sr. G Cameron Jones leads NAU at 16.8 ppg…Platt and Rogers follow at 15.6 and 12.3 ppg…Sr. F Shane Johannsen leads a balance rebounding effort at 5.8 rpg.
SERIES HISTORY
- The series is tied 2–2.
- CSUB leads the series in Bakersfield, 2–0.
- This will be the 1st time the teams will have met as NCAA Division I opponents.
- CSUB and NAU have not met since an 83–66 Lumberjack win in Flagstaff on Dec. 18, 1976.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
1976 at NAU 83, 'RUNNERS 66
1975 at 'RUNNERS 84, NAU 79
1973 at NAU 68, 'RUNNERS 51
1973 at 'RUNNERS 79, NAU 59
WHEN LAST WE MET: Not only were none of the current players for either team born the last time CSUB and NAU met in men's basketball (Dec. 18, 1976), one would be hard pressed to find anybody other than CSUB Director of Athletics Rudy Carvajal and Sr. Associate A.D. Gloria Friedman who were even associated with either school at the time.
The Lumberjacks won that game in Flagstaff, 83–66. Greg Johnwell led CSUB with 18 points. Warren Jackson led on the boards with 13 rebounds.
20–20 VISION: When senior guard Donvan Bragg (Inglewood/Serra HS) scored a game–high 21 points at Cal State Fullerton Saturday evening, he accomplished something done just twice before in CSUB's NCAA Division I history: He recorded consecutive games of 20 or more points. Stephon Carter (Garces HS) posted consecutive 20–point games last season at Cal State Fullerton (24) and home against Cal Poly (22). Terrence Johns poured in 22 and 21 against Pacific and Loyola Marymount on Jan. 5–7, 2008.
Bragg will look to become the first player in CSUB's Division I history to score 20 or more in three consecutive games when the 'Runners host Northern Arizona Tuesday night.
The last 'Runner to score 20–plus in three consecutive games was Antonio Griffin, who turned the trick against Cal State Dominguez Hills (20), Sonoma State (23) and San Francisco State (24) from Feb. 11–18, 2006.
THE BIGGER THEY ARE: Big margins were a fickle friend Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. In the game, CSUB built its biggest lead of the season (14 points at 46–32). It also found itself trailing by its biggest margin of the season (11 points at 66–77).
BAKERSFIELD .500: Last Wednesday's win over San Jose State brought the Roadrunner over .500 (3–2) for just the second time in their NCAA Division I era. CSUB's current mark of 3–3 is also its best record after six games. The 'Runners have never been 4–3 in their Division I era.
WORKING OVERTIME: The 'Runners have been solid in overtime during Keith Brown's tenure on the CSUB bench. Nov. 14th's extra period win at Sacramento State brings CSUB's OT record under Brown to 11–6. Despite that record, the win snapped a four–game overtime losing streak.
THIRTYSOMETHING: When sophomore guard Stephon Carter (Garces HS) hung 32 points on San Jose State Wednesday night, he sailed into uncharted waters. He became the first player in CSUB's NCAA Division I era to score 30 points in a game. Santwon Latunde held the previous high water mark of 29 against Longwood University (Jan. 9, 2010).
Carter's 32 marked the first 30–point effort by a Roadrunner since Terri Miller scored 34 points against Central Washington on Dec. 28, 2002.
SAVAGE STREAK SNAPPED: Although he led the team on the boards for the sixth time, junior forward Rashad Savage (Philadelphia/Odessa JC) saw his streak of double–figure rebound games end Saturday night at Cal State Fullerton when he grabbed a (for him) season–low six rebounds. He still carries a healthy 10.5 rpg average into Tuesday's game versus Northern Arizona.
SPEAKING OF REBOUNDING: Although its individual game statistics do not extend back into the 1970's, CSUB's 20 rebounds were its lowest total on record. The 'Runners twice posted 21–rebound games: At San Diego (Dec. 1, 2008) and at Utah State (Feb. 20, 2009).
BROWN ON THE BLOCKS: Senior big man Cory Brown (Lakeside/El Capitan HS) blocked another shot Saturday at Cal State Fullerton to bring his career total to 59. He slipped ahead of Russell Jarvis for sole possession of eighth place. On the horizon is Andre Hardwick in seventh place (61), just behind Troy Price and Kebu Stewart (67) in fifth.
For the record, Jamal Livingston is the all–time leader, needing just two seasons in blue and gold (1999–00) to collect 107 blocks.
ALBRIGHT ON THE BLOCKS…OR ONLY 58 MORE TO GO: Sophomore forward James Albright (Oakland/Fremont HS) took his first step down the trail being blazed by Cory Brown when he recorded his first collegiate blocked shot Saturday at Cal State Fullerton.
WHAT A STEAL: Stephon Carter collected two more steals at Cal State Fullerton, running his streak of consecutive games with a steal to 16 dating back to last season. He owns a team–leading 14 for the season and 64 over his one season plus six games at the collegiate level. Those steals move him ahead of Trent Blakely for No. 27 on the CSUB career list. While 27th might not sound impressive, if he keeps up his current pace, he will end his sophomore season No. 6 all–time at CSUB with 117 steals.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK: The 'Runners have done a solid job taking care of the basketball over the past week. CSUB is averaging a solid 7.6 turnovers per game over its last three contests. It's 12.1 turnovers per game over the first six games of the season would translate to its lowest rate at the NCAA Division I level.
KEEPING IT ON THE DOWN LOW: November 17th's loss to Southern Utah was an aberration given the generally solid CSUB defensive effort. Including their Nov. 20 66–64 win at Pepperdine, the 'Runners have won 17 of their last 28 when holding an opponent under 70. They've won their last nine games when holding opponents to 60 or fewer points.
LIVING IN THE 80's: With a youthful, more athletic team this season, the 'Runners are averaging 73.0 points per game, their highest average so far as an NCAA Division I program. With that should come more 80–point efforts like Wednesday's against San Jose State. Those have been a rarity for Div. I CSUB. It was just the sixth time that CSUB scored 80 points in a home game at the Division I level. It was just the second time that Division I CSUB scored 80 points and won and the first since a 98–64 win over Loyola Marymount on Jan. 7, 2008.
AND DYING IN THE 80's: While 80–point offensive games have generally been a good sign for CSUB, 80–point defensive efforts have be harbingers of doom. CSUB is 0–31 at the NCAA Division I level when allowing 80 or more points. The 'Runners are on an 0–33 streak overall when allowing 80 or more points. Their last win in such a game was a 90–87 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay on Feb. 25, 2006.
HE LOOKS SPRY FOR 100: Head Coach Keith Brown picked up his 100th career victory with the 82–79 win at Idaho State on Feb. 15. It was his 59th victory as the head coach at CSUB. Although they don't count on his official record, he also had three wins filling in for then Head Coach Henry Clark.
A HALF NOTE: The 'Runners put together two halves to make one victory in their Feb. 3, 2010 win over UC Irvine. They led at halftime, 28–21. By then winning the second half, 40–34, the 'Runners won both halves of a game for the first time since defeating Sacramento State on Nov. 27, 2008. It marks the only time they have pulled that off in the last 51 games—despite having 15 victories over that run.
THE OTHER HALF NOTE: Oddly, the 'Runners won at Sacramento State on Nov. 14 despite not winning either half. That's because the game was tied at both the half and, of course, at the end of regulation.
WE MEET AGAIN: The Roadrunners entered 2010–11 with a 133–122 record all–time versus this season's opponents. Note that many of those games were played while both CSUB and their respective foes were competing at the NCAA Division II level.
39 YEARS OF CSUB BASKETBALL: The 2010–2011 season marks the 40th 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 755–373 (.669).
LOOKS LIKE WE MADE IT: The CSUB Athletics program successfully completed its five–year transition to active NCAA Division I status in August. All Roadrunner teams are now fully postseason eligible at the Division I level.
