ROADRUNNERS (8–9) vs. UC IRVINE (8–10)
JANUARY 19, 2011  •  7:00 P.M.
RABOBANK ARENA  •  BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
ESPN BAKERSFIELD 1230 AM  • BRIGHT HOUSE CH. 21

ANTEATER ANECDOTES
UCI enters Wednesday's game coming off a 65–53 win at Cal Poly…the Anteaters have split their last 4 games but dropped 6 of 8 after opening the season 6–4 under 1st year Head Coach Russell Turner…like CSUB, UCI shoots the 3–ball prolifically, making 130 through 18 games…6 Anteaters have double–digit 3–pointers on the season, led by So. G Mike Wilder with 25…Sr. G Darren Moore leads UCI at 16.6 ppg…Sr. G Patrick Rembert and Jr. F Eric Wise add 12.0 ppg apiece…Wise, leads UCI's rebounding corps at 6.8 rpg while Moore chips in 6.5 rpg.

SERIES HISTORY

• UC Irvine leads the all–time series 3–2.
• CSUB has defeated UCI twice in Bakersfield (but only once in the regular season).
• CSUB took a 63–56 decision in an exhibition game on Nov. 9, 2002 in Rabobank Arena.
• The teams split last season with each successfully defending their home court.
• CSUB won in Rabobank Arena, 68–55.
• Irvine returned the favor with a 76–63 win in Irvine.
• The first two regular season meetings (in 1972 and 1977) took place when both schools were NCAA Div. II members.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2010    at UCI 76, 'RUNNERS 63
2010    at 'RUNNERS 68, UCI 55
2009    at UCI 85, 'RUNNERS 72
2003    at 'RUNNERS 63, UCI 56**
1977    'RUNNERS 98,  at UCI 86
1972    at UCI 81, 'RUNNERS 76
**Exhibition Game

WHEN LAST WE MET: UC Irvine earned a season split with CSUB by taking a 76-63 victory at the Bren Center. The Roadrunners shot just 29 percent in the first half as Irvine built 33-22 lead. And the cold continued throughout the until they made four of their final eight from the field to push their final percentage over 30 for the game.

Donavan Bragg (Inglewood/Serra HS) was the bright spot offensively for CSUB, missing his career high by one only point with a game-high 25. It was the third 20-plus point game of his career. Eric Wise led UCI with 21 points

The 'Runners took the first meeting of 2010 just three days earlier, overcoming an early six–point deficit to lead for the final 25 minutes of a 68–55 win in Rabobank Arena. Trent Blakley led all scorers with 20 points, his fourth 20–plus point game of the season. Santwon Latunde added his fifth double–double with 17 points and 10 boards. Wise led the Anteaters again, this time with 18 points.

RACE FOR NO. 1 IN 3s: Junior guard Alex Johnson (Toronto/Vaughan Road Academy) continues his quest to lead all NCAA Division I players in three–point field goals. He made four Saturday versus Idaho to hold onto sixth place in this week's rankings with 56.

Johnson entered this week ranked No. 5 nationally in three–pointers made per game (3.3) and No. 26 in three–point field goal percentage (43.4). His seven treys in the Dec. 7 win over Idaho State and Dec. 22 win over UCR rank No. 26 in NCAA Division I play this season.

BOMBS AWAY: The 'Runners entered the week as one of the nation's most dangerous perimeter teams, connecting on 38.2 percent (115–301) from beyond the arc through 17 games. They've been ranked as high as 13th in Division I play this season. It would rank No. 7 all–time in CSUB history (45.1 in 1987) and No. 1 in CSUB's Division I era (35.0 in 2008).

BOMBS AWAY II: The 'Runners matched their NCAA Division I record for three–pointers made in a game (No. 2 all–time) when they buried 14 treys in the win over UC Riverside on Dec. 22. Ironically, they hit that mark the first time in a win over UC Riverside in 2007 on — you guessed it — Dec. 22.

SINGLE ENGINE BOMBER: Alex Johnson has been the most prolific bomber in the CSUB squadron this season, draining nearly half (56) of the team's 115 three–pointers.

A NEW WEAPON IN THE ARSENAL: Junior guard Robert Hayes (San Diego/San Francisco State) is providing a new weapon to the CSUB aerial assault. Hayes drained four of his five three point attempts at New Mexico last week as part of his season–high 16–point effort. For the season, Hayes is now 9–of–16 from beyond the arc.

MISSILE COMMAND: While it's been bombs away for the CSUB offense, the CSUB defense has been stalwart in its ability to protect against the long–range attack. The 'Runner defense has been ranked nationally most of the season in three–point defense, and holds opponents to just 30.2 percent from beyond the arc this season.

BAKERSFIELD .500: The 'Runners enter Wednesday's game versus UC Irvine with an 8–9 record. With a win they will be at .500 the latest they have been in a season since finishing the 2007 season 15–14.

20–20–20 VISION: Despite the heart–breaking overtime loss to Idaho, the Roadrunners broke new ground at the NCAA Division I level by recording three 20–plus point scorers. Stephon Carter (Garces HS) scored 25, Alex Johnson scored 22 and Donavan Bragg scored 21. Only three times before at the Division I level had two 'Runners reached 20 points in the same game:

THIRTYSOMETHING: Already the only player to score 30 points in a game in CSUB's NCAA Division I era, sophomore guard Stephon Carter became the first CSUB player in more than a decade to reach 30 points twice in the same season when he hung 30 on Portland State Dec. 15. Carter also scored 32 points in an 82–77 win over San Jose State on Nov. 24.

Prior to Carter's efforts this season, no Roadrunner had reached the 30–point plateau since Terri Miller scored 34 points against Central Washington on Dec. 28, 2002.

SAVAGE ON THE REBOUND: Just as Carter is making his mark on the CSUB scoring charts, junior forward Rashad Savage (Philadelphia/Odessa JC) is doing the same thing on the Roadrunner rebounding charts. Savage grabbed 17 boards in the win over Portland State. While 17 is a healthy number, it was four rebounds shy of Santwon Latunde's 21–rebound game against Loyola Marymount last season. Latunde's mark tied the school record set three times previously and is CSUB's Division I era record.

Savage entered this week's play ranked No. 12 nationally with a 10.5 rebounds per game average. He has led CSUB in rebounding in all 17 games this season, reaching double figures 10 times in the process.

GIVE THESE LADS A HAND: The 'Runners showed great ball movement in their Dec. 22 win over UC Riverside, posting a team season–high 23 assists. The 23 dimes were CSUB's most ever at the NCAA Division I level, eclipsing the previous high of 22 assists in a 98–64 win over LMU on Jan. 7, 2008.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK: Although they encountered a little turbulence in their game at New Mexico, committing a season–high 22 turnovers, the 'Runners have done a secure job taking care of the basketball. Prior to that, CSUB averaged just 10.9 turnovers per game over its previous nine contests. Its 13.1 turnovers per game over the first 17 games of the season would translate to its lowest rate at the NCAA Division I level.

BANK ROBBERS: While the 'Runners jealously guard the ball, they have no qualms about taking it away from their foes, especially in Rabobank Arena. CSUB collected a season–high 14 steals against Portland State and 12 more against Cal State Northridge on Dec. 18. The 'Runners average 7.5 steals per game.

WHAT A STEAL: Stephon Carter has been CSUB's leading pickpocket this season. With four more steals at Pacific, Carter ran his streak of consecutive games with a steal to 27 dating back to last season. He owns a team–leading 41 for the season and 91 over his one season plus 17 games at the collegiate level. Those steals move him past Dock Ellis and into a tie for 8th place with Tyrone Davis and Leonard Brown. If he keeps up his current pace, he will end his sophomore season No. 6 all–time with 117 steals. His 2.4 steals per game average in 2010–11 ranks No. 18 in NCAA Division I play entering the week.

BROWN ON THE BLOCKS: Senior big man Cory Brown (Lakeside/El Capitan HS) set a personal career high with five blocks in the Dec. 18 win over Cal State Northridge. That mark is No. 4 all–time at CSUB and No. 1 in the NCAA Division I era, eclipsing his previous best of four set versus Utah Valley on Jan. 31, 2009. He added two more blocks in Saturday's game versus Idaho to bring his career total to 70 good for sole possession of 5th place. Next up is Victor Green in fourth place with 73 blocks. If he maintains his current pace, Brown will finish his career No. 4 all–time at CSUB with 81 career blocks.

For the record, Jamal Livingston is the all–time leader, needing just two seasons in blue and gold (1999–00) to collect 107 blocks.

LEADER OF THE PACK: In its Dec. 7 win over Idaho State, CSUB built its second–biggest lead in a game (34 points) since joining the NCAA Division I ranks. The only time the 'Runners led by more was a 36–point spread in what would become a 98–64 win over Loyola Marymount on Jan. 7, 2008.

KEEPING IT ON THE DOWN LOW: The 75–56 win over Idaho State on Dec. 7 was to be expected given CSUB's solid defensive effort. They've won their last 10 games when holding opponents to 60 or fewer points. Including the Dec. 18 70–69 win over Cal State Northridge, the 'Runners have won 20 of their last 31 when holding an opponent under 70.

LIVING IN THE 80's: With a youthful, more athletic team this season, the 'Runners are averaging 72.3 points per game, their highest average so far as an NCAA Division I program. With that should come more 80–plus point efforts like Dec. 22nd's 89–80 win over UC Riverside. Those have been a rarity for Div. I CSUB. It was just the eighth time that CSUB scored 80 points in a home game at the Division I level. It was just the fourth time that Division I CSUB scored 80 points and won (the others: 92–77 over Portland State on Dec. 15; 82–77 over San Jose State on Nov. 24 and 98–64 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. By allowing 80 points to UC Riverside and winning on Dec. 22, CSUB snapped 0–32 streak at the NCAA Division I level when allowing 80 or more points. The 'Runners had gone 0–34 overall when allowing 80 or more points before the win over UCR. Their previous win in such a game was a 90–87 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay on Feb. 25, 2006.

With last week's 102–62 loss at New Mexico, CSUB is now 1–34 at the Division I level when allowing 80 or more points.

A HALF NOTE: For the first time since last Feb. 3, the 'Runners put together two halves to make one victory in the Dec. 4 win over San Francisco. They led at halftime, 38–31. By then winning the second half, 39–38, the 'Runners won both halves of a game for the first time since defeating UC Irvine last February. It marks only the second time they have pulled that off in the last 57 games—despite having 20 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 760–379 (.667).

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.