ROADRUNNERS (9–12 overall) at SOUTHERN UTAH (6–15 overall)
FEBRUARY 2, 2011  •  7:00 P.M. (MST)
CENTRUM ARENA  •  CEDAR CITY, UTAH
ESPN RADIO 1230 AM  • NO TELEVISION FOR THIS GAME

THUNDERBIRD NOTES
SUU takes a brief rest from Summit League play to host CSUB…SUU is headed to the Big Sky Conference for the 2012–13 season…enter Wednesday's game having lost 3 straight after posting their only 2–game winning streak of the season…only 2 Thunderbirds, Sr. G Ryan Brimley and Jr. C Matt Massey score in double figures…both average 10.0 ppg…Fr. F Kyle Davis (5.0 rpg) is the lone Thunderbird averaging more than 4.0 rebounds per game…as a team, SUU posts respectable shooting percentages from the field (45.8) and the line (72.3).

SERIES HISTORY

• CSUB leads 2–1.
• This is the second game of a home–and–home series this season, just as they did when CSUB swept a pair in the 1979–80 campaign.
• SUU won in Bakersfield in the 'Runner home opener on Nov. 17, 66–58
• This will be the 2nd meeting between CSUB and SUU at the Division I level.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2011    So. Utah 66, at CSUB 58
1980    CSUB 64, at So. Utah 56
1980    at CSUB 84, So. Utah 83

WHEN LAST WE MET: The Roadrunners shot just 36 percent from the floor and just 56 percent from the free throw line as Southern Utah held on for a 66–58 win Nov 17 in Rabobank Arena. The Roadrunners got 24 points from Stephon Carter (Garces HS) and a 10–point, 15–rebound double–double from Rashad Savage (Philadelphia/Odessa JC), but it wasn't enough to offset a balanced effort from Southern Utah. Jordan Weirick led the Thunderbirds with 17 points and eight boards.

The game was close throughout. SUU pulled away late, however, using a 9–0 to break open a 49–49 tie inside the final three minutes. Its lead expanded to as many as 13 points in the waning seconds.

ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Last week's 77–75 win over Cal State Fullerton was CSUB's ninth of the season — a record for the NCAA Division I era of Roadrunner men's basketball. They hit the previous mark of eight wins in both 2008 and 2009. CSUB is in its fourth full season of NCAA Division I play and its first as an active Division I member.

BACK ON TRACK: After being held without a three–pointer for the first time in 23 games at San Diego (Jan. 22) junior guard Alex Johnson (Toronto/Vaughan Road Academy) bounced back with in his last two games. Johnson entered this week ranked No. 9 in three–pointers per game (3.1) and No. 41 in three–point percentage (40.9).

BOMBS AWAY: The 'Runners enter the week as one of the nation's most dangerous perimeter teams, connecting on 37 percent (140–378) from beyond the arc through 21 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 47 percent (62) of the team's 133 three–pointers.

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 (currently No. 40), holding opponents to just 30.6 percent from beyond the arc this season.

20–20–20 VISION: Despite the heart–breaking overtime loss to Idaho on Jan. 15, the Roadrunners broke new ground at the NCAA Division I level by recording three 20–plus point scorers in a single game. Stephon Carter scored 25, Alex Johnson scored 22 and Donavan Bragg (Inglewood/Serra HS) 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: Rashad Savage's continues to ride his recent rebounding rollercoaster. After grabbing 16 rebounds against UC Irvine, he totalled a season–low two at San Diego. He bounced back to grab 10 in last week's win over Cal State Fullerton but followed that by snaring only three against Cal Poly.

Despite the fluctuations, Savage continues to rank among the top rebounders in NCAA Division I basketball, pulling down 10.0 rebounds per game (tied for No. 23 nationally starting the week). He has a season–high of 17 (vs. Portland State on Dec. 15) and four games of 15–plus rebounds.

AS GOES SAVAGE, SO GO THE 'RUNNERS: Rashad Savage's rebounding has been a good predictor of CSUB success so far this season. The 'Runners are 8–4 when he rebounds in double figures but 1–8 when he doesn't.

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: The 'Runners have done a secure job taking care of the basketball this season. They average just 12.8 turnovers per game through the first 21 games of the season. That 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 10 steals last week against Cal State Fullerton, its sixth double–digit steals game of 2010–11. CSUB collected a season–high 14 steals against Portland State on Dec. 15 and averages 7.7 steals per game.

WHAT A STEAL: Stephon Carter has been CSUB's leading pickpocket this season. With another steal against Cal Poly, Carter ran his streak of consecutive games with a steal to 31 dating back to last season. He owns a team–leading 50 for the season and exactly 100 over his one season plus 21 games at the collegiate level. He became just the seventh player in CSUB history to record 100 steals in his career. If he keeps up his current pace, he will end his sophomore season No. 6 all–time with 119 steals. His 2.4 steals per game average in 2010–11 ranked No. 17 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 another block in last week versus UC Irvine to bring his career total to 71, 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 80 career blocks.

For the record, Jamal Livingston is CSUB's 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 72.4 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 the Jan. 5 102–62 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 21 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 761–382 (.666).

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.