BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Fresno State opened the game with a big run, CSUB shot a season-low 24.6 percent from the floor and the combination added up to a 79-49 Bulldog win Monday night at the Save Mart Center.
Monday's game was the first of a home-and-home series between Fresno and Bakersfield. The Roadrunners will host the rematch Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Rabobank Arena.
Junior guard Alex Johnson (Toronto/Vaughan Road Academy) came off the bench for the first time this season and led CSUB with 12 points. Stephon Carter (Garces HS) added 11 points, six assists and four steals.
Nedeljko Golubovic led four Bulldogs in double figures with 14 points. Greg Smith added a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double.
Fresno State (11-12 overall) needed less than four minutes to post its game-opening 9-1 run. After a Steven Shepp layup made it 11-4 five and a half minutes in, CSUB (9-13) never held the ball within two possessions of the lead again.
The Roadrunners were shooting just 14 percent from the floor at the third media timeout before hitting 5-of-11 to end the half and keep the deficit at just 15 points, 43-28, at intermission. But they opened the second half even colder than the first, making just one of their first nine after the break as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 50-34 by the first media timeout of the second half.
A Carter steal and dunk highlighted a 7-0 run that gave CSUB a little hope, cutting the lead to 50-37 with 12 minutes still to play. But Fresno responded with 9-0 run of its own to put the game on ice.
FRESNO STATE 79, CSU BAKERSFIELD 49
CSU BAKERSFIELD (9-14)
Johnson, Alex 3-9 5-5 12; Carter, Stephon 3-13 5-6 11; Bragg, Donavan 2-11 2-2 7; Johnson, Donald 2-4 1-2 6; Hayes, Robert 1-4 2-3 5; Brown, Cory 1-2 1-2 3; Savage, Rashad 1-3 0-0 2; Jones, Kregg 1-1 0-0 2; Matip, Ivan 0-1 1-2 1; Albright, James 0-6 0-0 0; Baker, Reynaul 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 14-57 17-22 49.
FRESNO STATE (11-12)
Golubovic, Nedeljko 5-8 3-3 14; Steed, Tim 6-12 0-0 13; Smith, Greg 5-9 2-3 12; Funk, Bracken 3-8 4-4 11; Johnson, Garrett 4-9 1-1 9; Johnson, Tyler 3-4 0-0 7; Rhodes, Bennie 2-4 1-2 5; Shepp, Steven 2-5 0-0 4; Ryan, John 1-2 0-0 2; Wills, Jonathan 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 31-62 13-15 79.
CSU Bakersfield............... 28 21 - 49
Fresno State.................. 43 36 - 79
3-point goals--CSUB 4-19 (Hayes 1-3; D. Johnson 1-1; A. Johnson 1-6; Bragg 1-4; Albright 0-2; Carter 0-3), FS 4-14 (Steed 1-2; Funk 1-4; Golubovic 1-2; T. Johnson 1-2; Shepp 0-2; G. Johnson 0-2). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--CSUB 26 (Savage 6), FS 52 (Smith 13). Assists--CSUB 10 (Carter 6), FS 22 (Shepp 6). Total fouls--CSUB 15, FS 15. Technical fouls--None. A-7054
