BAKERSFIELD, Calif., The CSUB Roadrunners (4-12, 0-1 WAC) open the home portion of their Western Athletic Conference schedule Thursday night hosting defending WAC Tournament champion New Mexico State at the Icardo Center.
The 'Runners will also host UT Pan American on Saturday, January 17 in their first full-week of conference action.
The Roadrunners are coming off a WAC-opening 73-65 loss at Grand Canyon last Saturday night. Playing their second game without leading scorer Aly Ahmed (Jr., Alexandria, Egypt, Midland CC), the 'Runners fell just shy of their first conference win of the season, allowing a late 9-0 run by the Antelopes in the final three minutes of what was then a one-point game. CSUB was led by Kevin Mays (Jr., Queens, N.Y., Odessa CC) who scored a career-high 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the loss. Guard play was also better offensively for the Roadrunners as Javonte Maynor (R-Sr., Atlanta, Ga., Georgia State) scored 12 points while Brent Wrapp (R-Fr., Boulder, Colo., Fairview HS) scored a career-high nine points as well. CSUB shot 42% from the field.
Mays continues to lead the WAC in rebounding with eight per contest while the Roadrunners boast the best defense in the WAC, allowing a conference-low 61.9 ppg this season. NM State is right behind Bakersfield allowing just 63.9 ppg to opponents this season. NM State leads the conference in offense scoring 69 ppg.
“We've been working really hard getting ready for conference play and it's always going to be a challenge with the best team in the league, but if Grand Canyon is the second or third best team and we played them on the road that well, I'm sure our guys will be confident coming home,” said CSUB head coach Rod Barnes. “I just think some of our guys are just playing better right now which makes our team that much better.”
The Aggies enter Thursday's game 9-9 on the season, evening their season mark with a WAC-opening 63-45 win over Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday night. It was the fourth-straight win for NM State who has notched victories over UC Irvine, Texas Southern and New Mexico Highlands during their most-recent run.
The defending WAC tournament champions are led by senior Remi Barry who's averaging 14 ppg this season and has scored in double figures in 14 of the last 15 games for NM State who has been playing without preseason WAC all-conference players Tshilidzi Nephawe (foot) and returning WAC Player of the Year Daniel Mullings (broken finger). Both are expected to return to the lineup at some point this season.
“Early on losing their best player and their best scorer they've had time to make the adjustment but they're still not the same team” Barnes said. “They've been up and down but they're really talented; big on the front line as always, guard play that's athletic; they come in with that reputation and pride that they're the best team in our league so they're going to come in with the same thing and that's something that we've got to overcome.”
The 'Runners are also dealing with their own injury to leading scorer Aly Ahmed who once again will be a game-time decision after missing the last two games from an ankle injury suffered against LaVerne on New Year's Eve. Ahmed is averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game for the 'Runners and is fifth in the WAC in both scoring and field goal percentage (51%).
Tip off for Thursday's game is scheduled for 7 P.M. Tickets are available at www.Vallitix.com. The game will also be carried on Newstalk 1180 and 96.1 FM KERN and is the WAC Game of the Week on the WAC Digital Network available at www.WACSports.com/watch.
Then on Saturday the Roadrunners host Texas-Pan American at the Icardo Center. The Broncs enter the week at 7-10 after a 68-43 non-conference loss Monday night to Texas-San Antonio. UTPA is 1-0 in WAC play after a 64-59 win over Chicago State on Saturday in Edinburg, Texas. They will play at Seattle U on Thursday night before coming to Bakersfield.
The Broncs boast the conference's leading scorer in guard Janari Joesaar who's averaging 19 ppg this season while shooting 47% from the field.
Saturday's tipoff is scheduled for 7 P.M. Tickets are available in advance at www.Vallitix.com.
