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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - San Diego Christian built a 10-point lead in the first half before the CSUB Roadrunners awoken with authority setting a CSUB Division I record while shooting 62.8% from the field in a 79-54 win over the Hawks Tuesday night in non-conference action at the Icardo Center.

Bakersfield (7-14, 2-3 WAC) led early by six before SD Christian rolled off a 24-8 run to build a 28-18 lead with 6:41 to play in the first half.  Rafael Rodriguez provided the offensive spark for the Hawks hitting five first-half three-pointers as the Hawks shot 7-of-14 from three-point range in the opening frame. The 'Runners responded with a 14-5 run to trail 33-32 at the half.

“We're a really good defensive team and in the first half we didn't guard, we gave up too many open three's and we didn't get our hand up,” said CSUB head coach Rod Barnes. “We played at their level (SD Christian) as far as the pace of everything but in the second half I though we got back to doing what we're supposed to do and that's get down and guard and take good shots.”

The second half saw a major improvement defensively for the 'Runners who were able to open the half on an 11-0 run fueled by Aly Ahmed (Jr., Alexandria, Egypt, Midland CC) who scored 21 points for CSUB while also drawing in the Hawks' defense, allowing guards like Javonte Maynor (R-Sr., Atlanta, Ga., Georgia State) to hit three-point shots and build an impressive lead. Maynor tied his season best with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 3-of-5 from three-point range.

The Roadrunners eventually rolled off a 26-6 run during the first nine minutes of the second half to build a 19-point lead with just over 11 minutes to play. CSUB would build a lead as large as 29 points in the second half while drastically limiting the Hawks offense, holding them to 7-of-22 from the field for 32% and 2-of-10 from three-point range. Rodriguez, who held the hot hand in the first half, managed just 1-of-6 from the field in the second half and 1-of-4 from beyond-the-arc.

“The second half was more indicative of the way we've been playing and the way we need to play,” Barnes said.

Kevin Mays (Jr., Queens, N.Y., Odessa CC) recorded his sixth double-double of the season scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds for the Roadrunners. It's also his conference-best eighth double-digit rebounding performance.

The Roadrunners shot over 60% from the field in both halves for a 27-of-43 night from the field good for 62.8%, their best shooting performance in their Division I era. That broke a 2011 mark set against Cal State Northridge where the Roadrunners shot 62.5% in a victory during Rod Barnes' inaugural season at CSUB.

The 'Runners also managed 67% from three-point range going 8-of-12 for their best percentage of the season.

“That's been our Achilles heel all year, we don't make open shots…but tonight they went down,” Barnes said. “I thought our guys took shots in rhythm I thought they had some confidence when they took the shots.”

Bakersfield returns to conference play on Saturday night hosting Seattle at the Icardo Center. The Redhawks are coming off a 75-55 loss at Kansas City last week and are 3-2 in WAC play.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 P.M., tickets are available at Vallitix.com.