GREENSBORO, N.C.- The absence of leading scorer Aly Ahmed (Jr, Alexandria, Egypt, Midland CC) was evident for CSUB Saturday night both offensively and defensively as the 'Runners allowed their second-highest point total in a 83-70 loss at North Carolina A&T.

This was just the second time this season the 'Runners have allowed over 80 points dating and the first time in regulation; the 'Runners, who entered the game allowing a conference-low 64 ppg allowed 100 to High Point in the four-overtime season opener in Hawai'i.

“We don't want to make excuses, we didn't defend well tonight but we definitely missed the big fella,” said CSUB head coach Rod Barnes. “It was a tightly-officiated game and we didn't make the adjustments, we didn't get many touches down low and we didn't make shots, we had guys open and we didn't execute.”

The 'Runners never led in the first half but closed the half on a 6-0 run to trail 36-34 at the break. The Aggies were 7-of-13 from three-point range in the first half.

The Roadrunners would take a pair of short-lived leads in the second half but each time the Aggies managed to get to the free-throw line to retake the lead. The 'Runners tied the game at 49 apiece with 9:51 remaining, that however proved to be the turning point as the Aggies went on a 14-5 run over the next six minutes to extend their lead to 63-54 with 3:26 to play.

The 'Runners cut the lead to seven points with 2:30 to play but another pair of free throws by the Aggies extended the lead to nine for good. The Aggies were 30-of-32 in the second half from the free throw line compared to CSUB's 13-of-14. Prior to the 'Runners beginning to foul with just over two minutes the play they were whistled for 19 second-half fouls and 34 in the game.

CSUB was led by Dashawn Richmond's (Jr., Staten Island, N.Y., Broward CC) 21 points on 4-of-10 shooting, 3-of-4 from three-point range and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. It was Richmond's second consecutive 20-point performance and his third of the season. CSUB was a mere 9-of-29 in the second half from the field, good for only 31% while they were just 18-of-50 from the field in the second half, good for a 36% clip.

North Carolina A&T managed an 8-of-16 mark from the field in the second half while converting on 20-of-42 field goals in the game.

Ahmed missed the game due to an ankle injury suffered in Wednesday's win over LaVerne. It is unclear if he will be available for Saturday's conference opener at Grand Canyon.

“The good news is we have time,” Barnes said. “Whether or not we have Aly we have some time to work on some things in practice without him, we didn't have that for this game.”

Bakersfield will travel to Phoenix for the 2015 WAC opener on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 P.M. (MT). That game can be heard live on Newstalk 1180 and 96.1 FM KERN.