TEMPE, Ariz.- The CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (8-4) are trying to match a season-long three-game winning streak for the third time this season on Monday night as they head to Tempe, Arizona to take on Arizona State (9-3) at Wells Fargo Arena.
“I told our guys this is another opportunity for us, it gives us another gauge to where we are,” said head coach Rod Barnes. “We get the chance to play another Pac-12 team that's playing well, that's well coached…so I think our guys are excited about this opportunity.”
The game is the final non-conference game for the Sun Devils who open Pac-12 play against nearby rival Arizona on Sunday. The Roadrunners have two additional non-conference games remaining after playing at ASU when they host Morgan State on New Year's Eve and head to UC Riverside on January 2.
CSUB is coming off a hard-fought 78-66 win over Portland State on December 22 for their eighth win of the season and their 7th at home. CSUB is 1-4 on the road this season and have split their last two road contests with a win at South Dakota on December 12 and a loss at Fresno State on December 16.
Arizona State has won three-straight including a road win at UNLV on December 16 and recent home wins over Houston Baptist and Stephen F. Austin. They are 6-1 at home this season with their only loss coming 66-63 in their season opener against Sacramento State. ASU is led by Tra Holder's 13 ppg and touts a balanced scoring effort where six different players have led the team in each of their 12 games this season. ASU is also outrebounding opponent by a plus-7 margin.
The Roadrunners are also working with a balanced offense of late with redshirt freshman Damiyne Durham leading the squad with 15 points per game while two other scorers Kevin Mays and Aly Ahmed are adding 13 points per contest while Dedrick Basile is adding 10 per for the 'Runners. Durham is leading CSUB while shooting 40% from three-point range.
Defense continues to be a strong point for the 'Runners who are holding opponents to 65 points per game this season and outrebounding teams by a plus-five margin. ASU is allowing 68 points per game while averaging 75 to opponents this season.
Monday's match up comes one-year to the day of CSUB's first-ever win over a Pac-12 team when they defeated Cal last season 55-52 in Berkeley on December 28, 2014.
Fans can watch Monday's game on the Pac-12 Network beginning at 6 P.M. Pacific with live radio coverage available on Newstalk 1180 & 96.1 FM KERN. 'Roadrunners Pregame' begins at 5:30 P.M. (PT).
