SEATTLE, WA.- The CSUB Roadrunners (13-16, 7-5 WAC), begin their final approach to the 2015 WAC Basketball Tournament with their first of two remaining Western Athletic Conference games this Saturday night at Seattle U (13-13, 6-6 WAC).
The Roadrunners, currently in second-place amongst tournament-eligible teams, can secure at least the third seed with a win over the Redhawks Saturday night. CSUB defeated Seattle 71-61 in overtime on January 31 in Bakersfield. In that game the Roadrunners trailed by as many as seven in the second half with just over six minutes to play but went on a 12-0 run to take the lead by five points.
Seattle however managed to get back into the contest, erasing a three-point Roadrunners lead with 18 seconds to play by taking advantage of a missed CSUB free-throw, making one of their own and tying the game on a layup with four seconds to play.
CSUB however dominated the overtime period outscoring the Redhawks 17-7 in the extra frame for the win. Aly Ahmed (Jr., Alexandria, Egypt, Midland CC) led CSUB with 21 points while William Powell led Seattle with 16.
The Roadrunners managed to contain Seattle leading-scorer Isiah Umipig to just five points on the night which included an 0-for-5 mark from the field. Umipig enters Saturday's game averaging 16.5 ppg. Seattle has won two straight, having swept last week's games with a 74-56 win over Kansas City on Wednesday night and a 57-31 win over Chicago State on Saturday night.
CSUB enters on a three-game winning streak while also having won four of their last five contests. CSUB defeated Bristol University 95-81 in a non-conference game on Tuesday night. Jaylin Airington (R-So., East Chicago, Ind., Ventura CC) recorded his first career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds on a perfect 7-of-7 night from the field. Airington also hit the game-winner against UMKC on Saturday night while leading CSUB with 16 points.
CSUB's leading scorer Aly Ahmed scored 16 points in the win but didn't play but a few minutes in the second half on Tuesday. WAC leading rebounder Kevin Mays (Jr., Queens, N.Y., Odessa CC) did not play in the contest due to illness. Mays is averaging a conference-best 8 rpg while also leading the WAC with eight double-doubles on the season.
Saturday's game will be televised on the American Sports Network with local affiliates KBFX-2 carrying the broadcast on Brighthouse Channel 240 and digital TV on 29.2. It will also be available for Direct TV customers on MASN (Mid Atlantic Sports Network) channel 640 and on Dish channel 412 through Altitude Sports.
Radio coverage begins at 7 P.M. with the Dignity Health Pregame Show on Newstalk 1180 and 96.1 FM KERN. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 P.M.
