BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- The City of Bakersfield and CSUB Athletics unveiled a 60'x20' commemorative banner on Thursday honoring the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament appearance for the Roadrunners and the start of the 2016-17 season which gets underway next week at the Icardo Center.

The Roadrunners, coming off a 24-9 record last season, a WAC Tournament Championship and the program's first NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament appearance, will open the season on November 9 with an exhibition against The Master's University before their season opener on Saturday, November 12 against San Diego Christian. Both games are at the Icardo Center and tip at 7 P.M.

The banner, displayed in the heart of Bakersfield, is a reminder of the accomplishments of 2016, the positive exposure the men's basketball program brought to Bakersfield as they competed in the NCAA Tournament and the growing engagement between CSUB and the Bakersfield community. The connection to the city grew stronger after last season and continues into the new year with season ticket sales already on pace to triple from a year ago.

The banner features Dedrick Basile, the senior guard who made the game-winning shot with .7 seconds remaining to send the Roadrunners to a 57-54 win over NM State last March. Basile was named WAC Tournament MVP and was also the lone Roadrunner named to the preseason All-WAC team released two weeks ago.

Season and single game tickets for upcoming marquee matchups on Nov. 19 vs. UC Santa Barbara and Nov. 22 vs. Fresno State are on sale now. Ticket packages are available online at GoRunners.com/tix or by calling 654-BLUE.