BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team will get the opportunity to play in the longest-running regular-season college basketball tournament, the GCI Great Alaska Shootout.

The tournament started in 1978 and was one of the most prestigious college basketball tournament in the country at one point.  National powerhouses Duke, Kansas and North Carolina were just a few of the teams that have competed in the GCI.

The `Runners will open up the tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 22 against tournament host Alaska Anchorage with tipoff scheduled for 8 p.m. Anchorage time, 9 p.m. Bakersfield time.

If the `Runners win on Wednesday, CSUB will get the day off on Thursday and play the winner of the Idaho/Santa Clara matchup at 9 p.m.  If CSUB would lose to Alaska Anchorage, then the `Runners will play on Thanksgiving against the loser of Idaho/Santa Clara at 9 p.m.  The `Runners will play their third and final game on Saturday, Nov. 25 and I would suggest referring to gorunners.com to find out the time and matchup of CSUB's final game.  The `Runners could play at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. or 9 p.m. depending on the results of the previous two games. 

CSUB is coming off a big 85-73 road win against Lamar on Sunday.  The `Runners improved their record to 2-2 on the season and were able to bounce back from a loss a couple days earlier at No. 3 Arizona. 

The `Runners are led in scoring by the explosive freshman, Jarkel Joiner, who is averaging 14.3 points a game and almost five rebounds a game.  Senior Shon Briggs, who had a great all-around game at Lamar with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists, is averaging 13 points and a little more than five rebounds a game. 

But CSUB is deep.  The `Runners have nine players that have played in all four games and they are all averaging at least ten or more minutes a game.

The entire GCI Great Alaska Shootout can be watched on Flohoops.com.