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David Dennis/All-Star Sports Photography
53
Georgia Southern GS 8-3
55
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 7-6
Georgia Southern GS
8-3
53
Final
55
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
7-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Georgia Southern GS 28 25 53
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 27 28 55

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

`Runners Hold Off Eagles At Home

BAKERSFIELD, Calif – CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team was hungry and responded defensively in a rematch against Georgia Southern. In November, the Roadrunners took a big loss against the Eagles. Today, the `Runners got their revenge in a very tight game winning 55-53.
 
"It was a big win for us," said Rod Barnes, head coach of the `Runners. "Our defense was where we wanted it for us and that's what we built our program on. I told our guys at the beginning of the game that this team has built its own identity, our program has been known to play hard, play great defense and figure out ways to win and the guys really responded."
 
The `Runners got out to a quick start with senior Shon Briggs scoring the first field goal of the day. Georgia Southern quickly answered back and at the first timeout both teams would end up tied with eight points. Wasting no time, CSUB kicked up their offensive a notch and added five points before the next timeout with 11:30 left in the game.
 
Bakersfield took its largest lead in the first half at 13-8. However, the Eagles found their glitch and closed the gap. Both teams went back and forth taking the lead by one-point each. Georgia Southern ended with the lead in the first half at 28-27. Senior Moataz Aly led the  first half for the `Runners with 9 points and 4 rebounds while Briggs has 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. CSUB took a 66.9 % lead time and defensively held the Eagles to only 9 field goals.  
 
A good pep talk during halftime would put fire into the `Runners and come out hot with seven shots in the first three in a half minutes and hold Georgia Southern to zero field goals for about seven minutes. With 11:33 minutes left in the game the Eagles would start closing in on the `Runners and take their first lead in the second half at 35-34.
 
From there, the lead changes continued to rack up as the two teams finished the game with 5 ties and 12 lead changes. Keeping the fans on their feet, the `Runners took the lead back by one point in the final 30 seconds of the game and junior Rickey Holden received two shots at the line to give CSUB a two point lead but the Eagles were not done and responded right back in 15 seconds and tied the game once more. Holden went back to the line for another two shots and gave CSUB the final victory at 55-53.
 
Holden led the `Runners with 16 points and earned a season high as a Roadrunner. Aly made 71% of his field goals and had four rebounds while redshirt freshman Justin Davis, who made a first `Runner appearance, had a team high of 7 rebounds. As a team, Bakersfield finished the game making 77.8% of its free-throws and defensively held the Eagles to only 17 field goals.
 
The `Runners (7-6) will head out for two road games to wrap up the 2017 year. Wednesday, Dec. 20 they will take on Delaware first and then travel to Arkansas the following Wednesday, Dec. 27. Roadrunner fans can watch and follow both games, visit the schedule page for the link.
 
~GoRunners.Com~
 
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