`Runners Fall To LBSU In Exhibition For Wildfire Relief

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team enjoyed playing for the first time this season in an exhibition against Long Beach State. While basketball was the primary focus in the Icardo Center on Saturday night, both the Roadrunners and 49ers were playing for a bigger purpose. For the second-straight season, the two teams competed with all proceeds from the game going to benefit the California wildfire relief efforts. In the process of working towards a great cause, CSUB dropped a tightly contested match to its visitors, 73-70.

The `Runners jumped out to a quick, 8-2 lead on the newly-installed Kern Schools Court. CSUB extended its first-half advantage to as many as eight points at 14-6 and then again at 27-19, but each time the 49ers battled back. LBSU used a 13-5 run over the final three and a half minutes in the first period to head to the locker room tied with CSUB at 32 points apiece.

The Beach came out of the halftime break hot, sprinting to a 40-34 lead over Bakersfield. Despite maintaining its lead for most of the second half, a three-pointer converted by CSUB's Rickey Holden with just under five minutes remaining put the `Runners ahead 59-56. Two and a half minutes later, the 49ers regained the lead, 66-63, on a dagger from Ron Freeman.

The `Runners were able to pull within three points with 11 seconds remaining on a Jarkel Joiner trey, but LBSU would hold on to the ball in the final seconds and time ran out on CSUB's comeback. The 49ers earned the 73-70 exhibition win on Saturday behind a team-high 17 points from Freeman. Playing in his hometown against a former teammate in CSUB's Justin McCall, Jordan Roberts tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds for the 49ers.

Bakersfield used a well-balanced offense to attack LBSU on Saturday. Four `Runners tallied double-digit points including a team-high 15 from Holden, 11 from McCall, and 10 each from Joiner and redshirt sophomore Greg Lee. As a team, CSUB shot 43.9% from the field, 33.3% from three-point range, but struggled at the free throw line, shooting 56%.

CSUB will now prepare for the regular season to begin. The `Runners are headed to Fort Worth, Texas for their regular-season opener on Nov. 7 against TCU. The Horned Frogs were ranked No. 20 in the preseason AP poll and will be a tough test for the `Runners in the team's first competitive game of the season.

~GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

#21 Greg Lee: F; 6' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

#0 Jarkel Joiner: G; 6' 1"; Freshman

#2 Rickey Holden: G; 5' 10"; Junior

#11 Justin McCall: G/F; 6' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#21 Greg Lee
: 6' 8"; Redshirt Freshman
: F

#0 Jarkel Joiner
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G

#2 Rickey Holden
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G

#11 Justin McCall
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: G/F