CSUB To Open Junkanoo Jam In Bahamas Thursday

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BIMINI, The Bahamas – Nearly 3,000 miles and the Gulf of Mexico stand between CSU Bakersfield's men's basketball team and its home, the Icardo Center. Despite the distance, the Roadrunners' mission is the same as always; CSUB came to The Bahamas to win three games over four days at the Junkanoo Jam.

The `Runners (1-1) will open the inaugural men's version of the tournament on Thursday in a rematch with Central Michigan (2-0). In the two teams' first-ever meeting last season, the Chippewas edged CSUB to claim the title at the Great Alaska Shootout. This time around, the `Runners will be looking to exact revenge for the 75-72 loss they suffered on the opposite side of North America a year ago.

The other two opponents in the four-team bracket are San José State and Weber State. On Friday, the winner of CSUB's game against CMU will go up against the winner of Thursday's contest between SJSU and Weber State. The two losers from the first round will meet on Saturday. To round out the week of basketball action, the `Runners will face the one team they have not yet met on Sunday.

Central Michigan has come to The Bahamas with a perfect record after a pair of big victories over Concordia (Mich.) and Chicago State. San José State split its first two contests, winning big over Life Pacific before falling to Southern Utah in a close game at home. Weber State fell to the University of San Diego by 17 points before routing Bethesda in its first week of the season.

The `Runners faced the toughest test of the bunch when CSUB opened its season on the road at No. 20 TCU. After losing a late lead and falling to the Horned Frogs 66-61, Bakersfield returned home and nearly broke the school's scoring record against Antelope Valley. On the season, sophomore Jarkel Joiner has led all `Runners with 14.5 points per game.

Thursday's tournament-opening match for the `Runners will be played at 3 p.m. (PT) at Gateway Christian Academy on Bimini Island. If CSUB wins its first match, the `Runners will play again Friday at 5:30 pm. (PT) while a loss would trigger a game on Saturday at 3 p.m. (PT). CSUB will play at either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. in Sunday's final contest.

All of the Junknoo Jam's games will be streamed live via FloHoops while Isaac Lowenkron will be calling action live on the radio for the `Runners. Live stats will also be available throughout the tournament and links for that as well as FloHoops and radio broadcasts are all on the CSUB men's basketball schedule page.

~GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

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

Players Mentioned

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

Players Mentioned

#0 Jarkel Joiner

Players Mentioned

#0 Jarkel Joiner