BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The wait is nearly over as the 2018-19 men's basketball season will officially tip off Wednesday, Nov. 7, when CSU Bakersfield takes on No. 20 TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. After their clash with the Top 25 program, the Roadrunners will return to Bakersfield to prepare to host Antelope Valley on Friday, Nov. 8, for CSUB's first game of the year in the Icardo Center.
TCU is coming off a 2017-18 season that saw the Horned Frogs earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after posting a 20-12 record. A trio of experienced scorers returns for TCU this season as Alex Robinson, JD Miller, and Desmond Bane combine for over 2,300 career points. Bakersfield will need to slow the potent TCU offense to tackle the Horned Frogs, but defense is the calling card of Coach Barnes' program.
The `Runners completed the previous season with an unsatisfied taste in their mouths, missing out on the chance to make a third-straight postseason appearance. Ready to take on the challenge and rise to the top, Barnes' 2018-19 squad is athletic, fast, and as always, defense-minded. Redshirt senior Damiyne Durham returns as the team's leading scorer from 2017-18 and will look to finish his collegiate career with a strong performance. Fellow redshirt senior James Suber returns to the lineup after redshirting last season and looks stronger than ever while senior Rickey Holden was one of CSUB's most consistent performer last year.
Antelope Valley will come to Bakersfield on Friday in what will be CSUB's annual Education Day. Thousands of schoolchildren from all over Kern County will flood the Icardo Center, bringing that extra enthusiasm to the game that only a child can provide. The `Runners will defend their home court, recently christened the "Kern Schools Court", on which Bakersfield has enjoyed a 34-6 record over the past three seasons.
Wednesday night's battle in Forth Worth, Texas is set for an 8 p.m. (CT) tip off. Fans can watch the `Runners face TCU if they have access to Fox Sports Southwest Plus. Isaac Lowenkron, the new radio voice of the `Runners, will be painting the picture courtside all season long and tomorrow's game can be heard on 1230 AM/101.FM ESPN.
On Friday morning at 11 a.m., CSUB and UAV will go toe-to-toe in the Icardo Center. Information on season tickets as well as single-game tickets can be found ahead of time at this link or at the box office on game day. As will be the case all season long, fans who cannot make it to the game are able to watch the `Runners on the WatchESPN app or via ESPN3.com.
~GoRunners.com~
