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JustinMcCallNE03
Nick Ellis

Men's Basketball

CSUB Returns To Icardo Center To Face Lamar



BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Icardo Center will once again be rowdy this week as the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team prepares to host the first of back-to-back home games. The Roadrunners are set to square off with Lamar on Thursday, Dec. 13, in a rematch of last year's home game for the Cardinals.

"We played [Lamar] last year and it was a pretty close game to the end," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners. "They have several of their guys returning. Their big guy is someone we have to deal with inside. They have a guard who is a really explosive perimeter guy…It's a good matchup for us. It's a game we have to be ready to play."

The `Runners and Cardinals will match up for just the second time in the two programs' histories this week after playing the inaugural game of the series last year. CSUB bested Lamar on the road, taking an 85-73 victory from the Cardinals in Beaumont, Texas. In that game, CSUB's Jarkel Joiner posted 18 points and six rebounds to lead the `Runners while Damiyne Durham chipped in 17 points.

Lamar (4-5) will travel to the Central Valley having dropped three of its last four contests with a lone win at Rice on Dec. 1. The Cardinals dropped a two-point decision on the road at Western Athletic Conference member UT Rio Grande Valley to start their five-game road trip. Josh Nzeakor, a 6-foot-7 junior forward paces Lamar with 13.6 points and 7.9 rebounds a game while junior transfer Jordan Hunter averages 11.1 points and 4.1 assists a contest.

The `Runners (5-4) have won back-to-back games and will enjoy the comforts of the Icardo Center for their next two contests. Coming off of a gritty road win over Idaho, CSUB looks to roll momentum into its game against Lamar.

While every game is a team effort for the `Runners, a significant portion of CSUB's recent success can be attributed to the surge of play from redshirt senior James Suber. The 6-foot-8 forward has recorded double-doubles in each of his last three games including posting a career-high 20 points in Bakersfield's victory over Idaho on Saturday.

"It's all about confidence," Barnes said when asked about Suber's rise from a role player to a major contributor. "He worked hard all summer. He came in with the expectation of being one of our leaders. I think what is happening on the court for him right now is a result of his hard work and toughness."

A well-balanced offense and a hard-nosed defense will continue to be CSUB's calling card as Coach Barnes looks up and down a deep bench to tackle the Cardinals.

Thursday's contest in the Icardo Center is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The `Runners are putting on a Finals De-stress Night to help CSUB students during this busy Finals Week. Students can come to the game and enjoy a study break, receive free Coca-Cola samplings, and have a chance to win $500 with a half-court shot opportunity.

For `Runner fans who cannot make it to the game, links to the WatchESPN live stream, radio broadcast, and live stats are all available on the CSUB men's basketball schedule page. Fans can also follow along with the @CSUB_MBB Twitter account (link above) for live updates.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

Damiyne Durham

#23 Damiyne Durham

G
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
James Suber

#4 James Suber

F
6' 7"
Senior
Jarkel Joiner

#0 Jarkel Joiner

G
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Damiyne Durham

#23 Damiyne Durham

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
G
James Suber

#4 James Suber

6' 7"
Senior
F
Jarkel Joiner

#0 Jarkel Joiner

6' 1"
Freshman
G
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