CSUB at No. 7 Gonzaga for New Year's Eve Bash

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The 2018-19 men's basketball schedule features only one remaining game before the end of the calendar year for CSU Bakersfield. The Roadrunners are gearing up for what may be their toughest test of the season as CSUB is set to hit the road and tackle No. 7/8 Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash. on New Year's Eve.

The Bulldogs enter the clash with a 12-2 record and big momentum. After dropping their back-to-back games, both to current Top 15 opponents, the Zags responded with three-straight 40+-point victories. Gonzaga took down UT Arlington, Denver, and North Alabama all on its home court and will welcome CSUB to the McCarthy Athletic Center on Monday, looking to end 2018 with a 9-0 record at home this season.

The Zags are led into action by junior forward Rui Hachimura, who ranks 26th in the nation with 21.1 points per game. The Bulldogs' offense is deep, dropping 94.1 points per contest on their opponents, third-most in the country.

Bakersfield and Gonzaga have only met twice in the two programs' histories and the New Year's Eve matchup will be the first meeting for the two since the 2010-11 season. The Zags came away with big victories in both of those contests. Monday's bash also features the first time in CSUB's Division I history (since 2007-08) that the `Runners will have faced multiple ranked opponents in the same season after Bakersfield tangled with No. 20/21 TCU to open the 2018-19 season.

After dropping a tough decision at South Dakota Dec. 1, CSUB (8-4) rebounded to win its next two road contests at Idaho and Portland State. The `Runners will put their five-game win streak on the line Monday against Gonzaga, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation just a couple weeks ago. Then, CSUB will head home to open Western Athletic Conference play with a pair of games in the Icardo Center next week.

While the New Year's Eve ball will drop at midnight, the basketball will be tossed up at 6 p.m. (PT) in the McCarthey Athletic Center Monday night. Fans in the Pacific Northwest can watch the game via Root Sports while fans outside the region can follow along via TheW.TV. Links to both broadcasts, live stats, and CSUB's radio broadcast are available on the men's basketball schedule page.

~GoRunners.com~

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