David Dennis/All-Star Sports Photography

Box Score

CSU Bakersfield CSUB 11-5, 3-0 WAC

UT Rio Grande Valley UTRGV 9-9, 1-1 WAC

CSU Bakersfield CSUB

11-5, 3-0 WAC

Final

Jan. 10, 2019

UT Rio Grande Valley UTRGV

9-9, 1-1 WAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
CSU Bakersfield CSUB	31	44	75
UT Rio Grande Valley UTRGV	21	48	69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | January 10, 2019

CSUB Improves to 3-0 in WAC Play with Road Victory

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at NM State

1/12/2019 | 4 p.m. (MT)

1180AM/96.1FM KERN

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at NM State

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EDINBURG, Texas – A frantic, final four minutes suggested a closer score than the game dictated as the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team held off UT Rio Grande Valley for a road victory Thursday night. Bakersfield's 75-69 victory in the UTRGV Fieldhouse helped the `Runners improve to 3-0 in Western Athletic Conference play while giving CSUB its eighth win in the last nine games.

Bakersfield's offense took some time to get rolling in the first half with both teams playing solid defense. UTRGV took its biggest lead of the opening period at 12-9 with just over 10 minutes expired. After a 17-17 tie, the `Runners finally got the offense firing on all cylinders and finished the final eight minutes of the half on a 14-4 run including six-straight points from senior Rickey Holden.

CSUB took a 31-21 advantage into the locker room behind game-highs of 10 points and five rebounds from Holden, the starting point guard. Redshirt senior James Suber owned the paint in the first half, posting eight points, four rebounds, and two blocks for the `Runners. While the Bakersfield offense took a while to heat up, the `Runner defense limited UTRGV to 24% shooting from the field and 11% from beyond the three-point line in the period.

UTRGV looked determined to climb back into the game and was able to cut CSUB's lead to single digits on multiple occasions, but the `Runners never let the Vaqueros get within striking distance. Bakersfield surged ahead, rebuilding its double-digit lead, and used an 8-3 run to get to an 18-point advantage of 66-48 with six and a half minutes remaining.

A Damiyne Durham layup put CSUB ahead by 16 points with four minutes and 18 seconds remaining. Basketball is a game of runs and the Vaqueros finally made their run to make the game more interesting than the `Runners hoped. UTRGV went on a 14-2 run over the next three minutes before drawing as close as five points at 74-69, but that score came with just 10 seconds remaining and the `Runners were able to fend off the frenzied finish by the Vaqueros.

Justin Edler-Davis' standout play generated the spark Bakersfield needed in the second half. The redshirt sophomore tallied 15 points in the final 20 minutes to finish with a game-high 19 points. Suber continued to dominate down low, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the year.

Thanks in part to a 7-for-7 performance from the free throw line, Holden wrapped up the contest with 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Durham, a senior from Oakwood, Texas, finished with nine points, eight rebounds, and a career-high six assists. Both teams' offenses heated up in the second half with the `Runners converting 44% of their three-pointers in the period. Bakersfield knocked down 20-of-30 free throws in the game, taking advantage of their opportunities from the charity stripe.

CSUB (11-5, 3-0 WAC) will head to Las Cruces, N.M. on Friday to prepare for Saturday's clash with defending WAC Champion NM State. The `Runners llook to carry their momentum into the Pan American Center for a 3 p.m. (PT) tipoff with the Aggies.

~GoRunners.com~

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