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California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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JarkelJoinerMN001
Mark Nessia/Mark Nessia Photography
73
Chicago St. CSU 3-16, 0-4 WAC
86
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 13-6, 5-1 WAC
Chicago St. CSU
3-16, 0-4 WAC
73
Final
86
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
13-6, 5-1 WAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Chicago St. CSU 39 34 73
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 37 49 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Late Surge Sends `Runners Past Cougars



BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A late spark helped the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team surge past Chicago State in Saturday night's Western Athletic Conference contest. The Roadrunners went on a 15-0 run down the stretch to come away with an 86-73 victory, remain atop the WAC standings, and keep their perfect record in the Icardo Center.
 
"We changed our defense," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners, when asked about the late catalyst. "Their little guard was getting too deep on us on a consistent basis, so we wanted to show them a different look...We're starting to build a belief and a culture within our team that they expect to win. We got to figure it out. You learn how to win. We're not great at it right now, but we're learning how to win."
 
Chicago State jumped out of the gate with a flurry of scoring in the first four minutes of Saturday night's contest. The Cougars found themselves ahead of their hosts, 12-5, before the `Runner offense finally woke up. Redshirt senior Damiyne Durham provided a spark off the bench, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers before Jarkel Joiner's and-1 put CSUB up 14-12. Durham would drain another trey on CSUB's next possession and the `Runners were able to gain a five-point lead, 19-14, with 12 minutes to go.
 
Eventually, a quick run gave Chicago State the lead again at 33-31. Bakersfield continued to trade blows with the Cougars, but the visiting team went into the locker room with a 39-37 advantage over CSUB.
 
Taze Moore, a sophomore guard from Southaven, Miss., led all `Runners with 10 points in the first half. Three other `Runners chipped in six points or more, but the CSUB defense was lacking in the opening period. Bakersfield allow CSU to shoot 52% from the field in an uncharacteristic defensive performance.
 
The second half remained tight until a Chicago State run put the Cougars ahead 62-56 with a little less than 11 minutes left in the game. CSUB tied the game, 67-67, five minutes later on a pull up three-pointer by Joiner. After a defensive tussle, Bakersfield went ahead 69-67 on Rickey Holden's second-chance layup with just under four minutes remaining, but a pair of free throws on the other end tied the game once again.
 
With the `Runners trailing 69-70 with three minutes left in the game, CSUB went on a 15-0 run, crafting offensive output out of defensive effort. The exclamation point of the run came when Justin Edler-Davis found fellow redshirt sophomore Moore streaking through the paint for an alley oop dunk. That play pushed CSUB ahead 84-70 with 57 seconds remaining and the `Runner rally was complete.
 
Bakersfield finished out the contest with an 86-73 victory, improving to 13-6 on the year and 5-1 in WAC play, good enough to stay tied with Grand Canyon atop the leaderboard. CSUB also owns an 8-0 record in the Icardo Center this season and has won nine-straight contests on the blue hardwood of the Kern Schools Court.
 
In the second half, the `Runners outscored CSU 49-34 while shooting 50% from the field. On the game, Bakersfield got 33 bench points compared to three for the Cougars. Defensive effort spurred CSUB's comeback as the `Runners forced 14 turnovers in the contest while coughing up just seven of their own.
 
Joiner, a native of Oxford, Miss., exploded in the second half for 14 of his game-high 22 points. The sophomore guard also added two rebounds, two assists, and two steals on Saturday night. Holden, a senior guard, chipped in 17 points and three assists. After going 5-for-5 from the free throw line against Chicago State, Holden has now made 27 consecutive free throws dating back to CSUB's road win at Portland State Dec. 20.
 
CSUB also got increased effort out of Durham (16 points, six rebounds) and Moore (14 points, two assists) on Saturday. Edler-Davis wrapped up the game with eight points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
 
The `Runners have a light week ahead with CSUB playing just one game. Bakersfield will get its first chance to visit the newest member of the WAC, California Baptist. The Lancers will welcome the `Runners to Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 24, for their first meeting since CBU joined the league this summer.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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