CSUB Heads to CBU Looking to Stay on Top of WAC

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A 5-1 start to Western Athletic Conference play has the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team sitting atop the league standings. This week, the Roadrunners will hit the road for a tough test as CSUB is set to take on the newest member of the WAC, California Baptist.

CBU (10-7, 2-2 WAC) is in its first year of transition from NCAA Division II to Division I and has already made waves. In their first-ever WAC game, the Lancers shocked defending league Champion NM State with a victory on CBU's home court. With California Baptist's impressive start, CSUB Head Coach Rod Barnes is not taking the newest WAC member lightly.

"They are good and they can score a lot of points," Barnes said of CBU during Tuesday's weekly basketball press conference. "We have to try to defend them and make it the kind of game we would like for it to be on the road. They are well coached and have good players."

Barnes' `Runner squad will head to Riverside, Calif. on Thursday for Bakersfield's only game of the week. CBU will welcome CSUB to Southern California on the heels of a 77-75 road win over Chicago State. The Lancers' win over NMSU came at the end of a five-game win streak and CBU will be looking to continue that momentum when it returns to its on-campus Events Center this week.

The Lancers are led by Bakersfield, Calif. native Milan Acquaah. The Washington State transfer is averaging 21.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. For his efforts, Acquaah was named to the Lou Hensen Award Mid-Season Watch List as a potential mid-major player of the year candidate. CBU's potent offense, which generates almost 81 points a contest, will represent a tough task for the `Runners, who thrive on defensive effort.

Thursday's matchup will not be the first for the two teams all-time. CSUB and CBU met twice in Bakersfield's first-ever season, 1971-72, in a home and away series. The `Runners took wins in both of those games. The third time the two teams clashes was the last time, back in 1996. CSUB ran away from CBU in a home game, 116-79.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the CBU Events Center in Riverside, Calif. Fans who are not able to travel for the game can watch live via the WAC Digital Network. Links to the video broadcast, CSUB's radio broadcast with Isaac Lowenkron, and live stats can all be found on the CSUB men's basketball schedule page. Fans can also follow along with up-to-the-minute tweets from inside the Events Center by following @CSUB_MBB on Twitter (link above).

~GoRunners.com~

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