CSUB Accepts Invitation to Compete in CIT

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – After a winning season that featured road games against a pair of Top 25 opponents as well as 12 victories in a 14-game stretch, CSU Bakersfield's men's basketball team has accepted an invitation to compete in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, more commonly referred to as the CIT. This invitation marks the third postseason appearance for the Roadrunners in the last four seasons and the fifth in CSUB's Division I history.

"Our players and coaches are excited to be playing in the postseason once again," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners. "This is a great experience, after having a winning season, to take our team to the postseason. We've been in the CIT before in 2012 and it was a valuable experience for those players. We're really excited to be back in postseason and I know this will help this team and also continue to help our program."

At the end of the 2011-12 season, Barnes' first at the helm of Bakersfield's program, the `Runners accepted an invitation to CSUB's first-ever postseason tournament, the CIT. The squad flew to Logan, Utah and opened the tournament with a road game at Utah State. Zach Lamp paced the `Runners with 31 points in that contest, but Utah State hits its free throws down the stretch and held on for a 75-69 victory on its home floor.

Fast forward seven years and CSUB is preparing to return to the CIT after equaling its win total from 2011-12 with 16 victories this year. The `Runners are still awaiting final word on their first-round opponent for the 2019 edition of the tournament, but will be anxious to tally their first CIT win no matter what team they are pitted against.

A win in the first round of the CIT would bring Bakersfield's Division I postseason record above .500 for the first time. After dropping their first two postseason contests (2012 CIT, 2016 NCAA Tournament), the `Runners went on a magical, 3-0 run in the 2017 NIT before losing to Georgia Tech in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

CSUB expects to be informed of its first stop in the CIT sometime Sunday evening. A press release at that time will let fans know everything necessary to be able to follow the `Runners on their postseason journey. For the most up-to-date information on CSUB's run in the CIT, visit the `Runners' Tournament Central page.

~GoRunners.com~

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