Mark Nessia/Mark Nessia Photography

Box Score

CSU Bakersfield CSUB 18-16

Green Bay GB 20-16

CSU Bakersfield CSUB

18-16

Final

Mar. 29, 2019

Green Bay GB

20-16

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
CSU Bakersfield CSUB	30	35	65
Green Bay GB	40	40	80

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | March 29, 2019

CSUB's CIT Run Ends in Hard-Fought Loss at Green Bay

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GREEN BAY, Wis. – CSU Bakersfield's month-long road trip has come to an end as the Roadrunners fell in their CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) quarterfinal matchup on Friday night. Bakersfield battled a powerful Green Bay squad, which now boasts a 14-3 home record on the year, but ultimately fell to the Phoenix by a final score of 80-65.

"I was proud of our kids tonight and I've been proud of them all year," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners. "I'm proud of the way they played in the CIT Tournament. We feel like our guys have represented our program and university well. I'm also excited about our future. I'm proud of this group and thankful to be part of their lives and for their impact they have had on me."

When asked what he will remember the most about this season, Barnes talked about the team's progress made and character shown: "We have taken some guys like James Suber, Darrin Person Jr., and Taze Moore, and seen them grow. Not only that, but the way that they carried themselves during and after games, even when we took tough losses. I'm very proud of that."

"James Suber came in and was so excited," Barnes said while reminiscing on his seniors' time in Bakersfield. "Rickey Holden came in and turned into our starting point guard this year. I'm also proud of my son [Bray Barnes]…He showed great leadership for this team."

In Friday night's CIT quarterfinal, senior Rickey Holden got the `Runners out to a quick start, burying a pair of three-pointers in the first two minutes of the game. With CSUB's offense firing on all cylinders early on, Green Bay responded with efficient scoring of its own, making an 11-0 run to take a 22-16 over the `Runners. Bakersfield pulled within three points, but a 9-2 run over the final 3:12 gave the Phoenix a 40-30 advantage at halftime.

A native of Laurel, Miss., Holden led all student-athletes in the first 20 minutes, scoring 12 points off 5-of-10 shooting from the field. A quartet of sophomores in Greg Lee (four points, four rebounds), Jarkel Joiner (four points, three rebounds), Taze Moore (six points, one block) and Justin McCall (four points, two assists) provided the rest of the offensive kick for the `Runners.

In the opening half, CSUB hit 39% of its field goal attempts, but the potent Phoenix offense, which averages 81.5 points per contest, converted on 48% of its shots.

The `Runners opened the first half with a quick, 8-2 run, letting the Phoenix know Bakersfield was in the game for the long haul. CSUB pulled within five points at 46-51 on a converted and-1 from Moore, but Green Bay put up a prayer three-pointer at the shot clock to extends its lead back out to eight points.

GB responded to every `Runner spurt with a run of its own, using a 15-3 sprint to take its biggest lead at 66-49 with just over eight minutes remaining. The Phoenix offense continued to convert time and time again with the `Runners doing their best to stay within striking distance, but CSUB was never able to close the gap. Green Bay held off Bakersfield to take an 80-65 victory and advance to the CIT Semifinals.

With 12 points in the second half, Moore finished the season with a career-high 18 points. Holden, playing his last game in a `Runner uniform, equaled Moore's scoring output thanks to four three-pointers. Suber wrapped up his `Runner career with five points and 11 rebounds on Friday night, finishing the season with 275 boards, just one shy of the CSUB Division I single-season record.

The `Runner offense picked up in the second half to finish the game shooting 41.5% from the field. CSUB's defense also made Green Bay work harder in the final 20 minutes, but the Phoenix offense would not be stopped in the victory. Bakersfield won the battle of the paint 38-22 in the Kress Center, but Green Bay enjoyed a 40-35 rebound advantage.

After a three-game run in the CIT, CSUB concluded the year with an 18-16 record. Bakersfield's 18 victories is the third most in the program's NCAA Division I history. While the `Runners will lose a trio of important seniors, they retain a strong core of younger student-athletes who have been tested with fire over the past few seasons. The 2019-20 season promises to be one of the best in the Barnes era.

CSUB's eighth-year Head Coach concluded the 2018-19 season with these final thoughts: "No matter where we have been, and we haven't been home in a month, there have been no bad attitudes. As fans, I hope you are proud of these kids and the young men they have become…I want all of our fans back in Bakersfield and Kern County to know that we're going to have something special next year. Prepare yourselves, get your tickets, we're going to have a great year. We have some guys who bring some valuable experience and we're bringing in a really good recruiting class."

~GoRunners.com~

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