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California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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JamesSuberDD08
David Dennis/All-Star Sports Photography
57
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 16-13, 7-8 WAC
63
Winner Seattle U SU 17-13, 5-10 WAC
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
16-13, 7-8 WAC
57
Final
63
Seattle U SU
17-13, 5-10 WAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 26 28 3 57
Seattle U SU 32 22 9 63

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

`Runners Force Overtime, Fall on Road to Seattle U



SEATTLE – A defensive battle raged in the Redhawk Center on Thursday night as the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team fought in a Western Athletic Conference road game. The Roadrunners came from behind to force overtime, but Bakersfield came up short, falling to Seattle U 63-57.

Sophomore Jarkel Joiner heated up to the tune of 10 second-half points including a go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds remaining. A tightly-called game set SU up for a pair of free throws that tied the game and sent the two teams to overtime. In the final five minutes, the ball bounced the way of the Redhawks and the `Runners were unable to rally again.

"I thought our kids played hard," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners. "I thought we gave great effort and did some things tonight that we haven't done. We have to continue to get better…We did some good things, just not enough good things. They have a good team, but I thought we did enough to win this one on the road."

The Redhawks got out to a 9-3 lead early in the first half thanks to a trio of three-pointers. CSUB answered with a 10-0 run, spurred by defensive effort and a dominating performance in the lane by redshirt senior James Suber. The forward scored nine points and pulled down four rebounds in the opening 20 minutes to help the `Runner cause.

From a 19-18 CSUB lead, Seattle U went on an 11-3 run to create some space going into halftime. Senior Rickey Holden hit an elbow jumper to slow the burst, but a late three-pointer put the Redhawks ahead 32-26 at the break. Holden chipped in seven points, three rebounds, and two assists in the first half for CSUB.

CSUB shot 50% from the field compared to 32% for SU, but the Redhawks knocked down 7-of-17 three-pointers as the deep ball largely catalyzed their lead. Seattle U also played a cleaner half, committing just three turnovers to Bakersfield's eight.

The second period featured a defensive battle with both teams limiting the other's offense. Trailing by six points with 4:03 remaining, Bakersfield went on an 8-0 run capped by Joiner's pull-up jumper with 12 seconds left. Seattle U's free throws with four seconds remaining nearly were for naught as Joiner had a look at a 25-foot three-pointer, but it hit the rim and came off.

SU opened overtime with a 4-0 run before a free throw by Taze Moore made the score 58-55. CSUB's defense continued to keep the Redhawks within reach, but the `Runner offense was unable to get rolling as time slipped away. Seattle U hit its free throws down the stretch and held on for a difficult, 63-57 victory on its home court.

Joiner's 10 points in the second period led the native of Oxford, Miss. to a team-high 12 points on the night. The sophomore also pulled down eight rebounds on the road while Suber battled in the paint to the tune of nine points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks. Holden, a senior point guard, chipped in 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists while the `Runners received great effort off the bench from Moore, Justin McCall, and Kevin McNeal.

Bakersfield outshot Seattle U 36% to 31% on the game while the two teams tied with six blocks apiece. CSUB outrebounded SU, 46-34, but the Redhawks hit seven more three-pointers than their guests on Thursday night.

CSUB (16-13, 7-8 WAC) will head to Orem, Utah on Friday to prepare for its regular season finale. Utah Valley (22-8, 11-4 WAC) claimed a victory in a second-place battle with Grand Canyon on Thursday and will welcome the `Runners on Saturday night at 7 p.m. (MT).
 
~GoRunners.com~
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