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November 02 2019: at Icardo Center CSUB in Bakersfield, CA. (Photo by: David Dennis/All-Star Sports Photography)
David Dennis/All-Star Sports Photography

Men's Basketball

Buckingham's 25 Points Leads CSUB Past GCU

Box Score

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – In the most thrilling game in the Icardo Center in recent memory, the Roadrunner men's basketball team put together a 13-0 run over the final two minutes and 46 seconds for a come-from-behind victory against Grand Canyon Saturday night. Over 2,500 fans witnessed CSU Bakersfield kick off Western Athletic Conference play with an exciting, 69-62 win behind a season-high 25 points from junior guard De'Monte Buckingham.

"Tonight was a huge win for us," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners, after Bakersfield's thrilling win. "I'm proud of our guys...We had a lull in the game there and they built a lead on us. I thought our guys continued to hang in there and I continued to tell them just one play at a time."

Barnes further discussed the momentum Saturday night's victory provides his squad: "The last three or four minutes, defensively, is what we have been trying to convince our team wins championships. Obviously, you have got to win the first game and we won the first one tonight. It was a huge confidence builder for our team."

After leading GCU for most of the first half, CSUB went to halftime tied, 28-28, and Bakersfield found itself trailing the visiting Lopes by as many as 12 points in the second period. Grand Canyon used a 10-2 run to take a 48-36 advantage over its host with just under 12 minutes remaining in the game. Undeterred by the deficit, CSUB answered right back a couple minutes later when Buckingham and fellow guard Taze Moore converted three-straight three pointers to pull within three points at 50-47.

The Lopes continued to pressure their host and took a 62-56 lead on Carlos Johnson's layup with 2:46 on the clock. Those would be GCU's last points score on the night as the `Runner defense locked its visitor down and Moore and Buckingham lit the CSUB offense on fire. Moore, a native of Southaven, Miss., started the 13-0 sprint by scoring seven-straight points for the `Runners.

With CSUB leading GCU by one point, Bakersfield got back-to-back defensive stops while Buckingham was fouled to stop the clock in both instances. With ice coursing through his veins, Buckingham knocked down all four free throws to extend the `Runner lead. Moore came out of nowhere for a massive block that was swatted off a GCU player for CSUB's ball. After one final stand on defense, Moore's football pass found Czar Perry streaking for an exclamation point dunk to seal the game, 69-62, in front of a roaring crowd of `Runner fans.

Buckingham, who hails from Richmond, Va., scored a season-high 25 points in the game on 8-of-15 shooting (6-for-6 FT). Junior  Greg Lee chipped in six points against GCU, but the forward made his biggest contribution on the glass, pulling down a career-high 13 rebounds. Perry dished out six assists while Moore wrapped up the contest with 15 points for CSUB.

Hot shooting catalyzed Bakersfield's second-half comeback as CSUB converted 45% of its shots from the field and 57% from three-point range. The `Runners, one of the best rebounding teams in the country, won the battle of the glass once again, 43-32. CSUB's 14 offensive boards led to 11 second-chance points and the `Runners outscored GCU on fast breaks, 13-7.

With the win, Bakersfield (7-9, 1-0 WAC) opened WAC play with a momentum-building victory. The `Runners will have just a few days to prefer for their next battle as California Baptist (10-5, 1-1 WAC) will come to Bakersfield on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Tipoff in the Icardo Center is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available ahead of time at GoRunners.com/tickets.

~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

De

#13 De'Monte Buckingham

G
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Greg Lee

#21 Greg Lee

F
6' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Taze Moore

#4 Taze Moore

F
6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
Czar Perry

#5 Czar Perry

G
6' 2"
Junior

Players Mentioned

De

#13 De'Monte Buckingham

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
G
Greg Lee

#21 Greg Lee

6' 9"
Redshirt Junior
F
Taze Moore

#4 Taze Moore

6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
F
Czar Perry

#5 Czar Perry

6' 2"
Junior
G
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