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CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners vs Bethesda at Icardo Center
David Dennis/All-Star Sports Photography
83
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 9-4,5-1 Big West
72
Hawaii Hawaii 3-3,1-3 Big West
Winner
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
9-4,5-1 Big West
83
Final
72
Hawaii Hawaii
3-3,1-3 Big West
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 37 46 83
Hawaii Hawaii 27 45 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Bakersfield Wins 5th-Straight, Sweeps Hawai'i

HONOLULU – A slow start was quickly erased and the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team downed the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors with an 83-72 win inside of the Stan Sheriff Center. With Saturday night's victory, the Roadrunners have now won five-straight games and Bakersfield has earned back-to-back Big West Conference sweeps.

"This win is a credit to our guys and their maturity," said Rod Barnes, who is in his 22nd season as a head coach. "It's always tough to beat someone twice in a season let alone on back-to-back nights…I'm just proud of this team. I thank God for both wins and that we made it over here safely."

Bakersfield enjoyed a quartet of double-digit scorers on Saturday night including a season-high 22 points out of guard/forward Justin Edler-Davis. The redshirt senior from San Diego also pulled down seven rebounds on the night as he reached the 500 career rebounds milestone. Edler-Davis became just the 10th `Runner all-time to record 800 points and 500 rebounds in a career.

Fellow senior Taze Moore added 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists in Bakersfield's win over Hawai'i. Point guard Shaun Williams and forward Shawn Stith matched not only their names but also their productivity with each chipping in 11 points and four boards against the 'Bows.

Barnes also addressed some of the `Runners whose contributions to the game did not jump out on the box score: "Cameron Smith is a guy that really helped us tonight. Travis Henson is getting a feel for our system and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a breakout game here soon." With Stith and CSUB center Ronne Readus in foul trouble for most of the game, Smith filled in as an undersized center, helping to keep Hawai'i out of the paint. Henson was active on the glass and propelled CSUB's defensive energy.

First Half

Hawai'i came storming out of the gate, sinking three-straight three-pointers to take an early, 9-0 lead. The `Runners would not let their hosts pull away and Bakersfield used a 16-1 run to take a 21-14 lead a little past the halfway mark of the period. CSUB made one final push down the stretch, extending its advantage to as many as 12 points, and the `Runners enjoyed a 37-27 lead at halftime.

Edler-Davis paced CSUB in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting while adding five rebounds. Williams, who hails from St. Louis, chipped in 11 points of his own in the period while redshirt senior De'Monte Buckingham recorded two points, four rebounds, and two assists.

The `Runners outrebounded the 'Bows 18-14 in the first half and CSUB enjoyed an 18-10 advantage on points in the paint. Bakersfield's defensive pressure forced Hawai'i to commit 10 turnovers while the `Runners coughed up just four of their own.

Second Half

Bakersfield extended its lead to 16 points early in the second half on a jumper from Smith, who finished with five points and six rebounds. Hawai'i was able to briefly cut its deficit to single digits about eight minutes into the period, but the `Runners pushed right back on a Henson layup and a Moore three-pointer for a 59-45 lead.

Hawai'i pulled within single digits multiple times over the final five minutes of the game, but Bakersfield regained control each time with a clutch basket or free throws from Stith or Edler-Davis. Senior forward Justin McCall also knocked down a couple of key baskets down the stretch as the `Runners held off the advances of the 'Bows and closed out their 83-72 victory.

CSUB outrebounded Hawai'i, 39-20, and Bakersfield enjoyed a 40-24 advantage on points in the paint as well. The `Runner bench chipped in 26 points while all 10 `Runners who played got on the scoreboard. CSUB edged UH on field goal percentage (50 vs. 48) on the road and Bakersfield's 81 percent free throw shooting (22-of-27) helped ice the game down the stretch.

Next Week

CSUB will return to California on Sunday, but the `Runners will not enjoy the comfort of their own beds for long. Fresh off a sweep of Cal Poly, UC Riverside (6-3, 3-1 BWC) will welcome Bakersfield for another Big West series, Jan. 22-23, in Riverside, Calif.

~GoRunners.com~
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