CSUB Men To Welcome Cal Poly For Big West Home Opener

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – On the heels of its first-ever Big West Conference victory, the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team is looking to roll momentum from Saturday night's win over Long Beach State into a new "first". On Jan. 8 and 9, the Roadrunners will host the Cal Poly Mustangs in the Icardo Center for CSUB's first two home games as a member of the conference.

"Last Friday being the first Big West Conference game…I thought it really affected us," said Rod Barnes, Bakersfield's tenth-year Head Coach. "We were not as loose in the dressing room as we have been all year. I'm hoping this Friday we don't take our first home game and place so much emphasis on it that we don't be who we are…But our guys are going to be feeling like we have got to protect our house in these games."

CSUB's Icardo Center has been a feared place to play for decades as the `Runner men boast an all-time record of 248-46 (.843) in the building. CSUB has posted an 83-29 (.741) home record in Barnes' tenure at the helm and his `Runners are 3-0 on the blue Valley Strong Court this season.

Cal Poly, much like CSUB's opponent last week, has been on pause for the last two weeks and the Mustangs have not played a game since Dec. 19. One advantage Cal Poly has been afforded this season is time on its home court as five of its six games have been played in San Luis Obispo. The Mustangs have posted a 2-4 record so far including a Dec. 13 win over San José State and narrow losses against Santa Clara and San Francisco.

CSUB and Cal Poly share a rich history dating all the way back to Bakersfield's first-ever season (1971-72). The two teams enjoyed a strong rivalry during their NCAA Division II eras as members of the CCAA with Bakersfield holding a 34-25 advantage in the all-time series.

The `Runners have won each of their last four games against the Mustangs and CSUB has an 8-2 record since joining Cal Poly in Division I. Last season on Dec. 21, CSUB traveled to San Luis Obispo and defeated the Mustangs on their home court, 72-50. Then-junior Taze Moore scored a game-high 13 points, CSUB's bench scored half of its total points, and 11 different `Runners got on the scoresheet in the convincing victory.

A 7 p.m. (PT) tipoff will start both games in the Icardo Center this weekend. Fans can follow along live on WatchESPN.com or in the ESPN app. Links to video and radio broadcasts as well as live stats can be found at GoRunners.com/mbbLinks and in-game updates are available @CSUB_MBB on Twitter.

~GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

#4 Taze Moore: G/F; 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#4 Taze Moore
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: G/F

Players Mentioned

#4 Taze Moore

Players Mentioned

#4 Taze Moore