CSUB Heads to Arizona to Face Lumberjacks

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A quick road trip awaits the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team as the Roadrunners are headed across the state's eastern border to Arizona. CSUB is ready to clash with Northern Arizona on Thursday, Nov. 18, in Flagstaff, Ariz. before returning home for another game in the Icardo Center.

"Northern Arizona have a really good team," said Rod Barnes, Bakersfield's 11th-year Head Coach. "They have been together; most of their guys are returning. They have a new point guard they are expecting to really shoot the ball well. They have good size across their front line. They are a big team, really sound in their decision making, they play well together, and it's going to be a challenge for us going on the road to compete against this team."

NAU is off to a 1-2 start on the season with a pair of losses against Pac-12 opponents. The Lumberjacks dropped a 29-point game in Tucson against in-state foe Arizona to start off the season. Two days later, NAU fell by 11 points in Seattle to the Washington Huskies. It was not until Nov. 15 when the Lumberjacks got in the win column, cruising to a 97-48 victory over Benedictine Mesa, a squad CSUB also has on its schedule for later this season.

The `Runners are 1-1 on the year after falling to No. 2 UCLA on the road and defeating Life Pacific in Bakersfield's home opener last weekend. Coach Barnes has continued to utilize the depths of his talented roster and is toying with his lineups, searching for the most lethal combinations of his `Runners.

CSUB and NAU are tied 5-5 in the all-time series, but in the Barnes Era (since 2011-12), Bakersfield holds a 3-2 record against the Lumberjacks. The two teams will have their first meeting since Dec. 2, 2017 when NAU came to the Icardo Center and bested CSUB, 60-52.

Thursday evening's battle in Flagstaff is scheduled for a 5 p.m. (PT) tipoff. Just like the `Runners, the Lumberjacks play their home games on ESPN+, so fans will be able to tune in and follow the action live. Links to the broadcast, live stats, tickets, and more are available at GoRunners.com/Live.

~GoRunners.com~

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