`Runners Ready to Open Big West Slate at Home

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The non-conference portion of the season has come and gone for the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team and the Roadrunners are preparing to open Big West Conference play at home this week. CSUB will host Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, Dec. 30, and Long Beach State on New Year's Day in the Icardo Center.

"Whenever we enter conference play, the intensity goes up," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners. "I really like where our guys are right now, as far as our health and also our frame of mind. We're excited about this weekend and looking forward to it."

Thursday's game against Cal State Fullerton will feel normal to regular `Runner game attendees: tipoff at 7 p.m. (PT), live broadcast on ESPN+, standard attendance policies. On Jan. 1, 2022, as previously announced, a new set of attendance policies will take effect for CSUB men's basketball games in which spectators will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test before being permitted into the Icardo Center.

Barnes also mentioned the importance of having fans to support his squad this season after playing in empty gyms all last year: "Having fans here is huge. Last year we lost some games, one of them to Fullerton, and I think if our crowd had been here, it would have turned out a little bit different…This is the first time in the Big West for us to have our fans, so we're looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully we can have a good crowd and hopefully they can be a factor."

Fans watching Saturday's game from home will also have a change as the contest will be the first of three home games broadcasted on Spectrum SportsNet. As such tipoff on Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PT) in the Icardo Center. CSUB's regular ESPN+ broadcast will still be available outside of the Spectrum footprint (includes a large portion of Southern California).

Cal State Fullerton (6-5) comes to Bakersfield after nearly a two-week break from competitive action. The Titans have won three of their last four contests, but only one of those victories came against an NCAA Division I opponent (Pacific, Dec. 4). Fullerton looks to 6-foot-7 forward E.J. Anosike for its offensive spark; the senior boasts 17.2 points per game, second-best in the Big West this season.

Long Beach State (3-7) had its last two non-conference games cancelled due to COVID-19 issues within the Beach program. As a result of that break, LBSU's last DI victory came against Wright State on Nov. 24. Joel Murray, a junior guard, posts the fourth-most points per game in the Big West (16.1) for LBSU.

Last season, CSUB split both of its pairs of games against this week's opponents. In his 11th season at the helm of the `Runners, Barnes has a 22-14 (.611) record against Big West opponents. His squads also have had great success in the Icardo Center, boasting a record of 92-31 (.748) in the building since Barnes took hold of the reins.

For links to all video and radio broadcasts, live stats, tickets, and more, visit GoRunners.com/Live.

~GoRunners.com~

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