CSUB Returns to Host UCSB, CSUN This Week

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – After back-to-back weeks on the road, the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team has returned to the Icardo Center to host a pair of Big West Conference games this week. The Roadrunners are in the middle of a stretch that features eight of ten games on the road, so CSUB will gratefully enjoy the comforts of its home court against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday and CSUN on Saturday before heading back out for four-straight road games.

"We need more consistency," said Rod Barnes, Head Coach of the `Runners, whose squad has gone through a tough stretch with four close losses recently. "I don't think we're playing really well for 40 minutes and it's costing us. We're having stretches where we're not scoring it as well and defensively, I thought we didn't defend the three as well as we needed to these last two games."

With the return to the Icardo Center, Barnes said his team is hungry to get back on track: "We need a win. I think a win would give us confidence…Both games will be a challenge for us. In this league, anyone can beat anyone. Hopefully for us we can come out this weekend with two wins and go back out on the road with confidence."

Bakersfield (6-11, 1-6 Big West) was originally scheduled to face CSUN (Jan. 6) and UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 8) early in the Big West slate, but COVID-19 protocols within the CSUB program forced the cancelation of those games.

UCSB (9-9, 1-4 Big West) is the defending Big West regular season and tournament champion after putting together an outstanding 2020-21 season. The Gauchos got off to a slow start in league play this year, but UCSB handed UC San Diego a 36-point defeat last weekend, showing the elite-level of play of which the Gauchos are capable.

CSUN (5-16, 1-7 Big West) defeated Cal Poly at home on Jan. 8, but the Matadors are looking for their first win since then. Over an eight-game stretch, CSUN has gone winless, but in both of last week's games the Matadors fell by single-digit margins.

On Thursday, Feb. 10, CSUB will take on UCSB on the Valley Strong Court with tipoff set for 7 p.m. (PT). Thursday's contest is a Whiteout, with white pom poms and t-shirts being given away. CSUB will also honor Hometown Heroes during the game against the Gauchos. Members of the following communities are eligible to receive four free tickets by RSVPing with the CSUB Ticket Office before 2 p.m. on Thursday: active duty military, veterans, law enforcement officers, firefighters, hospital and public health employees, EMTs, paramedics, other various types of first responders, plus administrative members of all these groups.

Saturday's game against CSUN will also tipoff at 7 p.m. (PT) with special Homecoming festivities taking place during halftime. Tickets for both games are available ahead of time at GoRunners.com/Tickets, but the games will also be broadcasted live on ESPN+. For links to the video and radio broadcasts, live stats, and more, visit GoRunners.com/Live.

~GoRunners.com~

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