Season Opener & Early Matchups
CSUB will tip off the season on the road at California on Nov. 3, marking the second consecutive year the `Runners have opened against the Golden Bears. “Cal helped us get off to a competitive start last year. We wanted to play that game again,” Barnes said.
The `Runners then return home for two contests at the Icardo Center on Nov. 6 vs. Whittier Christian and Nov. 11 vs. Western Illinois before hitting the road to face Ole Miss (Nov. 14) and Portland State (Nov. 17).
November Travel
Three big contests will round out November. The Icardo Center will host part of a Multi-Team Event on Nov. 22, featuring a matchup with Mississippi Valley State. CSUB then travels to Tallahassee to wrap up the MTE against the Florida State Seminoles (Nov. 25), before closing the month on the road at Fresno State (Nov. 30).
December Homestand
After the previously-announced matchups as part of the Big West's Bold Week, non-conference play resumes and concludes with a four-game homestand:
- Dec. 11 – North Dakota State
- Dec. 13 – Pepperdine
- Dec. 18 – Nobel
- Dec. 23 – Idaho
Barnes emphasized the value of this stretch. “It’s important to build our schedule around teams that play similar styles to what we’ll face in conference play,” he said.
Hoopfest Returns
CSUB’s annual ‘Runners Hoopfest will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Icardo Center, giving fans their first chance to see the 2025–26 iteration of the team in action.
Looking Ahead
Last season, the Roadrunners finished their regular-season non-conference slate with a 6–6 record. Barnes believes this year’s team is positioned to take another step forward. “We feel like we have a veteran squad. We’ve had a really good spring and summer, and we’re expecting great things this fall.”
