ROADRUNNERS (5–16) at UC IRVINE (9–14)
FEBRUARY 6, 2010  •  7:35 p.m.
BREN EVENTS CENTER  •  IRVINE, CALIF.
KERN NEWSTALK 1180 AM  •  NO TELEVISION FOR THIS GAME

ANTEATER ANECDOTESThe Anteaters are led by former CSUB (1988–97) Head Coach Pat Douglass…they've struggled recently, dropping four in a row and seven of their last eight games…have wins over CSUB foes Northridge (65–62) and LMU (84–78) and a loss to Cal Poly (81–95)…So. F Eric Wise has been the team's top all–around player, leading UCI in scoring (15.7 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg) and assists (3.3 apg)…Sr. G Michael Hunter chips in 13.7 points per game with a team–best 35 steals…Hunter (88.7) and Patrick Rembert (86.7) are both well over 80 percent from the line.

SERIES HISTORY

• The all–time series is tied at 2–2.
• UCI won in the Bren Events Center, 85–72, last season.
• Wednesday's 68–55 CSUB win was the first regular season game that did not take place in Irvine.
• The first two regular season meetings (in 1972 and 1977) took place when both schools were NCAA Div. II members.
• CSUB took a 63–56 decision in an exhibition game on Nov. 9, 2002 in Rabobank Arena.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2010    at 'RUNNERS 68, UCI 55
2009    at UCI 85, 'RUNNERS 72
2003    at 'RUNNERS 63, UCI 56**
1977    'RUNNERS 98,  at UCI 86
1972    at UCI 81, 'RUNNERS 76

**Exhibition Game

Roadrunner basketball advance tickets may be purchased online at www.TicketMaster.com. Either click the preceeding link or visit TicketMaster.com and search for "CSUB." Six exciting NCAA Division I basketball contests remaining on the home schedule, including games against former Roadrunner Head coach Pat Douglass and UC Irvine (Feb. 3) and a rematch with defending Big West Conference champion Cal State Northridge (Feb. 10).

Don't miss out on any of the action! Call (661) 654–BLUE  or CLICK HERE for more information.

WHEN LAST WE MET: The 'Runners won for the second consecutive outing, overcoming an early six–point deficit to lead for the final 25 minutes of a 68–55 win Wednesday in Rabobank Arena. Senior forward Trent Blakley (Alta Loma HS) led all scorers with 20 points, his fourth 20–plus point game of the season. Fellow senior forward Santwon Latunde (Landover, Md./Cowley County CC) added his fifth double–double with 17 points and 10 boards. Eric Wise led UCI with 18 points.

BIG WEST BLAST: Wednesday's game against UC Irvine was the third of six consecutive games against Big West Conference opponents. The sextet began with last week's overtime heart–breaker against Cal State Fullerton and last Saturday's 57–53 win at Cal Poly. CSUB also hosts Cal State Northridge (Feb. 10) and Big West leading Pacific (Feb. 13).

KEEPING IT ON THE DOWN LOW: Defense has been the key to recent Roadrunner success as evidenced by the correlation between opponents scoring and the CSUB win total. All five Roadrunner wins this season have come when they held opponents to 70 or fewer points (including a 3–0 mark when they allow 60 or fewer points). In fact, the 'Runners have won their last eight games when holding opponents to 60 or fewer points and have won 15 of their last 25 when the total is under 70.

THE ACCENT IS ON THE D: Wednesday's game between CSUB and UC Irvine was a low–scoring battle. UCI enters Saturday's game averaging 66.1 points per game while CSUB averages 66.6. That should bode well for CSUB, which is 3–1 this season when both teams score 70 or fewer points.

THE MILLENNIUM CLUB: By scoring in double figures for the 16th consecutive game in the Dec. 31 win over Cal Poly, Trent Blakley became just the ninth player in Roadrunner history to score 1,000 career points. He scored 20 points Wednesday versus UC Irvine to boost his career total to 1,153 points to pass Fred Eckles (1,136) and Ray Burris (1,151) for No. 5 on the CSUB career list.
    Next up is Carl Toney with 1,264 points. Should he maintain his current pace, he will finish in the top five all time with nearly 1,300 career points.

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES: Trent Blakley continues to be not only CSUB's leading scorer, but one of the top scorers among NCAA Division I Independent players as well. Blakley enters Saturday's game at UC Irvine fourth among Division I Independent scorers by averaging 15.9 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 25 consecutive games.

LET'S GET IT STARTED: Last Saturday's starting nod at Cal Poly was the 70th of Trent Blakley's collegiate career, good for sole possession of No. 2 on the CSUB list for starts in a career. He needs five more starts to pass Dwuan Rice (75 from 2005–07) for the most in CSUB history.

TOP 10 TRENT: Trent Blakley is climbing his way up CSUB's career records lists in more than just scoring and starts. He made two more three–pointers versus UC Irvine Wednesday to pass Dwuan Rice for sole possession No. 3 all time (135). His seven field goals in the game moved him into a tie with Kebu Stewart for No. 5 (429). He also ranks in the top 10 all–time in rebounding (No. 6, 506) and games played (No. 7, 104).

LATUNDE ON THE REBOUND: Santwon Latunde, always a force on the glass for the 'Runners, took his board work to another level Jan. 3 against Loyola Marymount, tying the CSUB record by grabbing 21 rebounds. He tied the mark set previously by Toshiro Germany (vs. Fresno Pacific in 1998) and Kebu Stewart (vs. Cal State San Bernardino and Northern Kentucky in 1997, the latter in the NCAA Division II title game).

Latunde's mark is the fifth–best total in Division I play this season. He leads all NCAA Division I Independent rebounders at 3.8 offensive rpg and is second overall at 8.8 rpg. He has led CSUB in rebounding in 13 of 21 games this season.

'RUNNERS IN THE TOP 10: Santwon Latunde's rebounding and Trent Blakely's scoring aren't the only 'Runner marks to crack the NCAA Division I Independent top 10 lists this season. Blakley ranks No. 2 in three–pointers made per game (2.1) and No. 5 in field goals per game (5.5). Stephon Carter (Garces HS) checks in at No. 4 in free throws per game (4.7) and No. 5 in steals per game (1.4).

GROUND–BREAKING FRESHMAN: Freshman Stephon Carter is breaking a lot of ground in his first collegiate season. On Jan. 12 at Southern Mississippi, he just missed a milestone when he scored a season–high 25 points against the Golden Eagles. His mark was just two points shy of Kenny Warren's school freshman record of 27 set against Northern Colorado in the 1991 season.

20–20 VISION: Stephon Carter's consecutive 20–point games at Cal State Fullerton (24) and home against Cal Poly (22) were the first consecutive 20–point efforts by a Roadrunner since Terrence Johns poured in 22 and 21 against Pacific and Loyola Marymount on Jan. 5–7, 2008.

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AND A CIGAR: Entering last Saturday's game at Cal Poly, the 'Runners had dropped 11 of their last 12 games decided by four or fewer points (or in overtime). The 'Runners turned that trend around against the Mustangs, with their four–point, 57–53 victory. It was the first time in 13 months they won a game by that narrow a margin. The last such win came against, you guessed it, Cal Poly in a 66–64 decision on Jan. 23, 2009.

A HALF NOTE: The 'Runners put together two halves to make one victory in Wednesday's win over UC Irvine. They led at halftime, 28–21. By then winning the second half, 40–34, the 'Runners won both halves of a game for the first time since defeating Sacramento State on Nov. 27, 2008. It marks the only to they have pulled that off in the last 41 games—despite having 11 victories over that run.

TEST AGAINST THE BEST: When the 'Runners played at Cininnati on Jan. 6, it was the fourth of six 2009 NCAA Tournament participants the Roadrunners will meet this season. They had already faced UCLA, Cal State Northridge and Utah State. In addition to a rematch at home against Northridge (Feb. 10), the 'Runners also will battle Gonzaga University (Mar. 2) on the road.

ON AND OFF THE COURT: The move to NCAA Division I has increased CSUB's competitiveness in the classroom as well as on the court. Since it began playing full Division I schedules, the Roadrunner men's basketball team has posted a perfect graduation rate. Last season's team posted a perfect APR score of 1,000 as well.

WHERE OTHERS HAVE GONE BEFORE: Making the leap from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I play is a big step. It's also a step taken by several Roadrunner rivals over the past few seasons. Bakersfield is the sixth West Region school to make the jump since 1990. The others are: Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Sacramento State, UC Davis and UC Riverside.

In fact, DII and the California Collegiate Athletic Association have been jumping off points for many of the current DI programs in the West. All nine Big West Conference members are former DII schools and all but UC Irvine were formerly in the CCAA. Other former DII  and CCAA schools from the West include Fresno State, Pepperdine, San Diego State and San Jose State.

38 YEARS OF CSUB BASKETBALL: The 2009–2010 season marks the 39th anniversary of Roadrunner men's basketball at CSUB. Since the program's inception in 1971–72, the Roadrunners have posted an impressive all–time record of 750–364 (.673).

WE MEET AGAIN: The 'Runners may be relative new kids on the block at the NCAA Division I level, but they possess a wealth of experience against the Division I opponents they will meet this season. CSUB entered the season with an aggregate 106–108 all–time record against this season's opposition. Note that many of those results came when both CSUB and its opposition were competing at the Division II level.