THE DETAILS
The CSUB women's basketball team will make the short trip down to Northridge, Calif., to take on the Matadors on Saturday at 2 p.m.
GAME NOTES
The Matadors' lone win a year ago came at the expense of the Roadrunners...Cal State Northridge is still searching for its first win after falling to San Diego on Wednesday eveing, 64?51, moving the Matadors' record to 0?3...sophomore Analee Viena?Lota had a double?double Wednesday with 15 points and 10 rebounds...she leads the team with 13 points per contest...Tonicia Tademy is averaging 4.67 assists per contest...Bridgette Conejo has six steals in three contests.
SERIES HISTORY
? This will be CSUB's third meeting with Cal State Northridge.
? The Matadors and the ?Runners each captured victories on the other's floors last year. CSUB won the first game in Northridge, 69?65, but the Matadors rebounded with a 73?72 win in the Icardo Center.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2008 ?RUNNERS 69, @Northridge 65
2008 Northridge 73, @?RUNNERS 72
THIS DATE IN ROADRUNNER HISTORY
While the Roadrunners have never played on Nov. 22 before, CSUB is a
combined 2?1 on the surrounding dates of Nov. 21 and Nov. 23.
IMPROVEMENTS NOTED
After suffering a 43?point defeat last season to Fresno State, the Roadrunners gave all the defending WAC Champions all they could handle in the season opener despite falling, 97?88. Trailing by 18 in the first half, it looked as if there would be another repeat of last season but the ?Runners fought back and held the lead in the second half thanks to a 20?2 run.
BEST OF WEST
Senior Nikhol West started off her final season in a Roadrunner uniform by scoring a career?best 12 points in 15 total minutes against Fresno State. The Bakersfield native also grabbed two rebounds and dished out an assist.
THE STARTING LINES
Seniors Krista Arase, Kelley Tarver and Christine Kepenekian were joined by classmate Morgan Saso and junior Phynique Allen in the starting lineup for the season opener against Fresno State. Arase played 37 minutes while Tarver was on the bench for only five minutes, playing 35. Freshman Jana Smith, junior Katie Williams and Nikhol West each saw 15 minutes of playing time. Junior Tiffany Belt recorded 12 minutes on the court.
A YEAR AGO
CSUB and Northridge split last season's meetings with each team winning on the other's home court. Christine Kepenekian totaled 34 points in the two meetings including 21 in the loss at the Icardo Center. Kelley Tarver had 36 combined points and departed senior Naomi Johnson had two double?double performances including rebound efforts of 10 and 16, respectively.
MATADORS LOOKING TO REPEAT
A year ago, the Cal State Northridge Matadors managed only one win all season. That win came at the expense of the Roadrunners inside the Icardo Center. Katie Holloway scored 26 points and grabbed 10 boards to give Northridge a 73?72 victory. Three other Matadors scored in double figures while then junior Tonicia Tademy had 11 assists. Departed senior Crystal Hahs had 11 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING
Morgan Saso and Phynique Allen are both eligible this season after transferring and sitting out all of last year. The two both have previous Division I experience, with Saso playing at New Mexico and Allen coming to Bakersfield by way of Eastern Washington.
THE TRANSFERS
CSUB added one of the top junior college players in the state to its backcourt rotation in the form of Katie Williams. Williams, a junior, averaged 27.3 points per game while playing at Reedley College last season. She spent her freshman season playing at Fresno Pacific. Junior Tamiko Davis had a team?high seven rebounds against the Roadrunners last season while playing for San Jose State. The Sacramento native will have to sit out this season but will bring a Division I experienced rebounder to the CSUB practices before hitting the court in 2010.
NEW FOES
Eight new opponents await the Roadrunners in 2009. CSUB will face Houston Baptist, Idaho, UMKC, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Pacific, Saint Mary's and UCLA for the first time.
WAITING FOR HISTORY
After becoming the only school in NCAA history to make the NCAA tournament every year of its existence while competing in Division II, the ?Runners will have to wait two more seasons before it can hope to lay the same claim as a Division I school. CSUB will be NCAA Tournament eligible for the 2010?11 season.
300 IN SIGHT
CSUB Head Coach Tim La Kose is scheduled to surpass 300 career victories this season. He stands 10 wins away from the milestone and could reach it as early as Dec. 16. In order to accomplish this feat, the ?Runners would have to defeat Saturday's opponent Cal State Northridge as well as UCLA, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
UP NEXT
The 'Runners will take on the Anteaters of UC Irvine on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
