Sports Editor
In its highest scoring game against a Western Athletic Conference team, the CSU Bakersfield men’s basketball team cruised past Utah Valley University 91-69 on Saturday at the Icardo Center.
“They (Utah Valley) were a fast team,” said CSUB head coach Rod Barnes. “I was never really worried about us as far as our execution. I was just more concerned about continuing to play well.”
Four CSUB players scored in double-digits: senior forward Kevin Mays (17), senior center Aly Ahmed (15), redshirt-junior forward Matt Smith (11) and junior guard Justin Pride (10).
CSUB attempted a school record 49 free-throws in the game, its most since 2009 when they faced Cal Poly on Dec. 31.
CSUB converted on 33 of 49 free-throw attempts.
There were 56 fouls between the two teams in the game. In the second half, it turned into a free-throw battle as Pride attempted a career high 22 free-throws but only being able to make eight of them.
“I didn’t think it was that many, but I got to do better,” said Pride. “I got to get back in the gym. I think the thing with me is I don’t have as many game life situations with free throws like my nerves (were) going so this is definitely a good thing. It’s definitely a mental thing with free-throws.”
At the 18:06 mark of the second half Ahmed scored his seventh point of the game to make him the 12th Roadrunner to reach 1000 career points at and the sixth Roadrunner to have 1000 career points and 500 rebounds.
“I didn’t know, I was surprised,” said Ahmed on scoring over 1000 points in his career. “I’m very happy to score 1000 points for CSUB, be apart of the program, and be in the paper somehow. (CSUB) is a good place. They help me a lot. I’m proud to be apart of the program.”
CSUB (18-7, 8-2 WAC) was able to hold Utah Valley (10-15, 4-6 WAC) to just 19.2 percent from the three-point line on five of 26 shooting from behind the arc.
The Wolverines’ senior guard Jaden Jackson had a game high 20 points for Utah Valley but was not enough for the team to make up its 22-point loss.
This was the Roadrunners fourth straight win as they went 3-0 in their three-game home stand with just four games left to play in conference.
The Roadrunners will look to get their ninth WAC win when they go on the road to play at New Mexico State University on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
