News Editor
It was a sad ending for CSU Bakersfield as the Oklahoma University men’s basketball team took the big win 82-68 during the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in Oklahoma City on Friday.
The presence was alive throughout the game at the Student Housing Multipurpose Room viewing party on Friday, as the CSUB men’s basketball team got off to a great start.
Students, staff and alumni joined CSUB to celebrate the Roadrunners’ first time making it to the NCAA, following a CSUB history-making win at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev.
The crowd showed its spirit at the viewing party wearing blue and gold to support its fellow Roadrunners.
This is the next chapter for recruitment said criminal justice student Jalynn Davis, 20.
“This (WAC win) will hopefully bring more people to CSUB,” said Davis. “CSUB is a small campus and they’re getting their name out there.”
The energy was high in the multipurpose room as the men’s basketball fans cheered and chanted throughout the game. Human biology major Precious Nwaoha, 21, mentioned her excitement for being a student at CSUB.
“It feels good to be a ‘Runner, feeling the spirit and the school pride.”
The spirit was felt in the room after every shot that CSUB made.
Biology major Kayla Tinker,19, was pumped and excited to be surrounded by so much school spirit.
“With every shot we make everyone is standing up and screaming,” said Tinker. “It makes the game so much more fun.”
Tinker continued saying how she felt that the team had a pretty good start and how she believed that they had a pretty good shot of bringing it home.
Davis shared the same belief as Tinker saying, “we are going to take it home of course.”
However, that was not the case for the Roadrunners after a tough second half.
“They did very well until the end,” said Biology major Brandon Taylor, 21. “They played a great defense, but what hurt us were the turnovers, there were way too many turnovers.”
This loss ended the season for the CSUB men’s basketball team, but even though the energy diminished during the waning minutes of the game, the Roadrunners fans concluded the viewing with a round of applause for the WAC Tournament champs.
