Runner’s Men’s Basketball defeated 90-84 by CSU Fullerton

By Micheal Canelo

Sports Reporter

It was a tale of two halves for the CSU Bakersfield men’s basketball team in Friday night’s loss to CSU Fullerton at the Icardo Center.  

 The Roadrunners started the game off cold offensively with 10 turnovers in the first half, shooting 4-14 from the field to start the game and also putting CSU Fullerton in the bonus with 8:37 minutes left to play in the first half.  

 CSUB could not figure out how to create cracks in the Titans zone defense. Possession after possession CSUB was dribbling into the middle of the zone but would end up turning over the ball.  

 CSUB was down 32-30 at the half, but their defensive intensity kept them in the game forcing turnovers with their full court press leading to baskets.   

  That all changed for both teams in the second half. For CSUB the offense in the second half was great, but the defensive could not stop CSU Fullerton from making baskets on the other end of the court.   

 “We just did not fight hard enough tonight. A lot of lack of focus started at practice and it led over to the game. We probably played our best offense and our worst defense of the year,” said CSUB senior Taze Moore, who had 16 points, four assists, and seven rebounds. 

 CSUB came out hitting three straight three-point shots giving CSUB a 46-44 lead early in the second half but CSU Fullerton had an answer for every shot made by CSUB.   

 CSUB fought back, staying in the game  thanks in part to CSUB senior Justin McCall who had a career-high 20 points and added three assists and three rebounds.  

 “We just didn’t play as hard as we needed to. Regardless of how the game is going, one of the main things we have to do is play hard,” said McCall.  

 The comeback fell short for CSUB. With their defeat Friday Night by CSU Fullerton 90-84, CSUB falls to 10-6 overall and 6-3 in Big West Conference.  

 “We need to give Fullerton a lot of credit. They came in and played really well. I thought in the second half we helped them. We had a lot of defensive breakdowns. We just didn’t defend well. Just one of those situations that a game starts going bad and we couldn’t turn it around,” CSUB head coach Rod Barnes said. “I thought offensive we matched them as far as shooting the ball well but we are a defense minded team. We couldn’t get enough stops at the end.”  

 CSUB will have the opportunity to get back in the win column, as these two teams battle it out again Saturday January 30 at the Icardo Center, tip-off is set for 7 p.m.