UCSB @ CSU Bakersfield
Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 7pm
Quick Bite: Gauchos travel to the Central Valley to take on future BW conference member CSU Bakersfield.
By the Numbers
 |
 | |
| Preseason Conference Pick (range) | 4th | 1st to 2nd |
| CBS Preseason Rank | 179 | 162 |
| SI Preseason Rank | 176 | 137 |
| Record (D1 only) | 1-5 | 3-3 |
| Home/away vs D1 | 1-2 (H) | 0-2 (A) |
| National Rankings | ||
| Composite: DCI 1&2, BPI, SOR, KP, Massey, Sagarin | 266 | 184 |
| NET | NA | NA |
| SOS | 151 | 252 |
| Efficiency Rankings (Pomeroy) | ||
| Offense | 275 | 98 |
| Defense | 198 | 275 |
| Scoring | 75.7 | 75.4 |
| FG% | 46.6 | 49.0 |
| 3Pt % | 31.4 | 29.9 |
| FT% | 71.4 | 76.8 |
| PPG Allowed | 69.9 | 70.9 |
| FG % Defense | 42.2 | 45.8 |
| 3Pt % Defense | 37.7 | 40.0 |
| Steals PG | 7.3 | 4.3 |
| Blocks PG | 3.8 | 3.0 |
| Rebounding Margin | +11.8 | + 7.6 |
| Assists/Turnovers PG | 12.4/15.4 | 15.3/12.1 |
Bake:
Best win (BPI): Hampton (299)
Worst Loss (BPI): S. Dakota St (213)
Trend: Won 2
Bake-UCSB History
UCSB All-time record vs. Roadrunners: 1-1
Last game (2016): UCSB 62-Bake 60 (OT).
UCSB & Bake have played each other only twice in their history, both times in 2016 in a home & home series. This was Bob William’s last year and the home victory was one of the more improbable and impressive wins for UCSB in that dismal season. The Gauchos trailed by as many as 17 and shot only 25% for the game but Bake could not stop Heidegger from getting to the line where he hit 16 of 18 FTs to will the Gauchos to victory. Bake would go on to win 25 games, finish first in the WAC and advance to the NIT semifinal that season while the Gauchos would win only 5 other games.
The Arena: The Roadrunners play the majority of their games in the 3,800 seat Icardo Center which was constructed in 1989. The Roadrunners averaged 2,661 fans last season. On occasion, they will play in the downtown Rabobank Arena.
Head Coach: Veteran coach Rod Barnes enters his 7th season at the helm of the Roadrunners and has led the team its greatest results in D1 play since moving up in 2007. In 2016 the Roadrunners upset top seed NMSU in the WAC championship to advance to the Big Dance for the first time. The following year they won a school record (D1) 25 games and advanced all the way to the NIT semis in Madison Square Garden after being knocked out of the conference tournament. His record with the Roadrunners is 140-127. Prior to his time at Bakersfield he had an unsuccessful 4 year stint at Georgia State and a very successful run at his alma mater, Ole Miss which was his first HC job. He set records by taking the Rebels to their first ever NCAA tournament and to the Sweet 16 the following year. But after one more NCAA birth, the Rebels had four consecutive .500 seasons and he was let go. His overall record is 326-316
Roster & Overview
It looks to be a rebuilding year for the Roadrunners as they return only one of their top five scorers from last year’s 18-16 squad. Coach Barnes has been experimenting with his starting lineup as just about every player on the roster has started at least two games so would not be surprised if the listed lineup below ends up being incorrect. The roster is filled with transfers, both from the JC ranks and from other D1 schools, plus several Redshirts. The projected starting lineup is all juniors and most of their key reserves are juniors as well. This is an experienced roster, just not experienced playing with each other. Bake rebounds the ball very well, +11 per game on the season but they turn it over a lot too. They could be a team that shows improvement as the season progresses.
Possible Starters
Czar Perry # Guard, JC Transfer Junior, 6’2”, 190lb. 8.3 ppg, 25 mpg
Leads team in assists (2.9 apg) with a very impressive 2.6/1 A/TO ratio. Second on team in getting to the line; 17/22
Cam Allen #3 Guard, RS Junior, 6’0”, 180 lb. 10ppg, 25 mpg, tied for team lead in 3 point makes (11, 37%) Second on team in assists. Only player to start all 9 games. Transfer from LMU
Taze Moore #4 Wing, RS Junior, 6’5” 180 lbs 13.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 25 mpg, 44% from deep
Leads team in scoring and 3pt shooting accuracy but is at his best on the defensive end, extremely disruptive; leading the team with 15 steals and 12 blocks, respectively. Has played all 9 games but started just three of them.
Greg Lee #21 Forward RS Junior, 6’9” 210 lbs 5.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Has started 5 games
Shawn Stith #21 Forward JC transfer Junior, 6’8” 265 lbs 8.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 18 mpg
Leads team in getting to the FT line, 29/38. Second in rebounding. Has started just 3 games.
Possible Key Reserves:
De’Monte Buckingham #13 Guard, RS Junior, 6’4”, 220 lb. 9.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 23 mpg, tied for team lead in three point makes (11, 37%). Second on team in steals (12)
Has started 6 games but came off the bench in the last couple. Transfer from Richmond, was the A10 FOY and is a pre-season WAC first teamer.
Justin McCall #22 Wing Sophomore, 6’6”, 210 lb 8ppg, 4.2 rpg, 25mpg
Has started 6 games.
Justin Elder-Davis #10 Wing, RS Junior 6’4”, 215 lb 5.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 21 mpg
Leading returning scorer and rebounder from last year and leading the team again in rebounding. Has started 2 games. 10/34 from deep
Darin Person #25 Forward RS Sophomore, 6’7”, 225 lb 4.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 13 mpg
Ronne Readus #0 Center JC transfer Junior, 6’9” 240 lbs 3.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 13 mpg
Has started 6 games.
Match-up & prediction: Gauchos had some self-inflicted ugliness on offense vs. Grambling but their defense had its best showing of the season. I am going optimist and predict that the offensive woes were just a blip but that the defense was a step in the right direction and that this trend continues. My understanding is that Heidegger is out for a while with his concussion but Cyrus should be back. So either he or Toure will be in the starting lineup.
The top two scorers for the Roadrunners play the wing position so this is an opportunity for Toure, Cyrus and McLaughlin to show what they can do to keep these guys under wraps. McLaughlin’s D was much better vs. Grambling & PSU, lets see if he has moved on from his deficient defensive efforts vs. Rice, OSU & UCLA. Speaking of McLaughlin, he’s really turned things around and is dishing out some very impressive numbers. His stat lines over the past two games: 20.5 ppg on 63% shooting, 5.5 apg, 5.5/1 A/TO ratio, 3 rpg. He’s fully stepped up his game.
Bakersfield has just one win vs. D1 and while their schedule has been more difficult than UCSB’s (not a hard thing to do), its still just the 193 SOS in the country.
Keys to the game for the Gauchos:
- DEFENSE! Sustained over both halves. If the same effort that was given vs. Grambling is what we see, Gauchos win.
- Rebound and second chance points.
- Sow gets it going in this one. He did not have his best effort vs. Grambling, I don’t see him having a second quiet game in a row.
Prediction: Before the season I projected this as an easy win. Now, I think it will be closer but the Gauchos should still execute better than Bakersfield and take it, 73-67
Official Site: https://gorunners.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
Hey Guys! No active board I could find
How to Watch: ESPN3
Bake Season Preview and Game Peview Links:
https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/wac-preview-2020
Fun facts about Bake:
The Roadrunners were extremely successful in hoops at the D2 level, winning the National Championship three times.
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