Roadrunners' defense comes up with key stops to beat Cal Poly
| Saturday, Feb 04 2012 10:58 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Feb 04 2012 11:00 PM
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CSUB guard Donald Johnson dunks the ball Saturday night at the Icardo Center as Cal Poly player Will Donahue defends during game action.
CSUB guard Issiah Grayson hustles past Cal Poly player Jamal Johnson, Saturday, at the Icardo Center during Bakersfield's homecoming game.
CSUB guard Zach Lamb goes for the rebound a long with Cal Poly players, Will Taylor, center, and teammate, forward David Hanson, left, Saturday, in Bakersfield at the Icardo Center.
Rod Barnes was looking for his team to play with intensity and energy Saturday night. He got his wish.
The CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners had several key defensive stops down the stretch and held off Cal Poly 69-66 before 1,663 in the Icardo Center to snap a three-game losing streak.
"We've struggled over the last 2-3 games," said Barnes after CSUB evened its record at 12-12. "Tonight we fought back and played with a lot of energy. It was good to see.
"On the defensive end, we got the stops we needed. I'm going to enjoy this one. I haven't enjoyed many lately."
It was the second time this season the Roadrunners have beaten Cal Poly (13-11), which has lost 3-of-4.
CSUB attacked the basket, which paid off in a 40-20 scoring edge in the paint. The Roadrunners also took advantage of Cal Poly's 13 turnovers, scoring 21 points off of those.
Energy and intensity was the theme in preparing for Cal Poly, Barnes said.
"I thought Northridge came in and played with more energy than we did. They brought the fight to us," Barnes said of CSUB's eight-point loss to the Matadors on Jan. 28, adding that the "lack of fight" was also evident in the Jan. 23 loss at San Jose State that started the three-game losing streak.
"Tonight Cal Poly brought the fight to us, but I thought we responded," Barnes added. "I thought we led the charge as far as intensity."
CSUB led most of the game and took the lead for good when Stephon Carter converted one of the Mustangs' turnovers into a layup with 12:53 left.
Cal Poly pulled within two points four times in the final 10 minutes but the Roadrunners responded each time.
Dylan Royer sank two 3-pointers in the final 41 seconds to keep the Cal Poly hopes alive, but two free throws by Issiah Grayson with 12 seconds left and another by Carter with four seconds left proved to be the difference.
CSUB led 66-63 when Cal Poly's Drake U'u lost the ball off his leg with 27 seconds left and Grayson came up with the steal and tore upcourt with the ball.
"Our coach stressed we needed to get a stop, one stop and the game was over," Grayson said. "We dug in and followed the coach's principle."
After the steal, Grayson backed off from a possible layup.
"I was open for a layup but I realized we were up by three and I wanted to milk some time," said Grayson, who had eight points, 11 assists and five steals.
He dribbled, passed to teammates and got the ball back several times, eating up 15 valuable seconds before he was fouled and hit the two crucial free throws.
Zach Lamb led CSUB with 15 points, with Mo Hughley scoring 14, Carter 13 and Donald Johnson 12. Chris Eversley had 18 for the Mustangs.
CSUB has three straight road games before returning home to face San Diego in Rabobank Arena on Feb. 18.
"Our goal is still intact: having a winning season," Barnes said. "We needed this for a lot of different reasons. ... You lose this one, you go on the road for the next three and you may not get it back. Now we're on the road and maybe we can steal a couple of them. Then we have a couple of home games. This was huge for us."
Notes
CSUB went 7-1 vs. the Big West Conference this season. ... The eight turnovers by CSUB on Saturday tied its season-low, which occurred Dec. 17 in a loss at Idaho. ... CSUB plays at Texas-Pan American on Wednesday, then at Nebraska-Omaha a week from today. ... Carter's 13 points pulled him into a tie with Wayne McDaniel (1980-82) for No. 10 on CSUB's all-time career scoring list. He needs seven points to pass Dwuan Rice to move into the No. 9 spot.
