Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team was looking to become the first team in the program's Division I history to win 10 non-conference games before the start of Big West play, but visiting CSU Bakersfield had other ideas, as the Roadrunners beat the Highlanders, 67-48, Saturday evening.

The teams were tied at 11 with 4:19 gone in the first, when the Runners went on a 28-9 run over the next 14 minutes and opened up a 19-point lead.

CSUB forced UCR (9-7) into seven turnovers in the half, scoring on each one to build a 14-0 advantage in points off of turnovers by intermission. The Road Runners held the Highlanders to 33.3 percent shooting from the field in the first while connecting on 50.0 percent of their own.

Bakersfield (10-5) was also four for eight from three-point range—a place where the Highlanders have locked down opponents over the season, holding them to 28.2 percent shooting—the 14th lowest percentage in the nation.

The Runners led by 14 at the half, and extended the lead to 17 early in the second, but the Highlanders quickly closed the gap to nine with 5:28 gone in the period. Bakersfield countered with a 10-0 run of its own, and the lead never dropped into single digits again the rest of the evening.

Kevin Mays and Jaylin Airington each scored 17 points in the win for CSUB, and Dedrick Basile added 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Taylor Johns paced the Highlanders with 17 points and eight boards. Secean Johnson joined him in double figures with a dozen.

Big West play begins for UC Riverside this Thursday as the Highlanders host Cal State Fullerton at 8 pm PT on ESPN3. The Women's Basketball Team also plays on ESPN3 that evening taking on UC Irvine beginning at 5 pm.