UCRMBB Pullin Dribbling 4
47
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 10-4,6-1 Big West
45
UC Riverside UCR 6-4,3-2 Big West
Winner
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
10-4,6-1 Big West
47
Final
45
UC Riverside UCR
6-4,3-2 Big West
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 20 27 47
UC Riverside UCR 22 23 45

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Highlanders Drop A Tough One At Home To CSU Bakersfield, 47-45

Presented by Altura Credit Union

Altura Credit Union
Riverside, Calif.— The UC Riverside Men's Basketball lost a close contest at home, 47-45, to Big West newcomer CSU Bakersfield at the SRC Arena.

Friday night's affair featured a pair of defenses ranked inside the nation's top-20, UCR (14th), CSUB (19th), so it should come as no surprise that both teams shot near 30 percent for the game and also recorded their season-lows in points scored. 

"Bakersfield deserves a ton of credit for stymying us to close the game. Their physicality and their offensive rebounding efforts won them the game in the end. They hit huge shots when it mattered." said Head Coach Mike Magpayo of the game.

Zyon Pullin led the way for the Highlanders with 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds to go with three assists. Arinze Chidom nearly logged his first double-double of the year with 10 points and eight boards. 

CSUB established an early, 9-2, lead before Flynn Cameron Arinze Chidom had back-to-back steals and dunks on the other to make it a three-point game at the under 16 minute media break, 9-6. The Highlanders closed out a chippy first half with a 9-0 run which featured seven points by Pullin to stake UCR to a 22-20 lead. 

The Highlanders created distance between themselves and the Roadrunners mid-way through the second half when Wil Tattersall connected on his second three-pointer of the night to give UCR a 35–26 lead with 13:44 to play. CSU Bakersfield climbed their way back into the game with an extended 17-8 run that saw the Highlanders, who were 10-10 at the line previously, missed three straight free-throws.

With 1:23 remaining in the game that was tied at 43 apiece, Chidom drove down the center of the lane for the go-ahead score just before the shot clock expired. On the ensuing CSUB possession, they missed their first attempt, but was fouled on a put-back attempt after grabbing one of their 11 offensive rebounds on the night. They would make both free-throws to tie the game at 45. UCR got a look at a three, but Jock Perry's shot didn't connect and Roadrunners collected the miss and called for time. Out of the stoppage, Bakersfield went to Taze Moore, who scored on a pull-up jumper with three seconds remaining to give the Roadrunners their only lead of the second half, 47-45. He had a game-high 14 points. The Highlanders failed to get a shot off before the buzzer sounded. 

Although UCR outrebounded CSU Bakersfield 40-36, they committed 16 turnovers compared to just 10 the visitors. "We hold a high standard for our offense in taking care of the ball and I think that we have to do a much better job there tomorrow. We have to play through their physicality a bit better and hopefully make a few more shots." said Magpayo. 

The Highlanders and Roadrunners will close out their inaugural season series tomorrow at 4pm.Â