Game #16: Jan. 9, 2014; CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (11-4, 2-0) at North Dakota Fighting Sioux (7-8, 1-1)
According to most everyone, North Dakota is a better team than their record would indicate. They’re led by SG Herb Dahl, who again this year is averaging over 20 ppg (22.8).
We moved out to a 10-5 lead, but then North Dakota’s 2-3 zone stymied us. We ended up hitting 39% of our shots (0 for 9 from 3 point distance), turning the ball over 10 times, and being totally humiliated on the boards (24-12). North Dakota shot poorly also (35%), but Herb Dahl drilled 4 three’s and scored 13 points. We left eh court trailing 32-24. Jerell Brown led our scoring with 8 points, but shot horribly.
In the refs picked up where they left off, calling nearly all the fouls against us and I got a quick technical. North Dakota held their lead but we rallied midway through the half and tied the score at 49-49 with 6:08 remaining. We then went stone-cold and North Dakota hit some big shots to resurrect their lead at 57-49 with 2 minutes to play. We pulled within 4 but the Fighting Sioux responded by expanding their lead.
Final Score: North Dakota-62, CSU Bakersfield-53. CSU Bakersfield season record: 11-5; Great West record: 2-1 (1st place tie).
Scoring leaders: Jrl Brown-12, Powers-11.
Rebound leaders: Lyde-5, Williams-5, Jrl Brown-5.
Assist leaders: Dunn-4, Powers-3, Kamara-3.
Player of the Game: North Dakota’s SG Herb Dahl-21 pts, 5 reb, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks.
Coach’s Pat on the Back Award: SG Andrew Powers-11 pts, 4 reb, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
Other notes: We finished the game hitting just 38% of our shots and were 2 of 18 from three point distance. North Dakota hit just 37% of their shots but hit 10 of 28 threes. They also had 9 more free throws that us and scored 9 more points from the line (Oh-h-h-h-h-h, and wasn't the point differential in this game 9 points also?

). We lost the battle of the boards 41-27, but had just 12 turnovers to their 23.