TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

From Cal State Bakersfield coach Rod Barnes' perspective, "you take the good with the bad."

The Roadrunners' trapping press led to a steal and breakaway layup by Javonte Maynor with 35 seconds left to give CSUB a one-point lead.

But on the next Texas-Arlington possession, the Mavericks broke the press for a 2-on-1 chance, and 6-foot-10 Jordan Reves made a layup with 19 seconds left to give the Mavericks the lead for good in a 62-60 season-opening win at the Icardo Center.

"If you press a good team that many times, they'll make a play," Barnes said.

CSUB still had its chances.

Tyrone White missed a wide open 17-foot jump shot from just behind the free-throw line and Arlington guard Drew Charles was fouled with 5.8 seconds left. But he hit only one free throw to keep it a two-point game.

The Roadrunners quickly drove up the floor and got the ball inside to forward Mo Hughley. But Reves blocked Hughley's layup attempt out of bounds with four-tenths  of a second left. CSUB  got the ball to Maynor, but his desperation 3-point try at the buzzer bounced off the rim.

CSUB was plagued by a poor shooting night, hitting only 27 percent from the floor and only 5-of-28 on 3s. Many were wide-open looks.

“We won’t shoot like that again,” said senior guard Stephon Carter, who had 12 points. “We want shots like that. I guess it was first-game jitters.”

“This leaves a sour taste in our mouths,” said Maynor, who had 14 points but was only 2-of-10 on 3s. “I know the guys will be much hungrier for our next game (Sunday at Cal-Berkeley). I’m not worried about us.

“Part of it is being our first game of the season. Game speed is much different than practice.”
Barnes said he was happy with the shot selection.

“If you give these guys those same shots tomorrow, I’ll feel good,” Barnes said.

Arlington, a 24-9 team last season that qualified for the NIT, had a 53-41 rebounding advantage but was forced into 22 turnovers by the CSUB defense. The Roadrunners had 15 turnovers.

Five of CSUB’s turnovers were passes forced down court after steals that were thrown into the retreating defense.

“We’ve got a few things to fix,” Barnes said. “Our team will learn from this. I’m not worried at all. We got a good effort for 40 minutes. ... I thought we played well defensively. We’ve got new guys who are adjusting to playing with each other and we struggled at times on offense. But we got good looks. The shots just didn’t go down.”

The Roadrunners trailed 59-54 after Jamel Outler’s 16-foot jump shot with 1:14 left. But Barnes’ son, Brandon, sank two free throws and freshman guard Britton Williams from Liberty High hit two free throws after a missed dunk by Arlington’s Kevin Butler to make it 59-58.

That’s when Maynor made his steal and layup.

“We’re always taught to cover the middle,” Maynor said. “The guy was open so I left my man and anticipated the pass.”

Outler had a game-high 15 points, one of four Mavericks to score in double figures. Reves had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Corey Hall added 10 points and seven rebounds in his CSUB debut and Hughley had 11 rebounds and five blocks.

CSUB’s game at Cal starts at 7 p.m. Sunday and will be carried on the Pac-12 Network that is carried on Brighthouse Networks.