While the runners haven't gone dancing before, their head coach has.
This will be Coach Barnes sixth appearance in the NCAA tournament, however he says this time will be his most rewarding.
It’s about to get crazy, CSUB is headed to March Madness.
History was made when Dedrick Basile made the game winning shot Saturday night in Las Vegas, securing the team a place in their first NCAA tournament appearance.
Rod Barnes has been the head coach for the men’s team for five years. But before he called Kern County home, he was the assistant coach in Oklahoma, the team CSUB is up against Friday and Barnes says he can’t wait to see his old stomping grounds.
“I want them to have success until our name got called up and once our name got called up I started to think about the success the runners can have and what a great opportunity we have playing against a great program,” Barnes said.
Will Carter has been the General Manager for Road Runner Properties just a little over a year, although he’s originally from St. Louis, he is proud of the runners and still in shock.
“This is just unbelievable, still lost for words in a sense,” Carter said.
The anticipation for Friday night’s game is high around town and Barnes wants the City of Bakersfield to know, the road runners plan to take it all.
“Maybe they may be called Goliath but maybe we will just be David on this particular trip, but we are going there to win and we want the people of Bakersfield to expect that sometime Friday people will be yelling go runners,” Barnes said.
Tomorrow the men’s basketball team is having an open practice, it’s open to the public from 3:30 to 5 P.M.
And following practice the team will hold a meet and greet with the championship trophy.
