If success puts a target on a team's back, this year opponents of the CSUB men's basketball team have been hitting the mark.
Thursday night the Runners (7-10, WAC 0-2) suffered their worst home loss in three years falling 87-74 to UTRGV (10-8, 2-0). "We just can't give up on ourselves even though we had two tough losses I know we were capable of winning those games," said junior guard Rickey Holden. "Everyone in the locker-room knows we're capable."
Capable, at full strength. Senior point guard Brent Wrapp missed Thursday's game due to an illness but is expected to be back in time for Saturday's test against last year's WAC champs, New Mexico State. However Damiyne Durham, the team's top three point shooter, has been indefinitely suspended from the team for what head coach Rod Barnes calls a failure to do what's required of upperclassmen.
More from Rod Barnes on the absence of two of his starters (Brent Wrapp & Damiyne Durham) following CSUB's 87-74 loss to UTRGV @23ABCNews pic.twitter.com/VXWBQ81QNf
— Stephen Hicks (@StephenHicks23) January 12, 2018
"I could've compromised what we do to allow him to play because this is a game (UTRGV) where, you got Damiyne Durham out there, there's lots of open shots out there he probably makes and we win the game," Barnes said after Thursday's loss.
Barnes met with Durham Friday to determine the junior's status against the Aggies. "We'll come to the game prepared," Barnes said. "We won't come here expecting to lose or anything. That's not what we do."
What the Runners have done the last two years against New Mexico State is have a sellout crowd. While there are still tickets available for the 7:00 PM tip off, officials in the box office say it's on a trend to be another sellout.
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