The Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (18-7) travel to New Mexico State to play the Aggies (18-9) in a game that has the potential to be low-scoring. The game starts at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 18 and will air on EFC and ES3.
The Aggies lost big to Wichita State 71-41 on Monday. Pascal Siakam recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds, earning his 22nd double-double of the year. The Roadrunners, meanwhile, are coming off a 91-69 win over Utah Valley on Saturday. Matt Smith stood out for Cal State Bakersfield, accumulating 11 points, eight rebounds, and three steals.
Points could be at a premium in this matchup between two of the nation’s best defenses. New Mexico State ranks 33rd in the nation in defensive efficiency (95.6), while Cal State Bakersfield is 16th (94.6). Moreover, the Roadrunners are among the nation’s elite on the offensive backboards, ranking 33rd in OR% at 35.6%. But the Aggies rank 15th at corralling defensive rebounds with a DR% of 75.5%.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Aggies won the first game 68-67. Ian Baker recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Notes
In its last game, Cal State Bakersfield won by a margin of 22 points. New Mexico State is 9-2 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Cal State Bakersfield has an 8-1 record in blowouts.
The New Mexico State Aggies have a defensive rating of 95.6 (ranked 33rd), while the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners have an offensive rating of 107.3 (ranked 140th).
New Mexico State has an average field goal percentage of 47.7%. Cal State Bakersfield is a losing 1-2 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The New Mexico State Aggies and the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. New Mexico State is 80th and 27th in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Cal State Bakersfield ranks 180th and 89th in these categories.
New Mexico State ranks 81st in assists, recording 15.0 per game. Cal State Bakersfield ranks 38th with 16.0 assists per game.
Cal State Bakersfield, the 24th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.2 blocks per game. New Mexico State ranks 43rd with 4.9.
New Mexico State ranks 93rd in offensive rebounding. Cal State Bakersfield ranks 147th in defensive rebounding.
The New Mexico State Aggies make an average of 3.7 steals per game. When the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners allow 3 or more steals, they are a solid 16-7.
