NCAA Interactive Bracket
The 2016 WAC Tournament Champion CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team will take on No. 2-seed Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City this Friday, March 18.
The Roadrunners (24-8), who enter the tournament as a No. 15 seed, are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level after Dedrick Basile's thrilling buzzer-beater in the WAC Tournament title game Saturday.
CSU Bakersfield takes on Oklahoma (25-7), which finished third in the Big 12 Conference and fell in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament. The Sooners are led by two-time Big 12 Player of the Year Buddy Hield, who averages 25.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
CSUB has five players that average double-digit scoring - All-WAC first teamer Aly Ahmed (12.9), WAC All-Defensive Team honoree Kevin Mays (12.5), All-WAC second-team and All-Defensive Team honoree Basile (12.0), Damiyne Durham (11.8) and Jaylin Airington (10.3).
Coached by WAC Coach of the Year Rod Barnes, the Roadrunners rank 14th nationally in scoring defense (63.2) and 16th in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 39.1 percent shooting. The Runners also rank 20th in both steals per game (8.0) and turnovers forced per game (15.31), 17th in turnover margin (3.1) and 30th in blocks (162)
The Runners made 21 NCAA Division II appearances, winning three national championships.
NCAA Tournament First Round - Friday, March 18
West Region
Chesapeake Energy Arena - Oklahoma City
No. 2 Oklahoma (25-7) vs. No. 15 CSU Bakersfield (24-8)