Roadrunners top UI with 2nd-half surge

Brandon Barnes and Aly Ahmed scored 16 points apiece and combined for 23 rebounds Thursday as Cal State Bakersfield (10-14, 3-7) defeated Idaho 76-67 at Bakersfield, Calif., for its first Western Athletic Conference home victory.

Ahmed scored 10 points and Corey Hall added 12 of his 14 in the second half for the Roadrunners, who had lost their four previous WAC home games in their first year in the conference.

With Bakersfield trailing by one, Ahmed scored eight points in a 9-4 run for a 48-42 lead with 11:29 left. The Roadrunners built their lead to 12 – at 72-60 – with 2:09 remaining.

Stephen Madison scored 18 points to lead the Vandals (10-15, 4-7), whose two-game win streak ended with their first loss to Bakersfield in four meetings.

The Vandals defeated the Roadrunners 64-61 on Jan. 18.

Salt Lake 72, North Idaho 59: Kurtis Toolson and De’Sean Parsons combined for 38 points and the visiting Bruins (22-5, 9-3 Scenic West Athletic Conference) shot 16 of 28 from the field in the first half to pull away from the Cardinals (18-10, 5-8).

NIC shot 9 of 28 from the floor in the first half and trailed 36-25 at halftime. The Bruins’ second-half lead grew to 24 points.

Braxton Tucker led NIC with six rebounds and 14 points, shooting 7 of 12 from the field.