These Roadrunners look familiar

Comparing this year’s Cal State Bakersfield women’s basketball squad to last year’s feels a bit like the world’s most difficult spot-the-difference puzzle.

Only two players, who started a combined one game, are missing from the Roadrunners’ COVID-shortened spring season. The team returns its leaders in points (Jayden Eggleston), assists (Lexus Green), rebounds (Miracle Saxon) and pretty much any other statistical category you can think of, following a year in which they were picked to finish eighth in the Big West before the season and ended fifth at 9-9, 7-6 in conference.

Wising up, media and coaches predicted a middling finish this year. The Roadrunners believe they have a chance to take another step forward with so much returning experience, but it’ll take a significant effort.

“I told my players this year, ‘We’re not going to sneak up on anyone,’” coach Greg McCall said at the team’s media day.

Despite a flashy season-opening win at Pac-12 foe Cal, CSUB stumbled early in conference play in the pandemic season, suffering six canceled games and a pair of losses around the new year. The Roadrunners won five of six games in a hot stretch heading into February before sitting through a twoweek quarantine prior to a tournament loss against Hawaii.

Eggleston was second-team All-Big West last year as one of the conference’s leaders in points and blocks. A versatile player who can play guard or forward, the Las Vegas native will be key to the Roadrunners making the leap this season.

Senior leaders Vanessa Austin and Andie Easley both got a chance to come back to CSUB for a final season after the NCAA gave student-athletes a blanket waiver for an additional year of eligibility due to the pandemic. It will be Easley’s seventh season in college basketball after stints at Hawaii and Eastern Washington.