SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. -- Trailing by 10 points midway through the second half, CSU Bakersfield closed the final 9:50 on a 20-6 run to get past Sacramento State, 75-71, in the opening game of the SoCal Challenge.

After a pair of Brandon Betson free throws gave the Hornets a 10-point lead with 10:18 to play, the Roadrunners began their run. The 10-point advantage tied for Sacramento State's largest lead of the game, as the Hornets led by 10 on five different occasions during parts of both the first and second halves.

The Roadrunners took their first lead in over 23 minutes of game clock at 66-65 with 7:07 to play. CSUB would eventually push their run to 14-0, and extend the lead to 69-65 with three minutes left. Sacramento State would cut the deficit to three points on three occasions during the final 2:30, but would get no closer.

Sacramento State, which led by eight points at halftime (38-30), will play its final game of the SoCal Challenge on Wednesday at noon. The Hornets will play either Tarleton State or Austin Peay. All games at the SoCal Challenge take place at The Pavilion on the JSerra campus.

The Hornets (1-4) are in the midst of a stretch that will see the team play seven of their first eight games away from home. Sacramento State's lone home game was a victory over Pacific Union on Nov. 14, and the team is not at the Nest again until Dec. 9 vs. Cal State Fullerton.

Sacramento State shot 91% (21-23) from the free throw line and 40% (20-50) from the field. The team knocked down 10 of its 30 attempts from the 3-point line, and has now buried at least 10 3-balls in four games. The Hornets also had 17 fast break points. Sacramento State did have 16 turnovers (11 in the second half), and Bakersfield converted those miscues into 21 points.

Betson led the Hornets with 16 points, including 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Zee Hamoda had 13 points and three assists on 4-for-7 shooting from the field (4-4 FT).

Duncan Powell, who played a game-high 35 minutes, narrowly missed recording his fourth straight double-double. The sophomore had seven points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Five of those boards were on the offensive glass. He has secured at least 11 rebounds in four straight games, and continues to lead Sacramento State in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (11.6 rpg).

Both Akol Mawein and Alex Kovatchev had nine points. Mawein also had three rebounds and was 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. Sacramento State used a 10-man rotation as Austin Patterson had six points and four rebounds, Jacob Holt four points and three rebounds (all offensive), and Bailey Nunn five points and a steal.