BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- Despite playing their third game in five nights on the heels of a seven-hour overnight bus trip, the Reno Bighorns clinched their first-ever Western Conference championship by defeating Bakersfield 94-83 on Saturday night in the Jam Events Center.
The Bighorns the second-overall seed and the opportunity to choose their first-round playoff opponent in the 2011 NBA Development League playoffs.
Reno (34-16) fell behind early, trailing by as many as nine points in the first quarter, but clamped down on defense the rest of the way to improve to 6-1 this season against the playoff-bound Bakersfield Jam (29-21).
Marcus Landry, the only player in tonight's starting lineup that also started for the Bighorns on Opening Night, led Reno with 21 points. Five other Bighorns players chipped in with at least 10 points, helping Reno improve to 12-3 this season when at least six players register double-digit scoring efforts.
The Bighorns will choose their playoff opponent this afternoon.