Like Mike

Friday, October 30

Anaheim, Calif.

6:15 PM

California Baptist University

1-0

Minnesota State-Moorhead

0-1

OT 1

California Baptist

Minnesota St. - Moorhead

Photo by: Sammi Wellman

10/30/2015 8:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Sammi Sheppard, Director of Sports Information

ANAHEIM, Calif. — With two of the best teams in Division II opening the season with each other, Friday night was bound to be full of excitement at the CCA Tipoff Classic. No. 11 California Baptist University and No. 9 Minnesota State-Moorhead needed more than the regularly-allotted 40 minutes to decide the opener as the Lancers took the overtime victory, 84-80.

With the win, the Lancers start the season with a 1-0 record, while the Dragons — who advanced to last year's Elite Eight — begin 0-1.

Michael Smith had a monstrous junior debut, finishing with a career-high 27 points (8-for-14) and 11 rebounds to start the year with a double-double.

"I just tried to let the game play out and not force shots," said Smith on his career performance. "I wanted to find our team the best spots to win. My teammates did a great job finding me. It was a team effort."

Gelaun Wheelwright carried over his hot streak of scoring in double figures from last season, finishing the game with 18 points (5-for-15). Last year, Wheelwright ended the season on a six-game streak of scoring in double-digits, all of which were over 20 points. Jordan Giusti rounded out the Lancers scoring in double figures, finishing with 12 (5-for-6).

Off the boards, Trevone Williams was just behind Smith with 10 boards, followed by Michael Robinson with nine. The Lancers out-rebounded the Dragons 44-32, only allowing MSUM to grab eight offensive boards.

Not surprisingly, the two teams opened by exchanging leads before the Lancers went on the first big run of the night. Down 13-10, Alexander Birketoft initiated an 11-point run to put his team in front 21-13.

The Dragons ended the run before the Lancers could get too hot, but with four seconds on the clock before halftime, Wheelwright drew a foul to send him to the line. He hit his free throw, putting CBU into the break with a 38-31 cushion.

MSUM scored the first buckets of the second half and evened the game at 39-39 before Giusti drove through traffic to the basket to keep his team in front. CBU tried to keep the Dragons at bay, but MSUM took its first lead of the second half 47-44 with just under 14 minutes remaining in the contest.

The score line would teeter back and forth between the two teams, looking like it might come down to the wire.

Giusti found nothing but net from the corner to put the Lancers back in front 54-53. MSUM drew a foul, but the shooter missed the first shot, only giving the Dragons a chance to tie the game.

Even at 54-54, Williams showed his dominance at the post, snatching an offensive rebound and laying it in off the glass to keep his team in front. Now needing a stop on defense to build a run, Smith came up with a clutch defensive board to keep the Dragons off the glass.

Wheelwright shook off a defender to drain a jump shot, tying the game once again, 66-66, with less than two minutes to go. Back on defense, Kalidou Diouf hustled for a defensive board and drew a foul on the play to put Jordan Heading at the line, but the first bonus shot didn't fall.

MSUM scored on its next possession, but Wheelwright kept the Lancers in the game by driving to the basket to make it 68-68 with under a minute to play. The Dragons called a timeout with 31.7 seconds left but Robinson grabbed the defensive rebound to put the Lancers on the ball as the shot clock turned off, but CBU's shots didn't fall to force overtime.

Heading made a much-needed triple from the corner to put CBU in front 72-70, but the Dragons answered right back to tie it up once again.

Williams found himself in the right place at the right time as an offensive board fell right into his arms with just over a minute on the clock. He bounced in his shot and drew a foul on the play. Williams completed the old-fashioned, three-point play to put the Lancers up 77-75 with 1:03 left to play.

Despite turning on the defensive pressure, CBU couldn't get the stop to allow MSUM to tie the score at 77-77.

Wheelwright was sent to the line on the next play and sank both his free shots. On the other side of the court, Smith shot into the air to snag a defensive board as the Dragons missed a three-point shot and drew a foul. He finished both his chances at the charity stripe to put the Lancers in the driver's seat with an 81-77 advantage and 16.9 seconds on the clock.

MSUM made things interesting by sinking a three-pointer to cut the Lancers' margin to just one point at 81-80. In the final 9.1 seconds, Giusti made one of two free throws, allowing the Dragons to sprint up the court for a three-point attempt. The shot from beyond the arc didn't fall and Smith snagged the rebound to make sure the Dragons didn't have another chance.

After the Dragons fouled Smith, he finished both his shots to secure the 84-80 win.

"This win puts us on the right track," said Smith. "Being able to beat another ranked team, especially one ranked higher than us, is a great way to start our season. We did a good job fighting through adversity."

No. 11-ranked CBU turns right around to face Alaska-Anchorage tomorrow afternoon, tipping off at 1:30 p.m. The Seawolves played in the late game Friday night against Upper Iowa — the team the Lancers play on Sunday at 8:30 p.m.