The Ultimate Competitors

Tuesday, March 20

Sioux Falls, S.D.

4:00 PM

California Baptist University

28-6

100

Queens (N.C)

32-3

Team	1	2	F
California Baptist	37	57	94
Queens	43	57	100

Photo by: Sammi Wellman

The Ultimate Competitors

3/20/2018 5:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — After making it to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in program history, No. 21-ranked California Baptist University knew it would be in for a battle against No. 7-ranked Queens University of Charlotte. The Lancers competed until the very end, but ultimately fell 100-94.

"Incredibly proud of our team," said Coach Rick Croy. "I have never enjoyed a season more competing with these guys. Extremely proud of how they represent CBU. Our six seniors have given everything, everyone sacrificed and everyone gave. At no time in the season did anyone take.

"A lot of credit to Queens, I thought it was a great college basketball game," added Croy. "We left it all out there. We played the kind of offensive game that we had hoped to play."

CBU ends its historic season with a 28-6 mark, while Queens improves to 32-3.

Jordan Heading led the Lancers with 21 points (9-for-18), while Ty Rowell chipped in a career-high 20 points on impressive 7-for-8 shooting, including 4-for-4 from three-point range. Kalidou Diouf (6-for-9) was just on the verge of a 20-point game, finishing with 19. Cory Lange and De'jon Davis (4-for-5) each contributed 10 points to round out the Lancers in double figures.

Both teams held leads in the first half, but it was the Royals who went into halftime with a six-point lead, 43-37.

Gabe Taylor got the spark going with a three-pointer to start the second half, before Diouf banked in a shot under the basket, 45-42.

The Royals kept their distance, but the Lancers kept battling back anytime Queens tried to pull away.

With 10:41 left on the clock, Heading found Rowell on a quick outlet to put CBU within one, 66-65, but the Royals built back a seven-point lead.

Still, the Lancers weren't rolling over and pulled within two, 82-80, with just about five minutes left in on the clock. Tempo picked up from there as the Royals didn't want to relinquish their lead, but CBU wasn't about to give up.

"There's not really any die in our team," said Heading. "We don't shy away from being down or anything. We will play the whole 40 minutes."

Diouf found Jason Todd wide open under the basket with just about a minute left and Bul Kuol came up with a big-time steal to put Rowell in on the attack. The true freshman banked in his shot, putting the Lancers within two, 94-92, with 58.0 seconds left to play.

Less than 20 seconds remained and CBU had to foul to try to get the ball back, the Royals made their shots and the Lancers couldn't get their next shot to fall as Queens took the game 100-94.

"I thought we played the right way tonight," said Croy. "Our number one goal this season was to be a team that continued to improve throughout the year. Hard to do in men's college basketball, it's a long season and I think that's one of the things I'm most proud of. We're a team that was playing the right way when it mattered the most."