Wednesday, March 20
Riverside, Calif.
7:30 PM
California Baptist University
16-15
55
vs
56
Loyola Marymount
21-11
1
2
F
Loyola Marymount
29
27
56
California Baptist
21
34
55
Photo by: Reagan Lee
Lancers Battle in CBI Postseason Tournament
3/21/2019 12:49:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE – California Baptist battled to the end as its historic season came to a close against Loyola Marymount, 56-55, in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational at the CBU Events Center on Wednesday night.
After a 10-day hiatus since their final regular season game played at New Mexico State, the Lancers battled through a sluggish first half. Milan Acquaah, the Western Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year with a league-best 19.2 points per game, was held scoreless in the first half. CBU shot just 26.9-percent from the field as a team and found itself down by eight at halftime.
CBU used a 9-2 run to open the second half to cut the LMU lead to 31-30 with 16:24 remaining. The Lions responded with a quick 6-0 run to build its lead to seven points at 37-30 with 14:26 on the clock. LMU extended its lead to nine, the widest margin of the second half, at 43-34 with eight minutes left. That's when Acquaah kick started a run with a trey that got the Lancers back in the game.
Acquaah scored all 13 of his points in the second half. He had the ball in his hands for the final possession of the game, but he was unable to score after driving left from the top of the key. The rebound was knocked out of bounds with 5.7 seconds left in the game and three seconds on the shock clock. The ball was awarded to the Lancers after a video review by officials, giving CBU one more chance. From the baseline, Acquaah inbounded the ball to Jeremy Smith near the corner on the opposite side of the Lancer bench. Smith put the ball on the floor for a single dribble and attempted a step-back three pointer that bounced off the rim for the LMU rebound as the game clock expired.
LMU advances to the second round of the CBI and will take on Brown University of the Ivy League. Brown defeated UAB in its first round match-up earlier tonight and will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lions.
Heading finished with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting including 3-4 from deep. Acquaah registered a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists, a steal and block. Smith added 11 points and four boards.
Markusson scored a team-high 13 points for the Lions. Eli Scott and Dameane Douglas added 10 points each.
The Lancers finished the season with 16 wins, the most by a first-year NCAA Division I program that is considered a RPI counter during the four-year transition process. Grand Canyon previously held the mark with 15 wins during its 2013-14 season. CBU and GCU are the only two first-year programs in the transition to qualify for postseason play. GCU participated in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) in 2014.
"I couldn't have asked for more from the first-year group," CBU head coach Rick Croy said. "I didn't focus on comparatives when we were at Division II, but this is so unique you have to use comparatives. When you use the comparatives, it's unequivocal they did it better than anyone else has ever done it. Sixteen is the record."
Heading, the lone senior on the CBU roster, competed in a Lancer uniform for the final time tonight. It was his 128th game and he now holds the school record for the most games played. He owns the school record with 231 three-pointers made during his career. Heading also ranks seventh in assists (340) and eighth in points (1,487) in program history.
"We had a heck of a senior leader to learn from," said Croy in regards to Heading. "I've never seen anyone do it better, from redshirt year, all the way to senior year. Improved every single year. Has an unwavering faith in God. Never puts it on anyone else. Let's everybody watch and live. There's not a guy in this locker room that's not better for having been around him."
The Lancers will now turn the page as a program and start building upon the foundation laid this season.
"We have a new mountain to climb. It's a great mountain, and we are going to do it together," said Croy. "In one year, these guys have tracked down more than half the country. Their NET score is 165. There's 353 Division I teams. It's unbelievable what these guys did."
After a 10-day hiatus since their final regular season game played at New Mexico State, the Lancers battled through a sluggish first half. Milan Acquaah, the Western Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year with a league-best 19.2 points per game, was held scoreless in the first half. CBU shot just 26.9-percent from the field as a team and found itself down by eight at halftime.
CBU used a 9-2 run to open the second half to cut the LMU lead to 31-30 with 16:24 remaining. The Lions responded with a quick 6-0 run to build its lead to seven points at 37-30 with 14:26 on the clock. LMU extended its lead to nine, the widest margin of the second half, at 43-34 with eight minutes left. That's when Acquaah kick started a run with a trey that got the Lancers back in the game.
The Lancers used an 11-2 run this time around to cut the lead to a single point when Marquise Mosley drove to the basket for a pair.Exactly what we needed. Right now.#CBI2019 | #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/DB0MiLKTOj
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) March 21, 2019
CBU had trailed for the previous 31 minutes of the game until senior Jordan Heading connected on his third trey of the game that tied the score at 53-53 with 1:29 remaining.Big time bucket Marquise‼️#CBI2019 | #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/0qAv8lhGAw
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) March 21, 2019
Zach Pirog was fouled on the following Lancer possession and converted on a pair of free throws to give CBU its first lead since seven minutes into the contest. LMU's Mattias Markusson helped the Lions regain the lead with an old-fashion three-point play to make it 56-55 with 31 seconds remaining.Senior Jordan Heading. Fearless.#CBI2019 | #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/teV5ZwmCtb
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) March 21, 2019
Acquaah scored all 13 of his points in the second half. He had the ball in his hands for the final possession of the game, but he was unable to score after driving left from the top of the key. The rebound was knocked out of bounds with 5.7 seconds left in the game and three seconds on the shock clock. The ball was awarded to the Lancers after a video review by officials, giving CBU one more chance. From the baseline, Acquaah inbounded the ball to Jeremy Smith near the corner on the opposite side of the Lancer bench. Smith put the ball on the floor for a single dribble and attempted a step-back three pointer that bounced off the rim for the LMU rebound as the game clock expired.
LMU advances to the second round of the CBI and will take on Brown University of the Ivy League. Brown defeated UAB in its first round match-up earlier tonight and will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lions.
Heading finished with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting including 3-4 from deep. Acquaah registered a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists, a steal and block. Smith added 11 points and four boards.
Markusson scored a team-high 13 points for the Lions. Eli Scott and Dameane Douglas added 10 points each.
The Lancers finished the season with 16 wins, the most by a first-year NCAA Division I program that is considered a RPI counter during the four-year transition process. Grand Canyon previously held the mark with 15 wins during its 2013-14 season. CBU and GCU are the only two first-year programs in the transition to qualify for postseason play. GCU participated in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) in 2014.
"I couldn't have asked for more from the first-year group," CBU head coach Rick Croy said. "I didn't focus on comparatives when we were at Division II, but this is so unique you have to use comparatives. When you use the comparatives, it's unequivocal they did it better than anyone else has ever done it. Sixteen is the record."
Heading, the lone senior on the CBU roster, competed in a Lancer uniform for the final time tonight. It was his 128th game and he now holds the school record for the most games played. He owns the school record with 231 three-pointers made during his career. Heading also ranks seventh in assists (340) and eighth in points (1,487) in program history.
"We had a heck of a senior leader to learn from," said Croy in regards to Heading. "I've never seen anyone do it better, from redshirt year, all the way to senior year. Improved every single year. Has an unwavering faith in God. Never puts it on anyone else. Let's everybody watch and live. There's not a guy in this locker room that's not better for having been around him."
The Lancers will now turn the page as a program and start building upon the foundation laid this season.
"We have a new mountain to climb. It's a great mountain, and we are going to do it together," said Croy. "In one year, these guys have tracked down more than half the country. Their NET score is 165. There's 353 Division I teams. It's unbelievable what these guys did."
Best story in college basketball that's not being talked about enough - @CBULancers Men's basketball & @CoachCroy in @CBITourney Most wins ever by 1st year team transitioning to D1 - only 2nd 1st yr team ever to reach a postseason tournament #LanceUp https://t.co/80rWgioLbm
— Greg Wolf (@RealGregWolf) March 21, 2019
Team Stats
LMU
CalBap
FG%
.371
.319
3FG%
.231
.318
FT%
.875
.947
RB
33
39
TO
5
15
STL
8
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
8
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballG
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