California Baptist University
14-6,4-2WAC
Kansas City
10-11,3-4WAC
Second Half Surge Falls Short to Roos
1/25/2020 10:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE --- Kansas City was able to withhold the Lancers' second-half effort on Saturday night, as California Baptist dropped its second game in Western Athletic Conference play, 67-57.
Kansas City improves to 10-11 on the year and remains in sixth place in the WAC at 3-4. The loss brings the Lancers to 14-6 on the season and 4-2 in the WAC. CBU is now two games back from first place, sitting in a tie for second with CSU Bakersfield.
The Lancer faithful packed the CBU Events Center to the tune of 4,047 fans. It marked the fifth time this season the Lancers eclipsed 4,000-plus in the stands.
Ferron Flavors Jr. had it going early and often throughout the game, leading both teams with a game-high 19 points on 6-15 shooting. He also went 3-8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 4-4 at the free-throw line.
Milan Acquaah finished his night with 14 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while Zach Pirog was the final Lancer in double figures with 12 points. De'jon Davis was a force on the glass, leading both teams with 10 rebounds.
Kansas City was firing on all cylinders in the first half, shooting 46.4 percent from the field (13-28) and 60 percent from beyond the arc (6-10). Franck Kamgain was big for the Roos in the first 20 minutes, going a perfect 3-3 from the 3-point line to spark some momentum.
After the tip, the game went back and forth as neither team was able to gain control of the scoreboard. The Roos were able to mount a 6-0 run at the midway point, taking their largest lead of the half, 20-13, at the 8:31 mark.
The Lancers rallied, though, using excellent ball movement to find Flavors for a three to cut the deficit to two, 20-18.
This is the type of passing you just love to see!#LanceUp⚔ | #WAChoops pic.twitter.com/dZPVs9H2xq
— CBU MBB (@CBUmbb) January 26, 2020
KC ended the first half with back-to-back threes to enjoy a 34-27 lead at the break.
The Roos were in full force coming out of the break, using a 9-0 run to secure a double-digit lead that would last until the 9:46 mark.
Trailing by 14 with less than two minutes to play, the Lancers started to mount a comeback. Acquaah sparked the momentum, scoring eight straight points in 27 seconds.
The Lancers issued a full-court press, and Tre Armstrong was able to force the turnover, which led to an Acquaah three to cut the lead to six, 63-57.
Tre Armstrong forces the steal, and Acquaah knocks down the huge three!#LanceUp⚔ | #WAChoops pic.twitter.com/XdqxuegpeR
— CBU MBB (@CBUmbb) January 26, 2020
With less than a minute to play, CBU was forced to put the Roos on the free-throw line. KC went 4-4 from the stripe to end the game and seal the victory.
The Lancers will look to bounce back next Wednesday, Jan. 29, when they travel to Orem, Utah, to take on Utah Valley at 6 p.m. (PST).
