California Baptist University
3-3,0-1WAC
Utah Valley
3-5,1-0WAC
Lancers Open WAC Play Friday at UVU; Run It Back Saturday at 5 PM
1/8/2021 7:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OREM --- Gorjok Gak and Tre Armstrong led California Baptist University on the opening night of Western Athletic Conference play, as the Lancers fell to Utah Valley, 77-50.
The Lancers entered Friday's game with almost a month away from competition, as the last game played came against Fresno Pacific in a 110-71 victory on Dec. 12.
California Baptist and Utah Valley entered Friday with the all-time series tied up at 2-2, as the Lancers swept last season's conference schedule against the Wolverines.
Ty Rowell helped the Lancers get going at the start, scoring five of the Lancers' seven points to take a 7-2 lead over the Wolverines.
Ty Rowell knocks down the three right on queue! #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/7psmhg7FZO
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) January 9, 2021
The game was stagnant for a while after that, as both teams went scoreless for almost two minutes. UVU then found its rhythm soon after that, going on a 16-3 run over five minutes to build a comfortable lead at the 7:01 mark, 33-16.
The Lancers continued to show their fight, as Gak and Armstrong both poured in baskets for CBU, but the Wolverines went into the break up by 18, 45-27.
UVU was able to sustain its lead for the second half, as the home team shot 47.5 percent from the field. The Lancers had a tough time finding their groove from the floor, shooting 35.7 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from the 3-point line.
Gak was the Lancers' leading scorer with 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Armstrong was the next Lancer in double figures with 11 points.
UP NEXT:
With the new WAC format, the Lancers won't have to wait long for their rematch with the Wolverines. The second game of the series is set for Saturday, Jan. 9, at 5 p.m. (PST).
FOLLOW ALONG:
All home and away games for CBU men's basketball will once again be available through Fox Sports AM1350 in the greater Riverside area and beyond. Braiden Bell will handle play-by-play responsibilities and host pre-game and post-game shows featuring exclusive interviews with the team and Coach Rick Croy. Fans can download the iHeartRadio app for free and listen to the CBU broadcasts from anywhere. Simply search for Fox Sports 1350 when using the iHeartRadio app.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Don't forget to follow @CBUMBB on Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with the season.
