California Baptist University
5-1,0-0WAC
No. 8/5 Texas
4-1,0-0Big 12
Lancers Battle on the Road at No. 8/5 Texas; Return Home on Saturday Night
11/24/2021 8:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
AUSTIN --- California Baptist University hit the road for the first time this season on Wednesday, as the Lancers fell to No. 8/5 Texas, 68-44.
"We competed with tremendous effort and we hung in there," said CBU head coach Rick Croy during a postgame radio interview. "As tough as tonight was, I think we can take a lot from this game. This (Texas) is probably a Top 10 defense in the country when the dust settles."
The Lancers entered the game as one of 11 teams to hold a 5-0 mark and one of 44 teams to remain undefeated on the season. It marked just the second time the Lancers faced a nationally-ranked opponent in the NCAA Division I era, as the No. 8 Longhorns improved to 4-1 on the season. The Longhorns' only loss this season came at the hands of No. 1 Gonzaga on Nov. 13.
Dan Akin led the Lancers on the night, finishing with a team-best nine points on a perfect 2-2 from the field and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Chance Hunter recorded eight points, Ty Rowell added seven, and Taran Armstrong ended his night with six points and a team-high seven rebounds.
The matchup marked the final game of the 2021 Abe Lemons Classic, as the Longhorns went a perfect 3-0, while the Lancers finished 2-1 with wins over San Jose State and Northern Colorado.
"They're one of the stories in college basketball the last few years," said Texas head coach Chris Beard during Tuesday's media availability. "This (CBU) coaching staff has done a great job transitioning them from Division II to Division I... This thing hasn't taken them long. They competed for a conference championship and postseason in year one so it's a really good team. They do have a lot of internationals. When you think of a Gonzaga or St. Mary's, Cal Baptist is right there."
UP NEXT:
The Lancers will travel back home for a three-game homestand against San Diego Christian (Nov. 27), Cal Poly (Dec. 2), and North Dakota (Dec. 7). All three games are set for a 7 p.m. tip-off in the CBU Events Center.
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.
🤝 @ChrisBeardUT
— California Baptist Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) November 25, 2021
Thanks for having us out in Austin.
Best of luck the rest of the season.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/onOx3PtqxV
