California Baptist University
Grand Canyon
MBB Preview: Lancers Play Lopes In Final Road Test
2/16/2021 11:21:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE --- California Baptist University will head to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick back up Western Athletic Conference play with a two-game series against Grand Canyon on Feb. 19-20. Both games are set to tip-off at 6 p.m. (PST).
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: at Grand Canyon
Date: Feb. 19-20
Time: 6 p.m. (PST)
Location: Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena)
Video Game 1 (Feb. 19): GCUTV
Video Game 2 (Feb. 20): GCUTV
Live Stats: Statbroadcast – (Game 1) / (Game 2)
Radio: Fox Sports 1350
Grand Canyon enters the weekend at 12-3 on the season and 6-0 in WAC play. The Lopes swept Tarleton, Dixie State, and NM State as we reach the halfway point in the conference.
The Lopes are currently ranked second nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding teams to 37.2 percent. Only Houston's 36.5 percent tops the Lopes for the nation's best.
Grand Canyon's last game was Jan. 30, as the Lopes have yet to play in the month of February. Their series against UTRGV on Feb. 5-6 was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, and a non-conference game against CSUN on Feb. 12 was also canceled. Friday's game will break a 20-day hiatus from competition.
Notable Notes:𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) February 16, 2021
Nationally:
• ✌️ in 3-point pct. (40.7)
• 12th in threes per game (10.2)
• 33rd in threes made (174)
Conference:
• ☝️ in 3-point pct. (40.2)
• ☝️ in threes made (68)#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/CH8fxrd6xa
- Last season, the Lopes and Lancers split the conference series, as each team won on the road.
- Outside of the Lopes being second in field goal percentage defense, they are also holding teams to 29.5 percent from deep – sitting at 23rd-best in the nation.
- The Lancers enter the weekend shooting a WAC-best 40.7 percent from downtown – good enough for second-best in the nation. Only Baylor is producing a better percentage at 43.9 percent.
- Asbjorn Midtgaard, a senior transfer from Wichita State, leads the team in points per game (14.8) and rebounds per game (9.7).
- Midtgaard is also the nation's leader in field goal percentage, shooting 73.6 percent on the year.
- Alessandro Lever is the next star for the Lopes, averaging 12.9 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, and shooting 52.9 percent from the field.
- The Lopes are holding teams to 61.1 points per game, while the Lancers lead the offensive side of things, averaging 81.9 points per game. In all games, those two numbers lead the conference on both sides of the ball.
- Grand Canyon is under new leadership this season after the school announced the hiring of Bryce Drew on March 17, 2020.
- Drew becomes the Lopes' 14th head coach in the program after previous stops at Valparaiso and Vanderbilt.
🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) February 15, 2021
Congratulations to Lancer Legend Jordan Heading on being selected to the Gilas Pilipinas Team!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/kIxJeKaojL
