Friday, March 19
Fort Worth, Tex.
6 PM
California Baptist University
vs
New Mexico
WBB Preview: Lancers Head to Fort Worth for Matchups with New Mexico and Either Houston or San Francisco
3/18/2021 7:40:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE – After adding to the lore of this incredible season with their dominating 78-60 win over Grand Canyon in the WAC Tournament Championship game, the next step for the Lancers is another challenge they set for themselves prior to the season, win in the Women's National Invitational Tournament.
CBU (24-0) secured an automatic qualifier spot in the WNIT field by winning the Western Athletic Conference regular season championship. California Baptist also won the WAC Tournament after defeating both NM State and Grand Canyon last week in Las Vegas, but the NCAA Tournament automatic bid was awarded to Utah Valley, the regular season runner-up. California Baptist is in year three of a four-year transition process to full NCAA Division I membership that began July 2018 and the transition prevents the women's basketball program from participating in the NCAA Tournament until the 2022-23 season.
The Lancers are the first team since UConn in 2017-18 to complete an undefeated regular season and win their conference tournament in the same season, and just the fourth school since 1998 to accomplish the feat along with Notre Dame and Baylor. Additionally, the Lancers hold the nation's longest active winning streak (26) dating back to last season heading into WNIT. CBU is the first school to be undefeated and not participate in the NCAA Tournament since Oral Roberts in 1983.
It won't be the first trip to the WNIT for the Lancers as the team made the tournament for the first time in 2018-19, their first season of Division I play. They faced-off with Pepperdine in the CBU Events Center and it would be the Waves who would leave with the 91-79 win, but four current Lancers, Britney Thomas, Ane Olaeta, Caitlyn Harper and Georgia Dale, would play significant minutes in that game and will no doubt be able to use and share that experience this time around.
The Lancers will be facing a first-time opponent in the University of New Mexico in the first round. The Lobos will feel right at home playing on the road as they managed to play just two home games all year due to the COVID-19 restriction in the state of New Mexico.
Both UNM and CBU spread the floor well, as New Mexico averages 10.3 three-pointers per game at a 34% clip while the Lancers average 9.6 per game at a 33.5% rate. While UNM and CBU score 81 and 77.7 points per game, the Lancers hold the edge defensively holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game while the Lobos allow 67.4.
New Mexico is led by a pair of players averaging over 14 points per game individually in Latascya Duff (14.6) and Jaedyn De La Cerda (14.3) followed closely by Ashlise Hurst (12.7) and Antonia Anderson (12.5). Duff earned conference Sixth Person of the Year honors in the MWC and joined De La Cerda and Anderson on the All-Conference Team. Hurst was an Honorable Mention honoree while junior Shaiquel McGruder found a spot on the All-Defensive team after leading her team in blocks (23) and steals (29).
The second round of the Fort Worth bracket could put the Lancers up against San Francisco (15-10) for the first time ever, or in a rematch with Houston (16-7) whom the Lancers faced in last year's Victoria Invitational Tournament. The Dons are led by Ioanna Krimili, a 5-10 guard who is averaging an incredible 18.7 ppg, and has scored 20 or more points 13 times this season.
If round two is a rematch with the Cougars, Houston's three top scorers from their 96-75 victory in the Victoria Invitational Tournament will be awaiting the Lancers as well as this year's top scorer in Miya Crump who averages 10.4 ppg and was named to the American Athletic Conference Third Team. CBU had four players in double-figures in the previous game, two of which would play in this potential rematch, led by then senior forward Tiena Afu with 14 points, Georgia Dale and Delacy Brown with 12 points each, and Sydney Palma with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.
A potential third round match up could pit CBU against Arizona State (11-10), Rice (18-4), Fresno State (16-10), or Missouri (9-11) with a potential trip to Memphis on the line. The entire tournament can be seen via FloHoops.com with a subscription purchase or heard for on Fox Sports AM 1350 with Braiden Bell.
WE'RE HEADED TO TEXAS! #LanceUp⚔️ | #WNIT |#NCAAW pic.twitter.com/UgP5lPhQrt— California Baptist WBB 1️⃣9️⃣✖️🔥➕✂️➕🔥🔥🔥➕✂️ (@CBUwbb) March 16, 2021
CBU (24-0) secured an automatic qualifier spot in the WNIT field by winning the Western Athletic Conference regular season championship. California Baptist also won the WAC Tournament after defeating both NM State and Grand Canyon last week in Las Vegas, but the NCAA Tournament automatic bid was awarded to Utah Valley, the regular season runner-up. California Baptist is in year three of a four-year transition process to full NCAA Division I membership that began July 2018 and the transition prevents the women's basketball program from participating in the NCAA Tournament until the 2022-23 season.
The Lancers are the first team since UConn in 2017-18 to complete an undefeated regular season and win their conference tournament in the same season, and just the fourth school since 1998 to accomplish the feat along with Notre Dame and Baylor. Additionally, the Lancers hold the nation's longest active winning streak (26) dating back to last season heading into WNIT. CBU is the first school to be undefeated and not participate in the NCAA Tournament since Oral Roberts in 1983.
It won't be the first trip to the WNIT for the Lancers as the team made the tournament for the first time in 2018-19, their first season of Division I play. They faced-off with Pepperdine in the CBU Events Center and it would be the Waves who would leave with the 91-79 win, but four current Lancers, Britney Thomas, Ane Olaeta, Caitlyn Harper and Georgia Dale, would play significant minutes in that game and will no doubt be able to use and share that experience this time around.
WNIT BOUND!!! Game info & dates will follow the selection show tomorrow night. Stay tuned!! #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/sUPdb1jbrf— California Baptist WBB 1️⃣9️⃣✖️🔥➕✂️➕🔥🔥🔥➕✂️ (@CBUwbb) March 17, 2019
The Lancers will be facing a first-time opponent in the University of New Mexico in the first round. The Lobos will feel right at home playing on the road as they managed to play just two home games all year due to the COVID-19 restriction in the state of New Mexico.
Both UNM and CBU spread the floor well, as New Mexico averages 10.3 three-pointers per game at a 34% clip while the Lancers average 9.6 per game at a 33.5% rate. While UNM and CBU score 81 and 77.7 points per game, the Lancers hold the edge defensively holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game while the Lobos allow 67.4.
New Mexico is led by a pair of players averaging over 14 points per game individually in Latascya Duff (14.6) and Jaedyn De La Cerda (14.3) followed closely by Ashlise Hurst (12.7) and Antonia Anderson (12.5). Duff earned conference Sixth Person of the Year honors in the MWC and joined De La Cerda and Anderson on the All-Conference Team. Hurst was an Honorable Mention honoree while junior Shaiquel McGruder found a spot on the All-Defensive team after leading her team in blocks (23) and steals (29).
The @WomensNIT bracket is out!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/dPcYqDWWtU— California Baptist WBB 1️⃣9️⃣✖️🔥➕✂️➕🔥🔥🔥➕✂️ (@CBUwbb) March 16, 2021
The second round of the Fort Worth bracket could put the Lancers up against San Francisco (15-10) for the first time ever, or in a rematch with Houston (16-7) whom the Lancers faced in last year's Victoria Invitational Tournament. The Dons are led by Ioanna Krimili, a 5-10 guard who is averaging an incredible 18.7 ppg, and has scored 20 or more points 13 times this season.
If round two is a rematch with the Cougars, Houston's three top scorers from their 96-75 victory in the Victoria Invitational Tournament will be awaiting the Lancers as well as this year's top scorer in Miya Crump who averages 10.4 ppg and was named to the American Athletic Conference Third Team. CBU had four players in double-figures in the previous game, two of which would play in this potential rematch, led by then senior forward Tiena Afu with 14 points, Georgia Dale and Delacy Brown with 12 points each, and Sydney Palma with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.
A potential third round match up could pit CBU against Arizona State (11-10), Rice (18-4), Fresno State (16-10), or Missouri (9-11) with a potential trip to Memphis on the line. The entire tournament can be seen via FloHoops.com with a subscription purchase or heard for on Fox Sports AM 1350 with Braiden Bell.
Players Mentioned
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