RIVERSIDE --- California Baptist University closed out its two-game homestand against Stephen F. Austin in front of the second-best crowd of the season with 4,311 fans at the CBU Events Center on Saturday night. The Lancers led the majority of the contest before falling to the Lumberjacks, 81-77.
"Another really tough game where we battled in spurts, but ultimately we made too many plays that lacked intelligence," said CBU head coach Rick Croy. "Gave them (SFA) too many opportunities. They're ultra competitive to begin with. They're going to go take some stuff from you and you can't give them anything. We gave them too much."
CBU is now 12-9 on the year and 2-6 in the Western Athletic Conference, as SFA improves to 13-8 and 5-4 in the WAC.
Chance Hunter paced the Lancers on the night, tying his career-high with 18 points. Hunter went 6-9 from the field and added four rebounds and two assists to his line.
Tre Armstrong finished his night with 16 points, extending his double-digit scoring streak to nine straight games.
Ty Rowell was the final Lancer in double figures, adding 13 points.
It was a back-and-forth game that featured 15 lead changes and came down to the wire. In the final two minutes, Reed Nottage gave the Lancers a one-point lead after a layup, 72-71. SFA would score six straight points – four coming from the free-throw line to take a five-point lead, 77-72. Nottage cut the deficit to two, 79-77, after hitting a three in the corner, but the Lumberjacks would make the final pair of free throws to seal the game.
"If you can't run with endurance, you're not legit," Croy said. "If you're only going to compete when the competition gives you something back, then you're not legit. We'll find out who's legit."
UP NEXT:
The Lancers will hit the road next week, taking on NM State on Feb. 3 and Grand Canyon on Feb. 5. Both games are set for a 6 p.m. (PST) tip.
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.
