PHOENIX --- California Baptist University ended its two-game Western Athletic Conference road trip against Grand Canyon Saturday night, as the Lancers late-game rally fell short against the Lopes, 56-50.
"We really battled," said head coach Rick Croy. "Our best forty-minute performance of the year on the defensive side. Proud of our guys as they battled all the way down to the final possession."
It wasn't a typical start for either team, as both offenses came out sluggish in the first 10 minutes of play. At the 13:29 mark, the score stood still at 4-4 and remained that way for the next three and a half minutes of play.
GCU managed to string together a 10-0 run late in the first half, but the Lancers answered with a 6-0 run after a cross-court pass from Taran Armstrong set up Ty Rowell for the three.
The battle continued into the second half, as both sides looked to create that one run to create separation.
Juhlawnei Stone helped provide a spark for the Lancers at the 11:39 mark with four straight points to tie the game up at 39-39. From there on out, the contest was never outside of four points for either team.
Reed Nottage produced the game's sixth and final tie at the 2:09 mark on a nifty back door pass from Taran Armstrong.
The game ended on the free-throw line, as the Lopes scored their final six points at the charity stripe.
"We played with tremendous toughness," added Croy. "We didn't blink when things got really tough. You're going to have to be able to do that on the road. We gave ourselves a chance."
CBU ended its night shooting 34.7 percent from the field while holding the Lopes to 31.7 percent.
Dan Akin led the Lancers on the night with 11 points and five rebounds, while Ty Rowell recorded 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
UP NEXT:
The Lancers start a three-game homestand next week when they welcome Lamar on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m.
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.
