California Baptist University
#9 UTRGV
MBB Preview: No. 8 Lancers Face No. 9 Vaqueros In Opening Round of WAC Tournament
3/7/2022 9:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS --- California Baptist University men's basketball will head to Las Vegas this week, as the No. 8 seed Lancers will take on the No. 9 seed Vaqueros of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: vs. #9 seed UTRGV
Date: March 8
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Las Vegas (Michelob ULTRA Arena – Mandalay Bay)
Video: ESPN +
Stats: Statbroadcast
Radio: Fox Sports 1350
Tuesday's game will mark the second time the Lancers will compete in the WAC Tournament after the Western Athletic Board of Directors voted to shorten the eligibility period for transitioning institutions to two years.
The Lancers enter postseason play at 17-14 on the year, a fourth-straight winning season for Head Coach Rick Croy in the NCAA Division I era and ninth straight since taking over the helm in the spring of 2013. Croy is currently second all-time in career wins in the men's basketball program's history, with an overall record of 199-78. He is two wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in the program's history and passing Jerry King, who finished 14 seasons with an overall record of 200-237.
The meeting at the WAC Tournament will be the first time the Lancers and the Vaqueros will face each other in postseason play, as California Baptist holds the all-time series advantage at 3-2.
In the Lancers and Vaqueros' lone meeting on the season, the Lancers came away with an 80-72 victory in front of a packed-out CBU Events Center on homecoming night. CBU had four players finish in double figures, and the win gave Coach Croy his 196th to take over the second-most wins in the program's history. Taran Armstrong paced the Lancers on the night, recording a team-high 18 points and nine assists. Tre Armstrong and Ty Rowell both finished with 16 points each, while Dan Akin recorded a career-high 17 rebounds and 12 points for his 11th double-double of the season.Notable Notes:
- UTRGV finished the regular season at 8-22 and 3-15 in the WAC.
- Justin Johnson fills up the stat sheet for the Vaqueros, averaging a team-best 18.1 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game.
- Johnson is fourth in the WAC when it comes to points per game.
- Marek Nelson is the only other UTRGV player in double figures with 10.2 points per game.
- UTRGV announced on March 29, 2021, the hiring of Matt Figger, who had been the head coach at Austin Peay for the previous four seasons
- After leading the Lancers in the two wins over Chicago State and Lamar, Taran Armstrong ended the regular season with his fifth TicketSmarter WAC Men's Basketball Freshman of the Week award.
- Ty Rowell became the Lancers' all-time leader in career threes made at CBU on Feb. 24 in the win over Dixie State. He passed Jordan Heading with 232 career threes. He enters WAC Vegas with 247 career threes made in the Lancer uniform.
