RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team moved to 5-1 to begin the 2023-24 campaign after a hard-earned 69-59 win over the visiting Vanguard Lions.
The 5-1 start is the second-best of the DI era for CBU and marked the end of a six-game homestand for the Lancers to start the season. CBU is now in sole possession of the best record in the Western Athletic Conference in the early portion of the non-conference schedule, sitting above Grand Canyon, who is 4-1.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
The Lancers jumped out to an early 5-2 advantage to force an early Vanguard timeout before responding with back-to-back jumpers to take their lone lead of the ball game at 6-5.
CBU would control the rest of the half, led by various scorers. Blondeau Tchoukuiegno and Dominique Daniels Jr. led the way with eight points apiece, while Hunter Goodrick led an aggressive rebounding advantage for CBU with nine in the opening 20 minutes. The Lancers held a 32-15 lead on the glass, with four different players collecting at least three.
The Lancers and Lions exchanged offensive jabs to begin the second half, as the two teams combined for 19 points before the media timeout. CBU held control of the period, opening up a lead as large as 16 on the Lions, capped off by a Malik Wade layup on a fastbreak opportunity.
The Lions would continue to chip away at the deficit and eroded the 16-point advantage for CBU all the way down to five with 3:30 remaining in the ball game. Vanguard used a 12-2 run to get the lead to within five and held the Lancers scoreless for four minutes during that stretch. The Lancers converted back-to-back jumpers by Tchoukuiegno and Daniels Jr. to stave off the comeback and sealed the game at the free throw line.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
The signature stat of the night for the Lancers was on the boards, with CBU holding a 55-31 advantage in that department. The 55 rebounds for CBU were tied for the third most of the DI era and the third time this season they have held a double-digit advantage on the glass. Goodrick and Malik Wade were the catalysts on the glass, each collecting 12. Wade's 12 rebounds were a career-high, and he chipped in a season-high eight points in his first start of the campaign.
Goodrick, Daniels Jr., and Tchoukuiegno all held the distinction of the game's top scorer at 13 apiece. Goodrick's came very efficiently as he converted six of nine field goals.
The Lancers also continued their aggression in getting to the free throw line, with 26 more attempts against the Lions. CBU converted 19 of those opportunities, with Daniels Jr. leading the way with eight attempts. The Lancers have gotten to the line at least 25 times in four of their six contests and are currently 35th in the nation and second in the WAC in that statistic.
NEXT: The Lancers will prepare for their first WAC matchup of the season as they hit the road to face the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Wednesday, November 29, at 5:30 PM PT.
