California Baptist University
LA Tech
WBB PREVIEW: Lancers Travel To The South to Close out 2023
12/17/2023 4:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE - California Baptist University women's basketball remains unbeaten on the season, one of just 14 such programs in Division I. Saturday's positive result against Cal State Fullerton was significant in that it was the first time in the DI era that the Lancers had overcome the Titans, winning 73-68.'
Led by Filipa Barros' season-high 19 points on 5-6 shooting from beyond the arc, the Lancers held the lead by as much as 17 before CSUF made a fourth-quarter run to get back within two points before Barros and Grace Schmidt sealed the game with minute scoring.
Chloe Webb had been scoring at an unrivaled pace coming into this game but was held under her 22-point average, but still came up big for the Lancers, scoring 15 with six rebounds and three steals. Webb remains among the country's best, ranking 16th in the NCAA at 21.2 points and seventh in steals per game at 3.44.
The Lancers are comfortably on top of the Western Athletic Conference standings at 9-0 (2-0 WAC) ahead of 7-2 (2-0) Grand Canyon and 6-4 (2-0) Stephen F. Austin. CBU also remains over two full points clear of GCU in the Resume Seeding System, which the conference uses to determine the seeding of the postseason tournament, not who qualifies for it. Nationally, the Lancers are climbing the ranks of the CollegeInsider.com Top-25 poll, coming in at #20 in the most recent poll.
LA TECH AT A GLANCE
The Bulldogs are just 3-9 on the season, but all three of those wins are at home in the Thomas Assembly Center, where the Lancers will play on Monday, Dec. 18. Their most recent victory came on Saturday against Alcorn State, winning the defensive struggle, 49-47. Anna Larr Roberson and Salma Bates led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15 and 14, respectively.
LA Tech forced 17 turnovers and did so themselves only 10 times. The Bulldogs shot in the 30-percent range all game, well below their season average for field goals but higher beyond the arc.
The Bulldogs are statistically led by Roberson and Bates, who lead the team with 12.1 and 11.5 points per game, respectively. Roberson also grabs the most rebounds on average for LA Tech at 6.6 per game, while Bates leads them in steals with 24.
TEXAS SOUTHERN AT A GLANCE
The Tigers will face the Lancers at 1-7 on the year, with their lone victory coming against NAIA opponent North American Unversity. The record does not inspire much, but their schedule shows otherwise, as the Tigers have played a very quality list of opponents, which includes LSU, Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and New Mexico.
Facing such quality opponents has likely dampened the TSU stat lines, as the squad averages just 57.1 points per game. Despite their level of opponents, the Tigers maintain a positive assist-to-turnover margin and rank T-78 in the nation with 4.0 blocks per game. Wednesday's game will be just the third home game for TSU, having gone 1-1, including their 73-58 loss to SFA.
