LAS CRUCES--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team falls to 8-5 on the season after a 66-61 loss to the New Mexico State Aggies in Las Cruces.
The Aggies, a former Western Athletic Conference foe of the Lancers, was the final matchup of the WAC-CUSA Scheduling Initiative for both teams, with the Lancers falling short in both games.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
The Aggies and the Lancers went back and forth as both teams struggled offensively in the game's first 20 minutes. Both teams shot under 40%, with CBU shooting 29% and the Aggies at 38%. The Aggies led for most of the first half, but the Lancers kept pace and kept the game within a possession for the most part. CBU allowed a late triple from the Aggies and would go into halftime trailing 32-26.
The Lancer bench led the charge offensively for CBU in the first half, outscoring NM State 11-2 in that department. Kendal Coleman was the main reason for the bench output, scoring a season-high eight points in the first half and chipping in five rebounds.
The offensive struggle for the Lancers continued into the second half, with CBU scoring only 35 points on 33 FG%. The Aggies did not fare much better, scoring 34 points on 44%, but critical 7-0 and 5-0 runs by New Mexico State helped the home team get the five-point victory.
The Lancers made a late run at the Aggies after trailing by as many as 12 with 3:29 to play. CBU scored 17 points over the final two and a half minutes of action to close the gap and keep the game going. The Aggies hit a pair of critical free throws to keep CBU at bay and wound up with the 66-61 win.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
Coleman was a major bright spot for CBU, playing in his fourth game of the season since becoming eligible via the new NCAA transfer rules. Coleman scored a season-high 14 points and hauled off the bench in 12 minutes in 17 minutes of action. Dominique Daniels Jr. equaled Coleman's offensive output with 14 of his own and dished out three assists.
Free throw shooting, not usually a strength for CBU, was a significant advantage for the Lancers in the game as they shot 80% from the charity stripe on 24 makes. The 24 makes were the most made by the Lancers this season, and it was the first time CBU has broken the 80% barrier.
In the rebounding department, the Lancers continued its trend of winning the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Aggies 37-35. CBU has now outrebounded their opponent in 12 of their 13 games and ranks in the top 40 in the nation in offensive rebounding and rebounding margin.
NEXT: The Lancers will open 2024 with a road conference contest against the Utah Valley Wolverines on Thursday, January 4, at 5 PM PT.
