California Baptist University
12-7,5-3WAC
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
6-14,2-7WAC
The Lancer Defense Pushes Win Streak to Four with Road Victory over UTRGV
1/25/2024 6:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EDINBURG--- The California Baptist University men's basketball recorded a wire-to-wire victory over the Vaqueros on Thursday evening to push their conference-best winning streak to four games.
The 63-54 victory gave the Lancers their second-ever victory at the UTRGV Fieldhouse and earned CBU their best Western Athletic Conference winning streak since moving to the conference in 2018. CBU now moves to 5-3 in conference play, tying them for second place with Tarleton and SFA in the WAC standings.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
CBU opened the contest on a 9-0 run before the game's first media timeout. The Vaqueros found their rhythm coming out of the timeout and scored on each of their next five possessions to close the deficit to four points. CBU kept UTRGV at bay and pushed their lead to double-figures at 25-15, highlighted by a thunderous Kendal Coleman slam dunk on a fastbreak opportunity. The Vaqueros cut the lead back to five points with 5:05 to play, but CBU once again built their lead back to ten. The Lancers would head into the break leading 33-25.
CBU shot 42% from the field in the first half and dominated the paint by outscoring the Vaqueros 18-4 in that category. UTRGV found some success from the arc against a regularly stingy CBU perimeter defense by connecting on five triples. The Vaqueros shot a total of 37% from the floor on ten made field goals.
The Vaqueros struck first in the second half, but the Lancers swiftly responded with a 12-2 run to push the lead to the largest of the game at 45-29. The Vaqeros chipped away at the lead but could not get within striking distance of the Lancer lead. UTRGV made a late run at the Lancers, chopping the lead down to a two-possession ball game with 1:29 to go. The Lancers stayed calm, converted their free throw opportunities, and held off the Vaquero rally to capture a 63-54 road victory.
CBU controlled the second half with an impressive defensive performance, holding the Vaqueros to 1-9 shooting from distance and 37% shooting as a team.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
The paint is where the Lancers made a living in this game, scoring more than half of their points inside the cylinder. CBU outscored the Vaqueros 32-20 in the paint and outrebounded them by double digits at 42-31. The 11-rebound disparity for the Lancers marked the eighth time this season that CBU has outrebounded their opposition by double-digits.
CBU had four players in double figures, led by a double-double performance by Hunter Goodrick. Goodrick scored a team-high 14 points and collected 12 rebounds on 67% shooting from the floor. Brantly Stevenson scored 11, while Yvan Ouedraogo and Coleman each chipped in ten.
The Lancer defense continues to shine this season, holding the Vaqueros under 60 points in the game and under 40% shooting from the floor. The Lancers have held six opponents under 60 points this season and are 5-1 when holding their opposition under 40% shooting. CBU also took care of the basketball at a high level, committing only seven turnovers against a unit that ranks 17th in college basketball at turning their opponents over.
The Lancers never trailed in the game, marking the second conference game this season they have won wire-to-wire after doing the same to Tarleton in Riverside on January 11.
NEXT: The Lancers will remain in Texas to compete against SFA on Saturday, January 27, at 12 PM PT.
