California Baptist University
Tarleton State University
MBB Preview: The Lancers Welcome In Tarleton and ACU for First Home Contests of 2024
1/9/2024 12:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team will welcome in two conference opponents for their first home games of 2024. Tarleton will begin the week on Thursday at 7 PM, and Abilene Christian will close out the week on Saturday at 5 PM.
The Lancers are on a three-game slide after dropping two road contests at Utah Valley and Seattle U and a non-conference game at New Mexico State. CBU is currently 8th in the Western Athletic Conference Resume Seeding and is 1-3 in conference play. The Lancers lone conference win thus far came at Southern Utah in a 25-point victory in Cedar City led by a career game from Scotty Washington.
GAME #1 vs. TARLETON:
The Lancers and the Texans will meet for the fifth time in program history on Thursday evening and for the fourth time in Riverside. The Texans are one of two teams in the WAC that the Lancers have never lost to, with a 4-0 edge in the all-time series.
Last season, the Lancers defeated the Texans handily in Riverside with a 77-48 victory. The victory marked the fourth-largest victory over a conference opponent in program history and the fourth time they have held a DI opponent under 50 points.
The Texans enter the game as one of two WAC schools undefeated in conference play at 3-0. The Texans have won their three conference games by a combined six points, including a game-winner over the UT Arlington Mavericks in their previous outing. Tarleton enjoyed a very competitive non-conference slate with a pair of ranked contests against Virginia and Tennessee. The Texans were also the Sand Division Champion at the SoCal Challenge, besting Cal State Bakersfield and Austin Peay.
SCOUTING TARLETON:
The Texans are led in by scoring by Jakorie Smith and KiAndre Gaddy, who average 15 and 13 points per game, respectively. Smith is seventh in the WAC in scoring, and his 34-point performance against Florida International is the highest scoring by a WAC player this season. Smith is also the team leader in threes made and steals.
Gaddy is the second-leading scorer on the team and was the WAC Player of the Week to open the new year. Gaddy leads the team in rebounding at nearly eight per contest and in blocks at 1.4 per game. The Texans are a very stingy defensive team, only allowing their opposition to score 64 points per contest, which would be the 30th-best mark in the country if they were eligible.
GAME #2 vs. ACU:
The second game of the game week for the Lancers will feature the Wildcats of Abilene Christian. ACU is 6-8 on the season and 1-2 in WAC play. The Wildcats are coming off their first conference victory, defeating the UTRGV Vaqueros at home in an overtime thriller 91-89.
The Wildcats challenged themselves in non-conference play with three matchups against Power-5 opponents, including NC State, Oklahoma State, and Arkansas. The Wildcats bested OK State in Stillwater early in the season for their first regular season victory over a P5 team in program history.
The Lancers and Wildcats will meet for the third time in the regular season and for the fourth time overall. Last season, the Lancers faced ACU twice, including in the opening round of the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas. The Wildcats bested CBU in the regular season matchup in Riverside, but the Lancers would avenge the defeat with a 69-62 win in the WAC First Round.
SCOUTING ACU:
The Wildcats enter the matchup ninth in the nation at getting to the free throw line, shooting 26 per contest. Consequently, the Wildcats also convert the 13th most free throws in the country at 18.6 made per game. ACU is also excellent at applying pressure on the ball and forcing turnovers, causing 16.2 per contest. Six Wildcats average over one steal per game, and as a team, they average over eight per game.
Ali Abdou Dibba, the Chicago State transfer, paces the ACU team at 15.6 points per game. Dibba is the fourth-leading scorer in the conference and fifth in field goals made. Dibba is aided by Airion Simmons and Hunter Jack Madden, who average over 12 per contest and have combined for four 20-point outpourings this season.
CBU AT A GLANCE:
CBU has hung its hat on the defensive end of the court, ranking 34th in the country in scoring defense. The Lancers hold their opposition to 64.3 points per game and have not surrendered an 80-point game this season.
CBU has allowed 70 points only three times this season and has held an opponent under 60 points four times. In their last two outings, the Lancers have also held their opponents to 2-26 from distance.
The Lancers rank in the top 40 in getting to the free throw line, attempting 23 per contest. Hunter Goodrick and Yvan Ouedraogo are both in the top 70 in the country in rebounding at 40th and 67th, respectively.
Dominique Daniels Jr. continues to lead the Lancers in scoring at 17.6 per game and is second in triples made with 35. Daniels is still the only player in the WAC to have multiple 30-point games after 32 and 30-point performances against Western Kentucky and Utah Tech.
MATCH INFORMATION:
Opponent #1: Tarleton
Date and Time: Thursday, January 11 at 7 PM
Location: Riverside, CA- Fowler Events Center
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: FOX AM 1350
Tickets: Here
Opponent #2: Abilene Christian
Date and Time: Saturday, January 13 at 5 PM
Location: Riverside, CA- Fowler Events Center
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: FOX AM 1350
Tickets: Here
