California Baptist University
UC Riverside
MBB Preview: CBU Hosts the Crosstown Showdown and LIU for Loaded Week of College Hoops
11/11/2024 11:38:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team will prepare for another busy week of hoops after its 2-0 opening week.
The Lancers will host its crosstown rivals, the UC Riverside Highlanders, on Tuesday night before welcoming in Long Island University on Friday as a part of Parent and Family Weekend at CBU. The Lancers began the opening week of college basketball 2-0 after thrilling high-scoring victories over Incarnate Word and Kennesaw State.
The infamous Crosstown Showdown will start the week for CBU on Tuesday night as the Highlanders visit the Dale E. & Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center at 7 PM. CBU and UCR have a long and storied history of competition dating back to 1995. In the DI era, the Lancers won four of the five matchups against the Highlanders, including last season's 70-69 thriller at the SRC on the campus of UCR. Brantly Stevenson played hero in that victory, connecting on a pair of clutch triples in the waning minutes before CBU's defense got the final stop at the horn. The Highlanders have challenged themselves early in non-conference play with a pair of Power-5 matchups on the road against Oregon and BYU. UCR hung in both games but will ultimately come into the Crosstown Showdown 0-2.
The final matchup of the weekend will be for Parent and Family Weekend as CBU hosts Long Island University of the Northeast Conference on Friday night. The Brooklyn-based university begins its season 1-1 after falling to Ole Miss on the road and smothering the Pratt Institute at home. This will mark the first-ever meeting between the Sharks and Lancers and will be the first time CBU has faced a team from the Northeast Conference.
CBU is 2-0 to begin its season after offensive showcases against Incarnate Word and Kennesaw State. The Lancers offense averaged 85.5 points per game in the first two contests after only crossing that threshold twice all of last season. CBU has also taken care of the basketball at an exceptional rate through two games, posting only 13 turnovers in total. The turnover rate is fourth best in the nation in the early going, and their turnover differential is in the top 25 as well.
CBU has spread the wealth around offensively in its two victories, with multiple players contributing heavily to the offense. Kendal Coleman leads the way so far, averaging 19 points per game, while Dominique Daniels Jr., AJ Braun, and Martel Williams all have averaged double figures. Stevenson and Tylen Riley have provided a much-needed spark off the bench for CBU in the early going, combining to average 16.5 points per game.
GAME INFORMATION:
CBU vs UC Riverside:
DATE/TIME: Nov. 12 @7PM PT
LOCATION: Fowler Events Center- Riverside, CA
WATCH: ESPN+
CBU vs. Long Island University:
DATE/TIME: Nov. 15 @7PM PT
LOCATION: Fowler Events Center- Riverside, CA
WATCH: ESPN+
TICKETS: HERE
