PALM DESERT, CA--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team closed out the Acrisure Holiday Invitational with a double overtime thriller over Fresno State on Wednesday evening.
After a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Southern Methodist University the night before, the Lancers broke the hearts of Fresno State after the Bulldogs nearly pulled off a double-digit comeback. CBU's victory moved them to 5-3 overall on the season and earned them third place in the tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The first half was all Lancers at Acrisure Arena, with CBU leading by as many as 14 in the opening frame. The Lancers would lead by ten at the break with a score of 37-27 while outshooting the Bulldogs from the perimeter with a +15 advantage.
Fresno State came out of the locker room with poise and energy and quickly mounted a 10-2 run to cause Rick Croy to huddle up with his team. The Lancers would counter with an 8-0 run of its own to keep the Mountain West squad at a comfortable distance for the majority of the second half.
With Fresno State trailing by double digits at the 3:55 mark, the Lancers let their guard down a bit and allowed the Bulldogs to mount a furious comeback that would culminate in them temporarily taking the lead at 64-62 with 20 seconds remaining. It was Fresno State's first lead since the score was 6-5 in the first half. Following the go-ahead triple, CBU would commit a costly turnover on the ensuing possession and force the Lancers to foul Fresno State. The Bulldogs would split the free throws, leaving the score at one possession at 65-62. With no timeouts, Kendal Coleman collected the rebound and gave it to Dominique Daniels Jr., who heaved a 35-foot jumper that hit nothing but the bottom and sent the game to overtime.
In the first overtime, both squads found their offensive rhythm, trading baskets with one another over the five minutes of extra time. AJ Braun would give CBU a 74-72 lead off a contested layup at the rim, but Fresno State guard Zaon Collins would send the game to a second overtime on a pull-up mid-range jumper with four seconds remaining on the clock. In the second overtime, Coleman and Daniels Jr. took over for the Lancers and scored all 12 of CBU's points to put them over the top of Fresno State 86-81 in a thriller.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
Daniels Jr. was the hero of the game for the Lancers, with a season-high 29 points in 45 minutes of action. Daniels Jr. scored 19 of his points in the second half and overtime, including multiple clutch shots and go-ahead field goals. CBU got excellent production off the bench from Javonte Johnson, who scored a season-high 20 points on five made triples and hauled in six rebounds to boot.
Coleman contributed a sizable double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, including a few key boards in the overtime periods. CBU's ability to take care of the basketball shone again in the victory, committing just seven turnovers in the 50-minute game, while the Bulldogs would commit 15 turnovers, which turned into 14 CBU points. The Lancers are a top 10 team in the nation at taking care of the basketball, and that attribute was a key indicator in the victory.
NEXT: The Lancers will hit the road for its first true road contest on Sunday, December 1, against Central Florida, with tip-off set for 1 PM PT.
