California Baptist University
Middle Tennessee
WBB PREVIEW: Lancers Close Out 2024 With Home Doubleheader
12/16/2024 1:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE - California Baptist women's basketball split last week's action, taking a road contest over CSUN on Wednesday before dropping a Saturday matinee to UC San Diego. The Lancers will now turn their attention to a pair of games as part of The Holiday Series presented by Stater Brothers Markets.
Injuries have hit the Lancers hard this season, evident by the squad dressing just seven healthy players against UCSD last Saturday. While most of those affected will be returning to the court, their timetables are not set in stone, which means Lancer fans may be in for a few more skeleton crew games.
Grace Schmidt and Anaiyah Tu'ua are pacing CBU offensively as the calendar year closes out, averaging 13.4 and 10.8 points per game, respectively. Schmidt and Emma Johansson are on top of the rebounding category with 7.3 and 6.3 boards per game each, with Johansson also leading the team and conference in blocks with 21 total and 1.75 per contest.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE AT A GLANCE
The Blue Raiders are off to a good start this season after finishing 2023-24 with 30 wins and a First Round upset of Louisville in the NCAA Tournament. Currently ranked No. 4 in the CollegeInsider.com Women's Top-25, MTSU is looking to break a two-game skid after falling to in-state rival Belmont (65-52) on December 7 and at No. 13 Kansas State (74-48) last Saturday.
The Blue Raiders have started the same five in all 11 of their games so far this season and boast four players averaging double-figures. Those scorers are led by reigning CUSA Second Teamer Ta'Mia Scott at 14.9 points per game and last season's CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, Anastasiia Boldyreva, who is adding 14.7 points per game, with a team-best 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game as well.
GAME INFO:
Date: Tuesday, December 17
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Where: Riverside, CA
Venue: Fowler Events Center
LINKS: ESPN+ | Live Stats | Roster | Schedule | Season Stats
TEXAS SOUTHERN AT A GLANCE
The Tigers enter the week winless against Division I opponents, with another tall task in front of them on Monday night in the form of an away contest at Texas A&M before making the trip to Riverside for Thursday's game. CBU won the only previous contest between these two programs last season, 83-62, in Houston.
This year, the Tigers are doing the little things well, claiming +33 in steals this season, +30 in turnovers, and are just -6 in rebounding. Where TSU struggles is on the offensive end of the court as they slash just .348/.219/.534 from the field/three/free throw line.
GAME INFO:
Date: Thursday, December 19
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Where: Riverside, CA
Venue: Fowler Events Center
LINKS: ESPN+ | Live Stats | Roster | Schedule | Season Stats
