California Baptist University
San Diego State University
CBU Prepares for Toughest Test of the Season at #23 San Diego State on Wednesday Evening
12/9/2024 11:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team will face their first ranked opponent since 2021 this week as they head south to face the #23 San Diego State Aztecs on Wednesday evening at Viejas Arena.
The last time CBU faced a nationally-ranked opponent was a road game against #5 Texas in 2021 during the COVID-shortened season. The Aztecs earned the ranking with a pair of upset wins at the Players Era Festival Tournament in Las Vegas, besting #6 Houston and #19 Creighton. The Aztecs followed that up with a 2-0 sweep last week with a convincing road win against Fresno State and a home victory over the San Diego Toreros. SDSU's only two losses this season came against #3 Gonzaga at home and against Oregon in the Players Era Tournament.
Aztec Head Coach Brian Dutcher has led SDSU to a consistent pattern of success since taking the helm in 2017. Their success culminated in a Final Four and National Championship berth in 2023, six Mountain West Championships, and NCAA Tournament appearances each of the last four years. The 2024-25 Aztecs feature a nearly brand new roster from a season ago led by Florida Atlantic University transfer Nick Boyd and returners Reese Waters and BJ Davis, who all average over 12 points per contest. The Aztecs boast one of the best defenses in college basketball and are currently leading the entire NCAA in field goal percentage defense, only allowing their opponents to shoot 34.6% per game. SDSU is second in the nation in blocks with 7.0 per game, led by Sophomore Magoon Gwath, who is second in the nation in blocks per game at 3.38.
The Lancers will look for the upset bid this week, which would be the program's first-ever ranked win in the DI era. CBU is led by star guard Dominique Daniels Jr., who has been lighting up the scoreboard for the Lancers in his second season in Riverside. Daniels Jr. is 12th in the nation in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game, and is in the top 25 in total points with 195. Daniels Jr. is also among the top 30 in the nation in terms of field goals made and attempted. Daniels Jr. scored a season-high 33 points in his last contest at UCF and has scored over 20 points on five different occasions.
CBU will enter the contest 5-4 with wins over Kennesaw State, Fresno State, Incarnate Word, Eastern Washington, and LIU under its belt. The Lancers split the Acrisure Holiday Invitational over the Thanksgiving break with a tight loss against SMU and a double overtime thriller against Fresno State to claim Third Place in the tournament. The Lancers are a top 30 team in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting 77.6%, and are also in the top 30 in turnover rate, with only 9.9 per contest.
GAME INFORMATION:
CBU vs #23 San Diego St.:
DATE/TIME: Dec. 11 @7 PM PT
LOCATION: Viejas Arena- San Diego, CA
WATCH: Mountain West Network
