California Baptist University
Abilene Christian University
MBB Preview: The Lancers Head to Texas to Battle ACU and Tarleton
2/20/2024 1:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team will gear up for a Texas road trip this week as they are set to face Abilene Christian and Tarleton. The road to WAC Vegas is heating up, and these matchups will be critical for positioning and standings.
GAME #1 at ACU:
The Lancers will open the week against the Wildcats of Abilene Christian on Thursday. CBU will look to look to sweep the season series with Abilene Christian but will have to win their first-ever road game at Moody Coliseum to do so. In the early portion of conference play, the Lancers defeated the Wildcats soundly 68-53 in Riverside to even the all-time series between the two programs at 2-2.
After struggling through the mid-section of their Western Athletic Conference schedule, the Wildcats have won two straight games to pull themselves back into the race to the conference tournament. The two straight wins over UTRGV and SFA have moved the Wildcats into 8th place in the Resume Standings, which would slot them into the final spot for WAC Vegas.
The Wildcats are a top 15 in the nation at turning teams over, forcing nearly 16 per contest. The Wildcats also rank in the top 50 at getting to the free throw line, turnover margin, and converting free throws. The Lancers should be able to counter those strengths as CBU is the best team in the conference at keeping out of foul trouble and taking care of the basketball. CBU only turns the ball over 11 times per contest and commits 16 fouls per game, both of which are the best marks in the Western Athletic Conference.
GAME #2 at TARLETON:
The week will close with a trip to Stephenville, Texas, as the Lancers take on Tarleton at Wisdom Gym. The Texans are in the midst of their best season in the conference and in their DI era, as they are currently in second place in both the standings and the Resume Seeding. The Texans are 11-3 in WAC play, 18-7 overall, and are on a conference-best six-game winning streak.
The Lancers have had the Texans number in the last few meetings, having never lost to them in the five previous matchups. In early January, the Lancers continued that streak with a 77-63 victory in Riverside, led by a +21 rebounding margin. The matchup in Stephenville will only be the second time the Lancers have faced the Texans on the road, with the last one occurring in January of 2022.
The Texans have two scorers in the top 10 of the WAC, Jakorie Smith and Lue Williams, who have been on fire as of late for interim Head Coach Joseph Jones' squad. Smith and Williams combine to average nearly 30 points per contest and have each won a WAC Player of the Week honor this season.
CBU AT A GLANCE:
The Lancers are 14-11 on the season and 7-7 in conference play as the bottom portion of the conference schedule begins. CBU is currently 5th in the standings and 7th in the Resume Seeding. On the Resume side, the Lancers are within a close striking distance of 5th place and only one point outside of the top 4, which would give them an opening round bye in the tournament.
The Lancers are coming off a near upset in Phoenix on Saturday as they took the top-seeded Lopes to the brink. The Lancers and Lopes combined for 22 lead changes and 11 ties in the ball game as both teams exchanged runs deep into the second half.
The backcourt of Scotty Washington and Blondeau Tchoukuiegno combined for 41 points as the Lancers fell by three points at GCU Arena. The three points were the closest any WAC team has come to besting GCU on the road and tied with Louisiana Tech for the only team to come within one possession of GCU this season on the road.
CBU has hung its hat on the defensive end of the court, ranking 36th in the country in scoring defense and #1 in the conference. The Lancers hold their opposition to 65.9 points per game and have only surrendered an 80-point game once this season. CBU has allowed 70 points only seven times this season and has held an opponent under 60 points six times.
Hunter Goodrick and Yvan Ouedraogo are both in the top 70 in the country in rebounding at 49th and 70th, respectively. The Lancers are one of three teams in the nation with two players in the top 70 in rebounding and have the second-best duo in the nation in combined rebounding behind Lassina and Aboubacar Traore from Long Beach State.
Goodrick and Ouedraogo are 1st and 3rd in the WAC in rebounds per game, and Goodrick also leads the conference in total rebounding with 217.
MATCH INFORMATION:
Game 1
Opponent: Abilene Christian
Date and Time: Thursday, February 12 at 5 PM PT
Location: Abilene, Texas- Moody Colisseum
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: FOX AM 1350
Game 2
Opponent: Tarleton
Date and Time: Saturday, February 24 at 2 PM PT
Location: Stephenville, Texas- Wisdom Gym
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: FOX AM 1350
