California Baptist University
16-16,8-12WAC
Utah Valley University
16-16,11-9WAC
The Lancers Advance to the WAC Quarterfinals after Dominating Utah Valley in Overtime
3/14/2024 12:35:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS, NV--- The California Baptist University men's basketball season marches on after downing #5 Utah Valley in overtime in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday night.
The Lancers dominated the overtime period, outscoring the Wolverines by eleven to claim a first-round victory for the third straight season and their first-ever inside the Orleans Arena. The overtime win was the first for CBU this season and their first since November 22, 2019, when they defeated Central Arkansas. CBU's win over #5 Utah Valley marked the highest seed the Lancers have bested in the WAC Tournament in their four previous trips to Las Vegas.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
The Lancers held the lead through the majority of the first half, only surrendering it briefly at the end of the half. CBU led by as many as six in the first half, but the Wolverines would hang around and take the lead at 27-26 with 2:08 left in the first half. Utah Valley would score the final three points of the half to take the 30-28 lead heading into the break.
The numbers were pretty even across the board at the half, but the biggest difference was the style of the two teams. The Lancers shot over 50% from the perimeter and used the outside shot to produce points. Meanwhile, Utah Valley utilized the paint to score, producing 18 points in that area against eight for the Lancers.
The second half opened up with the Lancers producing a 7-2 run to recapture the lead coming out of the break. The Wolverines would bring the score back to a two-point game at 42-40, but a crucial 10-0 run would give CBU huge momentum heading into the back stretch of the second half. Brantly Stevenson's energy off the bench was the key to the run, knocking down a pair of triples for CBU.
Utah Valley and Drake Allen would come right back at the Lancers with an 8-0 run to close the gap, but a pair of Yvan Ouedraogo field goals would hold the Wolverine comeback at bay. The Wolverines would show not quit and would tie the game at 58 apiece with 2:33 to play. The only field goal scored in the final two and a half minutes was a Ouedraogo layup at 2:06 as the two teams battled to claim the win.
With the Lancers leading 60-58 with 11 seconds, the Wolverines would draw a foul while in the double bonus and would convert the two free throws with three seconds remaining to tie the game at 60 and force overtime.
The overtime period was all CBU, scoring the first nine points of the final frame to snatch all momentum away from the Wolverines. CBU would go on to outscore Utah Valley 14-3 in the overtime period to claim the first-round win.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
The leader of the night for the Lancers was Blondeau Tchoukuiegno, who recorded a double-double with a team-high 21 points and a career-high ten assists. Tchoukuiegno also had one of the tougher defensive assignments guarding Utah Valley's Drake Allen. Tchoukuiegno held Allen to 4-16 shooting and forced multiple turnovers on the talented guard.
The big man combo of Ouedraogo and Hunter Goodrick combined 28 points, each hauling in nine rebounds. Goodrick did a lot of his damage in the overtime frame, scoring six points, and had the momentum-changing and-one layup to help CBU complete the win. Goodrick's overtime heroics were a result of confidence the coaching staff and his teammates instilled in him heading into the final period.
"I had confidence down there (in the paint). Coach put confidence in me and said that we were going to play through me (in the overtime). I had been struggling down on the block lately, but I had a groove going that felt good and just went with it from there, said Goodrick on his overtime performance.
CBU had a number of players step up in the game, a fact not lost on Head Coach Rick Croy.
"You look at the box score; we had a number of guys that we believe in step up, and that's what it takes to win. It takes your best players and all the other guys stepping up and believing. I am really proud of that from our team tonight."
The perimeter shooting for CBU would be a large reason for the win, outscoring the Wolverines by 18 from beyond the arc. Stevenson, Tchoukuiegno, and Scotty Washington all canned multiple triples in the game, including three off the bench by Stevenson. Defensively, the Lancer's overtime performance was crucial for the win, forcing Utah Valley to shoot 1-7 in the frame and making all but one of their shots.
NEXT: The Lancers will play on Thursday night against the #4 Seattle U Redhawks at 6 P.M. in the Orleans Arena for the WAC Quarterfinals.
