California Baptist University
10-10,3-3WAC
Southern Utah University
9-11,1-5WAC
CBU Dominates Wire-to-Wire in Cedar City on Saturday Night
1/25/2025 10:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CEDAR CITY, UT--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team used a dominant first half to pull out a 76-60 road win over the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Saturday night in Cedar City.
The Lancers even up their Western Athletic Conference record once again at 3-3 and similarly their overall record at 10-10. The win marks the second straight season the Lancers have won in dominant fashion at the America First Events Center after winning 91-66 last season to open up conference play.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
CBU's dominant first-half showing began early as CBU raced out to an 11-4 start before the first media timeout. Southern Utah would not so much as sniff the lead for the rest of the game from that point on, as CBU would open up a lead as large as 28 in the opening half. The Lancers registered scoring runs of 12-0, 10-0, and 6-0 to completely pull away from the home team through 20 minutes. An Aj Braun and one opportunity to close the half would put the Lancers up comfortably 46-20 as the two teams headed into the locker room. CBU shot a blistering 53% from the floor in the first half compared to 22% for the Thunderbirds and hammered them on the glass 25-17.
The second half was much more competitive than the first half, as the Lancer offense found a little trouble replicating its first-half magic. The Thunderbirds slowly but surely chipped away at the looming deficit, getting it all the way down to 16 points at the 13:18 mark. Bradey Henige and Javonte Johnson would cool off the comeback attempt with consecutive baskets to tip the score back over the 20-point threshold. SUU would not get within 20 points of the Lancers until only three minutes were remaining and would succumb to CBU's first-half dominance by a final score of 76-60.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
Martel Williams and Braun would tie for the team lead with 16 points apiece and would do so on 12-19 shooting. Williams, in his return to Cedar City (having previously played two seasons for SUU), did not miss a field goal, going 6-6 from the floor and connecting on two triples. Braun secured the double-double by adding ten rebounds to his 16 points in 25 minutes of action.
The Lancers never trailed in the game and used a dominating 44-18 advantage on point in the paint to secure its largest margin of victory of the season.
NEXT: CBU will return home to begin a three-game homestand beginning with Abilene Christian on Thursday, January 30 at 7 PM PT.
