California Baptist University
8-7,1-0WAC
Seattle University
5-10,0-1WAC
CBU Begins WAC Play 1-0 with Home Win over Seattle U
1/4/2025 9:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University men's basketball team begins conference play 1-0 as they grind out the 2025 opener 61-59 over Seattle U on Saturday night in Riverside.
CBU and Seattle U have been notorious for close, intense games, and Saturday night's tilt was no exception, resulting in another one-possession difference on the scoreboard. The Lancers avenged the two heartbreakers from a year ago with the victory and began Western Athletic Conference play 1-0 for the second consecutive season.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Both teams came out focused from the opening tip as they both scored on their opening three possessions. The Lancers put together an early run on the Redhawks and headed into the first media time in front 11-5. The Redhawks chipped away at the deficit and took its first lead moments later behind an 8-0 run. The two teams would go back and forth on the scoreboard for the remainder of the period, and it would be Seattle U who would hold on to a slim lead heading into the break at 30-27.
Neither team was particularly efficient from the floor through 20 minutes, as they both shot just a tick over 40% from the floor and combined for just three makes from the perimeter. CBU's first-half scoring was spread out, with no one player scoring over six points and seven different players converting a field goal.
The Redhawks threw the first punch in the second half as they opened up their largest lead of the game at 39-33 off of an alley-oop from Paris Dawson to Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe. CBU punched right back with an 8-0 run of its own to take the lead behind some contested conversions from AJ Braun and Dominique Daniels Jr. in the paint. The Redhawks took the lead back up to four with 6:07 remaining with a 7-1 run, but the Lancers would not be deterred. CBU shifted the momentum behind a show-stopping couple of sequences from Daniels Jr. and Braun. Daniels Jr. converted an and-one opportunity on the fastbreak to fire up the crowd and take the lead back. Braun followed up that shot with a putback slam on another fastbreak opportunity for the Lancers to get the crowd buzzing and give CBU the 51-48 lead with 4:36 remaining.
The Redhawks went cold over the final two minutes from the floor, missing three field goals and turning the ball over twice as CBU ratcheted up its defensive intensity over the home stretch. Kendal Coleman would put the bow on top for the Lancers with a thunderous slam on a fast break after CBU broke Seattle's press to make the score 61-54 with 11 seconds remaining. The Redhawks would knock down a triple and get a steal on the inbound, but the damage had already been done as CBU would get the win 61-59.
STATISTICAL NOTABLES:
Braun led the way for the Lancers on both sides of the floor tonight, registering a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Braun, who led the NCAA in field goal percentage a year ago, was efficient as usual, converting six of his 11 field goal attempts and swatting two shots to boot. Daniels Jr. continued his double-digit scoring streak with 15 points, 12 of which were in the second half, in 38 minutes of action. Adam Moussa was the other Lancer in double figures with ten points and had a game-high six assists.
NEXT: The Lancers will begin a three-game conference road trip starting on Saturday, January 11, as they travel to Orem, UT, to take on the Wolverines.
