California Baptist University
Abilene Christian University
WBB Preview: CBU Hosts ACU for Education Day in Riverside
1/13/2026 11:27:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University women's basketball team will look to continue its unbeaten start to conference play as it hosts Abilene Christian for Education Day in Riverside.
The Lancers are the final remaining unbeaten team in conference play in the Western Athletic Conference after defeating Utah Tech and Southern Utah on the road last week to improve to 5-0.
The opponent this week will be the preseason favorites, the Abilene Christian Wildcats, led by the Preseason Player of the Year, Peyton Hull. The Wildcats currently hold the best overall record in the conference at 12-5 and are 3-1 in WAC play, tied for the second-best conference record. ACU's only conference loss thus far is a 67-69 road loss at Utah Valley, and it has posted wins over Utah Tech, Tarleton State, and UT Arlington. Hull currently leads the WAC in scoring at nearly 17 points per game while also being second in the league in three-pointers made with 38. ACU's defense has been one of the best in the NCAA this season, currently ranking 16th in steals per game at 12.8 and in the top 20 in both turnover margin (8.00) and turnovers forced per game (23).
Meanwhile, the Lancers will enter the matchup with an equally high-rated defense. The CBU Defense ranks top 20 in the NCAA in blocks per game (5.3), 8th in defensive rebounds per game (30.9), and is among the top 50 in field goal percentage defense (36.9%). The defense has been led by the talents of Filipa Barros and Emma Johansson, who have both been lockdown defenders this season. Barros is second in the NCAA among guards in rebounding and is also in the top 40 in the country in steals with 44. Johansson is 5th in blocks and 7th in blocks per game this season and is in the top 60 in rebounding as well.
On the offensive side of the ball, freshman Lauren Olsen has been the X-factor this season for the Lancers, leading the team in scoring at 15 points per contest, which is the fifth-best mark in the WAC. Olsen has scored over 20 points in six games this season and has scored in double-figures each of the last six games. Olsen scored nine of her 16 points against Southern Utah in overtime and scored the game-tying layup in regulation to help CBU defeat Southern Utah on the road last week.
MATCHUP INFO:
CBU vs ACU:
WHEN: Thursday, January 15- 11 AM PT
WHERE: Fowler Events Center- Riverside, CA
WATCH: ESPN+
