Dixie State University (13-1) v. California Baptist University at Van Dyne Gymnasium in Riverside, California, 8:30 p.m. MDT*
Broadcast: ESPN Radio 106.1 FM
LANCERS
Coach: Rick Croy
Record: 14-0, 8-0 Pac West Conference
Streak: 14 wins
PPG: 81.8
PAPG: 68.4
Probable starters: Chris Brown (G, 6’1″, 9.5 ppg), Anthony Cosentino (F, 6’6″, 11.7 ppg), Ryan Berg (G, 6’2″, 15.5 ppg), Michael Smith (G, 6’4″, 7.8 ppg), Kevin Crabb (C, 6’8″, 7.6 ppg)
Other key contributors: Garrett Jefferson (F, 6’3″, 7.9 ppg), Ivan Patterson (G, 6’3″, 10.1 ppg), Eric Hunt (F, 6’6”, 4.2 ppg) Kyle Wong (G, 5’10”, 4.8 ppg)
RED STORM
Coach: Jon Judkins
Record: 13-1 overall, 7-1 in Pac West Conference
Streak: 2 wins
PPG: 83.9
PAPG: 75.1
Probable starters: Kimball Payne (G, 6’0″, 9.0 ppg), DeQuan Thompson (G, 6’3″, 15.4 ppg), Jordan Rex (C, 6’9″, 5.6 ppg), Zach Robbins (F, 6’10″, 15.7 ppg), Dalton Groskreutz (F, 6’6″, 15.4 ppg)
Other key contributors: Mason Sawyer (G, 5’10″, 6.8 ppg), Louis Garrett (F, 6’6″, 10.2 ppg), Curtis Papenfuss (F, 6’8″, 3.5 ppg), Landon Clegg (G, 6’4″, 1.8 ppg), Robbie Nielson (G, 6’4″, 4.9 ppg)
Game outlook: This game is a battle for first place in the Pac West and also the conference’s first match between nationally-ranked teams this season. Dixie State is currently ranked 12th, dropping five spots after its first loss last week. Undefeated Cal Baptist jumped up seven spots to 18th. The Lancers have nine players that average 10-plus minutes. As a team, the Lancers shoot 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc. Their two main long-ball shooters, Berg and Consentino, both are over 40 percent from distance. They have held their opponents to 42 percent shooting and only 31 percent from 3-point land. They are well-coached and fundamentally sound blocking out, (outrebounding opponents 39-34 per game), and taking care of the ball (less than 12 turnovers per game). The Lancers will be a good match-up for the Red Storm, who hopes to have Groskreutz back in the lineup. The only knock on the Lancers has been their easy schedule to date with all of their conference wins coming against teams at the bottom of the standings. That will all change beginning tonight. Over the last leg of the season, CBU still has the Hawaii trip and will face Chaminade and BYU-Hawaii each once and other upper-echelon conference foes (Dixie, Point Loma, Azusa Pacific and Hawaii Pacific) each twice.
Women’s Basketball
Dixie State’s women’s basketball team also plays California Baptist tonight. The Lady Storm are 7-7 and 5-3 in conference and the Lady Lancers are 6-8 and 4-4. Tipoff is at 6 p.m MDT at Van Dyne Gymnasium and is broadcast on 91.3 FM.
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