PREVIEW: Men's Basketball vs. Rhodes College (01/02/17)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
SOCIAL MEDIA
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OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team continues a four-game home stand with Rhodes College on Monday. Dallas starts 2017 at 4-5 with both contest at the friendly confines resulting in wins. Tip-off against Rhodes is a matinee at 2 p.m.
The Crusaders are coming off a 72-67 victory versus Carroll University. After racing out to a 44-25 edge at halftime, which saw the home team shoot 54.5 percent from the field; it was a gritty 1:45 at the end where UD scored eight-of-nine points through the final horn. Dallas won for the third time in December out of four games.
UD NOTES
- The team is averaging 75.6 points-per-game (ppg). Dallas is 4-1 in games where it totals at least 72 points.
- Prince Giadolor (Rockwall, Texas) nailed the go-ahead jumper to finish with 13 points Thursday. The team leader in scoring is averaging 12.4 points and has registered six games in double figures (including last four straight).
- Michael Sarrat (Colleyville, Texas) is the other Crusader to surpass 100 points so far with 12.1 ppg. His 16 points in the last outing was a team-high, as he etched the last four UD points. This included a monumental three-pointer (his team-leading) to make it a two possession game and under a minute left.
- Tom Kaiser (Nashville, Tenn.) recorded his first double-double of the season and his 10th of career. The forward matched a season-high in points (14) and eclipsed double figures in rebounds (11) for the first time this winter. He tied a career-high four blocks giving him 11 overall.
- Kaiser remains 1st in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) with a 70.2 field goal percentage. Giadolor checks in 5th with a 51.1 shooting percentage.
- Besides points and scoring, Giadolor is atop the team in made field goals (45), 3-pt field goal percentage with 6-of-7 (85.7) results, and assists (40).
- Victor Garate (Austin, Texas) is one made trey behind Sarrat for the team lead. However, the senior shooter hit 10-of-19 in December, including 7-of-11 the past two contests. He had at least three made trifectas in games that month.
A LOOK AT THE LYNX
Rhodes College has dropped its past four games and enters Monday with a 4-6 record. The Lynx will gather their points, breaking 100 in all but one game this year and averaging 109.7 points. Rhodes most recent game was Saturday night at University of Texas at Dallas. The Comets won 115-111. Both teams scored at least 55 points in each half. Brennan Sullivan led the Lynx's high fire offense with 21 points, including 50 percent (5-10) from three.
Three of Rhodes' losses have occurred in overtime and four come by a margin of four points or less including the contest that capped 2016.
On the campaign, a trio of players are averaging double-digits in scoring led by Sullivan with a 14.9 mark. Anesu Nyawata is right behind at 13.4 ppg and Daniel Darst rounds the unit out with 10.6 ppg. Five players are also averaging at least 8.0 points. Ian Harrison and Tyler Gee are the top two rebounders with 68 and 51, respectively. Look for this team to apply pressure and come up with steals, as the Lynx hold a 142-81 edge against opponents. Gee (18), Bryce Berry (17), Darst (15), J.J. Weir (14), and Nyawata (12) form a quintet of players that surpassed double figures in swipes.
Dallas is 5-8 historically against the Lynx. The most recent meeting between the programs was at the Maher Center on Jan. 13, 2012 in an 86-74 setback. Dallas trailed by two (39-37) at intermission, but could not overcome a 30 percent shooting second half.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Dallas resumes SCAC action on Jan. 6th and Jan. 8th. These will be the first home conference games this season as Southwestern University (7:30 p.m.) and Texas Lutheran University (2 p.m.) visit on those respective dates. Both tips follow about 20 minutes at the conclusion of the women's basketball games prior.