PREVIEW: Men's Basketball - Southwestern University (1/6) | Texas Lutheran University (1/8)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
(Southwestern University 1/6)
(Texas Lutheran University 1/8)
SOCIAL MEDIA
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OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team wraps up the final half of its four-game home stand with its first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) opponents visiting this season. On Friday, the Crusaders welcome Southwestern University and then defending two-time SCAC tournament and regular season champion, Texas Lutheran University, on Sunday. Tip-offs are around 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively following the women's basketball games.
Dallas is 5-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Crusaders improved to .500 for the first time since being 1-1 this year. They have won the past two in a row and four-of-five games. The lone setback in that span was the SCAC opener at Colorado College last month, 74-55.
UD is coming off a historic 136-127 victory against Rhodes College on Monday. The point total matched a single game record and Tom Kaiser (Nashville, Tenn.) boasted an individual scoring record 45 points. These highlighted a big list of records in a contest that provided an uncharacteristic box score.
UD NOTES
- Kaiser has improved to third on the team in scoring with 117 points and 11.7 points-per-game. On this home trip, the senior has double-doubles in the pair of contests with 59 points and 22 rebounds (11 per game) combined.
- Kaiser boasted his conference-leading field goal percentage up to a 76.1 mark. He also ranks 2nd in the SCAC with 14 blocks. This includes seven combined the past two outings.
- Prince Giadolor (Rockwall, Texas) continues to lead the team in scoring with 128 points and is averaging 12.8. Michael Sarrat (Colleyville, Texas) is second on the squad with 119 points and 11.9 ppg. Rounding out the quartet of players averaging double figures is Darrius Colvin (Waco, Texas) with an 11.4-clip.
- Colvin remains the leading rebounder at 76 (7.6 per contest). The team has combined for 384 boards while opponents have 357. The +2.7 margin ranks second in the league.
- Lorenzo Gonzalez (San Antonio, Texas) utilized a career-high 14 assists on Monday to propel back atop the team rankings at 49. Giadolor is right behind at 47 and has dished at least six in half the games this season. Gonzalez also has swiped the most steals with 18. Colvin (14), Sarrat (13), and Giadolor (12) have all eclipsed double-digits in steals.
- Dallas leads the conference in field goal percentage with a 48.7 percent mark. The Crusaders are second in three-point field goal shooting with a 35.6-clip.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
(Southwestern University)
The Pirates are 5-6 this season and will begin conference play at Irving. Southwestern is coming off an 84-70 victory on Monday versus Kenyon College. It was the first win at home for the Gold and Black. The team is 2-1 on opposition courts.
Ryan Ogden highlights a quintet of players that have surpassed 100 points and are averaging double figures with 176 and 16.0 in those respective columns. His scoring average ranks second in the conference. Zach Whitlock is averaging 14.2, Chris Molina 11.9, Connor Kim 10.5, and Ben Stiver 10.0. With the exception of Whitlock, four of these players have hit at least 15 threes with Molina leading with 23. Whitlock controls the boards with a team-high 95 and 8.6 per contest (2nd SCAC). Ogden has garnered 81 behind him. The Pirates are second in the conference in made treys with 83.
Dallas is 17-36 in the all-time series. Last year, UD went 0-2 against the Pirates. The Crusaders ended their time at the Maher Center with the Pirates in 2015-16, and this year start the conference portion with them at the friendly confines. In the end of the year meeting, Southwestern prevailed 78-70. The guests pulled away after trailing by two at intermission. Whitlock (19 points), Ogden (18), Molina (18), and Kim (12) all had great scoring performances. Sarrat led Dallas with 18 and four three-pointers. MacCallum is another returner that did well earning a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
(Texas Lutheran University)
The Bulldogs are 6-5 overall this season and open conference play on Friday at Colorado College before coming to Irving to cap the weekend stint. TLU has dropped its last two and is 2-3 on the oppositions' home court. The most recent outing was an 89-84 setback at LeTourneau University last Friday.
As a team, the Bulldogs are second in the conference for scoring with 79 points a contest. As mentioned above, Southwestern ranked 2nd in the league for made threes. Texas Lutheran is the team better with 88. The two are the lone duo above 80 sank. Zach Behr is averaging 15.1 points and has amassed 166 to lead in both categories. He is also the current SCAC Player of the Week. Jordan Kouremetis is second in points with 144 and is averaging 13.1. Sterling Holmes is averaging 14.6 points, and Matthew Gillette rounds out a quartet of double-digit scorers with 10.7 ppg. Gillette is also the leading rebounder with 75, while Behr has grabbed 51. The team has 390 boards compared to 387 by its opponents. Behr, Michael Sullivan, and Kouremetis are the top three passers with 27, 22, and 20 assists, respectively. Behr is the only player in double figures for steals (15).
The Crusaders hold a 6-9 record against TLU all-time. The Bulldogs raced out to a 51-39 edge at halftime last time at the Maher Center. Despite a 38-29 second half, TLU held on to an 80-71 triumph. Holmes had 11 points. Dallas was led by Sarrat with 21. Gonzalez and Colvin each chipped in 14 and 10, respectively.
UP NEXT
Dallas embarks on a road trip to Austin College on January 13 at 8 p.m. and Centenary College on Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.