PREVIEW: Men's Basketball vs. Austin College (2/3) | Centenary College (2/5)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
(Austin College)
(Centenary College)
SOCIAL MEDIA
Dallas Twitter: @UDallasSports
Men's Basketball Twitter: @UDallasMBB
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
Instagram: udallassports
OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team begins the final month of the regular season with two home games at the Maher Center. Dallas hosts Austin College on February 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Centenary College on Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. following the women's games. The Crusaders are 6-12 overall and 1-8 in the SCAC.
The Crusaders went 0-2 last weekend at Schreiner University and Trinity University. The setback in San Antonio last Saturday was a double-overtime thriller that ended 92-91. Michael Sarrat (Colleyville, Texas) poured a season-high 22 points and went 12-for-13 at the free throw line.
Fans can follow UD Athletics Student Assistant, Kevin McGuirk, on the UDCrusader Broadcast. Play-by-play will be provided at select home women's and men's basketball games this season.
UD NOTES
- Sarrat now leads the team in scoring with 13.1 points-per-game (ppg) and has reached double figures in the past six straight games. Since the calendar flipped to '17, the senior guard has compiled 120-of-236 points and eclipsed double-digits in all but one of the nine contests.
- Darrius Colvin (Waco, Texas) is averaging 12.8 points and leads the squad in rebounds with 118.
- Prince Giadolor (Rockwall, Texas) is averaging 11.7 points this season and has 210 overall. He is the third and final player so far on UD to surpass 200.
- Tom Kaiser (Nashville, Tenn.) rounds out the quartet of double figure scorers with 10.1 points. His 72.4 field goal percentage remains atop the SCAC and is now 2nd in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
- Lorenzo Gonzalez (San Antonio, Texas) matched his career-high 21 points last Saturday again against Trinity. He has been perfect at the free throw line making his last 18 shots in four games. He has scored double-digits in the past three and remains the team leader in assists (82) and steals (38). His 4.6 assists per contest slot him 2nd in the SCAC.
COACHES POWERING FORWARD
Head Coach Jarred Samples and his staff will be wearing the Autism Speaks puzzle piece pin in both contests this weekend. They join coaches across the country in supporting 1 in 68 children on the autism spectrum. Coaches Powering Forward for Autism was created in 2014 after NCAA Coaches Pat Skerry and Tom Herrion embarked on a mission to raise awareness of autism. Learn their story.
Today nearly 300 coaches and their staffs support individuals living with autism through the Coaches Powering Forward for Autism campaign.
SAAC/SCAC CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
This weekend, The University of Dallas is participating in a fundraiser for the Change for The Better foundation. Schools across the SCAC are competing with each other to see who can raise the most money, although the larger idea is to simply raise some funds for this foundation. Members of the Student Athlete Advisory committee or SAAC at UD are collecting donations to contribute to this cause. If you would like to donate, please visit the concessions stands where there is a jar that you may place any donations in. If you would like instead, the UD SAAC members have set up a Venmo (@UDSAAC) account that donations can also be made towards. Thank you for your support and Go Crusaders!!!
A LOOK AT THE OPPOSITION
(Austin College)
The Kangaroos enter the weekend 6-14 overall and 2-7 in SCAC play. They are a game above UD in 7th for the SCAC standings. Austin College is 1-7 on the opposition's court and have dropped the past five in a row. The most recent result for the 'Roos was a 65-53 setback at Southwestern University. Irving is the third stop on a four-game road stint.
Brian Baehl leads the squad in scoring at 12.5 ppg. Jeremy Swisher is the other player averaging double figures with 11.7 points. Austin Wells completes the top three scorers with a 9.4 average. Austin Freet is the top rebounder on the team with 6.9 a contest. Stephen Igbinosa is averaging 6.3 off the glass. Baehl has made 67 assists and Freet has 23.
The Crusaders were downed 77-66 in Sherman, Texas, earlier this season. The 'Roos jumped out to a commanding 50-32 edge by halftime. Sarrat led UD with 19 points and only missed one field goal (6-7). Colvin added 17 points. A quartet of starters led Austin College in double figures. Baehl and Wells each had 13 and Swisher and JP Feider both chipped in 11.
Last year at the Maher Center, it was a showdown that resulted in one of the highest combined scoring games in SCAC history as the Crusaders hung on 106-104. It was also only the 2nd time dating back to 1991-92 both UD and its opponent broke 100 points in the same game. There were a combined 61 fouls, and the Crusaders set a single game record with 37 made free throws. Gonzalez led the individuals with 19 points (12-13 FT). Sarrat had 16, and Emmanuel Calton (Keller, Texas) turned in 13. Austin College was led by Stephen Igbinosa with 20 and Swisher scored 16 from the bench.
(Centenary College)
The Gents are 9-11 overall and 3-6 in SCAC play. They recently knocked off two-time defending conference champion, Texas Lutheran University, 89-74 in Seguin. That was only Centenary's third victory on the opposition's home court. It snapped a three-game slide, and helped claim sole possession of the final spot in the six-team tournament with five games remaining. Centenary plays at Colorado College on Friday before wrapping up the four-game trip.
James Sapp is the current SCAC Player of the Week and is the top scorer and rebounder in the league. He is averaging 21.9 points and 10.3 rebounds. Teammate Travion Kirkendoll follows with 17.2 points in the SCAC and on the team. After the high scoring duo, Treylan Matthews is the next highest averaging 9.8 points. Cedric Harris has 9.6 ppg. Sapp has totaled 205 boards and Kirkendoll is the other Gent with triple-digits (142) in that column. Kirkendoll has 81 assists and 41 steals for team-bests. Sapp has 31 while Matthews (26), KJ Boyd (25), and Harris (20) create a quintet with at least 20 steals and help the team edge opponents 176-122.
Centenary College Season Stats
It was a track race at the Gold Dome in Shreveport last month, as the Crusaders fell 97-81. There was a 33-10 difference in fastbreak points for the Gents. Despite trailing 54-45 at half, the Maroon and White advantage was nipped to two on multiple occasions in the second stanza. Sarrat and Giadolor each hit 15 points. Colvin added 12, and Matthew Richelsen (Medina, Minn.) tossed in nine from the bench. Centenary was led by Sapp with 27 points and Boyd with 21. Kirkendoll, Harris, and Dyllon Weaver respectively put in 15, 14, and 11.
Last season at home, Dallas was defeated 87-78. A 52-36 second half was not enough to close the gap for the home team. Gonzalez had 18 points and Kaiser earned a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. All five Centenary players scored double-digits. Three of them return with Kirkendoll having 18 to lead that bunch. Sapp added 12, but was most impressive on the glass with a game-high 16.
UP NEXT
Dallas plays its final road trip of the regular season at Southwestern on Feb. 10 and Texas Lutheran on Feb. 11. Tip-off times will be around 7:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.