PREVIEW: Crusaders head to Texas Lutheran (1/18) | Southwestern (1/19) for Big Weekend
HOW TO FOLLOW
(Multimedia Coverage)
(Texas Lutheran University): Livestats | Video
(Southwestern University): Livestats | Video
(Social Media)
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
UD Basketball Twitter: @UDallasMBB
UD Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
UD Basketball Facebook: University of Dallas Basketball (Official)
UD Instagram: udallasathletics
UD Basketball Instagram: udallasmbb
FIRST TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team is prepared for an important weekend of conference play on the road. The top three teams in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) all play each other this week with both of Dallas' opponents, Southwestern University and Texas Lutheran University having played earlier on Tuesday. The Bulldogs captured the win with a 75-69 victory that lifted them to first in the SCAC standings. The Pirates are a half-game ahead of Dallas, who prevailed in Irving a week ago from the team's scheduled rematch on Saturday.
The Crusaders have responded from a 1-8 start and six-game losing streak with wins in their past five games. This includes four against SCAC opponents. Their most recent victory on the streak was Tuesday in an 83-78 finish over Arlington Baptist University at the Maher Center.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW FOR UD
- Michael Wambsganss (Denver, Colo.) is averaging 13.1 points and the team leader with 183. Joshua Nunn (St. Louis, Mo.) follows with 10.6 points-per-game (ppg), and Logan Fruhwirth (Waynesville, Ohio) has raised his season average to a 9.1-clip.
- Dallas has a quintet of players shooting above 80 percent from the free throw line (minimum 20 makes). This includes: Nunn (61-74), Wambsganss (31-37), Cameran Hyde (Missouri City, Texas) (24-28), Fruhwirth (21-25), and Dustin Mathis (Fort Worth, Texas) (20-23).
- Dallas is 4-1 in contests decided by six points or less.
SCAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Wambsganss registered a season-best 24 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double in as many games to help lift the Crusaders to an 84-77 victory over previously unbeaten in conference play, Southwestern. Wambsganss poured in 22 of his team-leading points in the second half on 9-of-16 shooting, including 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. The sophomore guard also added three steals and one assist.
SCAC Men's Basketball POTW Michael Wambsgambs of @UDallasMBB sits down with us to talk about his teams 4 game winning streak and his confidence level heading into final month of the season. Check it out ��https://t.co/0sZj1trIc1@UDallasSports #SCACpotw #SCACmbb #d3hoops
— SCAC (@SCAC_Sports) January 16, 2019
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
"Part of the Craft" - Nunn and Mathis discuss tonight's 5th win in a row for #UDallasMBB! Full Interview on UD Athletics Facebook page ��https://t.co/eKgeu1upku#WeAreUD #SCACmbb #d3hoops pic.twitter.com/lJvEhFdxvs
— UDallas Athletics (@UDallasSports) January 16, 2019
BY THE NUMBERS
- Series History: UD is 7-13 vs TLU | 19-39 vs. Southwestern.
- Dallas split its regular season games with Texas Lutheran a season ago, with the road team winning each game. The Bulldogs did eliminate Dallas 91-76 in the SCAC Quarterfinals at host Colorado College.
- In the matchup at Seguin, Texas, the Crusaders won 69-64. Russell scored 12 points (6-8 FG).
- Dallas defeated the Pirates last Saturday behind Wambsganss' big performance. Other standouts included: Fruhwirth (15 points, 7 rebounds), Nunn (14 points), Ben Norton (Louisville, Ky.) (14 points), Mathis (11 assists).
- The Crusaders topped Southwestern in Georgetown last year, 77-72. Nunn was a perfect 11-for-11 in free throws to garner the majority of his 15 points. Russell had 12 and Wambsganss put in 10 from the bench.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
(Texas Lutheran University)
- TLU is 11-6 overall and 6-2 in the SCAC with sole possession of first.
- Behind UD's longest active winning streak among conference teams, the Bulldogs follow with four in a row. All have come on the road, which finished as a 4-1 stint (six outings counting an exhibition).
- The Bulldogs carry a 5-2 mark at Memorial Gymnasium, but the last time they played on the home floor was December 21 in a one-point victory (75-74) over Hardin-Simmons University. TLU is 2-1 against SCAC teams on the home court of the 2018-19 SCAC Tournament.
- Harris Jowell leads the conference in rebounds-per-game with an 8.2 average.
- Nathan Josephs is the leading scorer with 212 points (12.7 ppg). Six different players have accumulated at least triple digits in points including: Jacob Kouremetis (200), Harris (194), Sebastian Andrade (190), Alex Cage (169), and Jackson Willoughby (124).
(Southwestern University)
- Southwestern holds a 7-8 overall record and have dropped consecutive conference games after the best start with five wins and no losses.
- The Pirates are 6-2 at the home confines.
- Brandon Alexander and Andrew Puhl each posted 18 points in the setback to TLU. Alexander missed a double-double with nine rebounds.
- Alexander is averaging 16.3 points with Wheeler at a 10.2-clip.
- Alexander had 32 points (11-21 FG, 4-7 3FG, 6-7 FT) along with 11 rebounds for an individual leading performance at Dallas. Puhl chipped in 13, but the Pirates shot 40.9 percent compared to UD's 50 percent.
UP NEXT
Dallas plays its final home games of the month with a pair of matchups on January 25 and 26. The two contests will feature opponents Colorado College and Johnson & Wales University. Dallas defeated both teams on its Colorado trip earlier in the campaign.