PREVIEW: Crusaders Host Colorado College (1/25) | Johnson & Wales (1/26) as SCAC Play Picks Up

PREVIEW: Crusaders Host Colorado College (1/25) | Johnson & Wales (1/26) as SCAC Play Picks Up

HOW TO FOLLOW

(Multimedia Coverage)

(Colorado College): Livestats | Video

(Johnson & Wales 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 returns to the Maher Center for two conference games against Colorado College and Johnson & Wales University (CO) on Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (3 p.m.), respectively. Dallas plays six-of-seven games at the home confines, with the sextet marking the final matchups this regular season in Irving.

The Crusaders (6-10, 4-4 SCAC) are coming off a pair of major setbacks from last weekend's road games at Texas Lutheran University and Southwestern University, who pushed forward their hold on the top two spots in the league standings. With four weeks remaining in a tight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) race, Dallas will look to recover its groove that allowed it to win five straight prior to that road stint. The Crusaders enter tied with Centenary College for fourth place, but the Gents hold the tiebreaker.


THREE THINGS TO KNOW FOR UD

- UD is 6-0 in games the offense shoots at least 45 percent in field goals.

- Logan Fruhwirth (Waynesville, Ohio) ended his seven-game double-digit scoring streak last Friday at TLU, but remains averaging the highest amount of points in conference games (12.8). His 51.4 three-point field goal percentage (1st) and 54.2 field goal shooting percentage (5th) crack the top-five in the conference rankings.

- Michael Wambsganss (Denver, Colo.) and Joshua Nunn (St. Louis, Mo.) are the top scorers in double-digits for the season with 12.6 and 10.4 points-per-game, respectively. Wambsganss leads the squad in triples (36), while Nunn holds the team-lead for free throws (69).


SPECIAL NOTABLE

After the men's basketball game on Saturday with Johnson & Wales at 3 p.m., the Crusaders will host an alumni game for those back in town.


BY THE NUMBERS

- UD Season Stats

- Colorado College Season Stats

- Johnson & Wales Season Stats

- Dallas won last year's meeting at home with the Tigers, 69-65.

- The Crusaders ran by Johnson & Wales last season in Irving, 82-65. This counted for head coach Jarred Samples 100th career victory. JWU was in its last year as an NAIA member.


EARLIER MATCHUP

- Dallas edged CC 90-84 in Colorado Springs late in December. It was UD's first conference victory and sparked its longest winning streak so far.

- The victory over the Tigers lifted Coach Samples to the All-Time Wins Record in the program. Dallas connected on a single-game record 15 trifectas led by Wambsganss, Fruhwirth, and Dustin Mathis (Fort Worth, Texas) with four apiece.

- CooXooEii Black paced the Tigers with 27 points (8-12 FG, 9-11 FT) and 10 rebounds for a double-double. He added four blocks and five assists.

- Dallas rallied from a 37-31 halftime deficit to defeat the Wildcats by three (69-66) on the road in a back-to-back conference slate. Wambsganss swiped a crucial steal that led to him making the go-ahead trey. He scored the final eight points to match Fruhwirth with a team-high 15.

- Andrew Romero III poured 26 points and shot 10-for-20 in the game, while Jontrell Herman contributed 20.


A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS

(Colorado College)

- The Tigers enter 6-13 overall and 2-8 in SCAC action.

- They are winless on the road (0-7), including the past two games as part of a three-game road stint that ends this Friday. Last time out was a 73-52 loss at Trinity University.

- Black is averaging 17.9 points for the team-lead and ranks second the SCAC for field goal percentage (56.9) and third in rebounds-per-game (7.3).

- Aaron Acosta is averaging 12.3 points, while Edmund Pendleton rounds out the trio of double-digit scorers at a 10.9-clip.

-The Tigers edge its foes in rebounds, 711-706.

(Johnson & Wales)

- The Wildcats are 13-6 overall and third in the SCAC with a 6-4 mark.

- JWU is 9-3 away from Denver this season, including 5-3 in true road contests.

- They were topped 81-76 at Schreiner University last Saturday.

- Romero III is the league's best scorer with 23.7 points-per-game (ppg). Herman follows right behind with 21.7 ppg.

- The Wildcats are averaging 81.1 points compared to allowing 75.4.


UP NEXT

Dallas has a quick turnaround with its lone road game until the final two games of the regular season up the highway at Austin College. The tilt is scheduled for Tuesday, January 29, at 6 p.m.