PREVIEW: Men's Basketball at Fontbonne University (11/25) | Illinois College (11/26)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
(at Fontbonne University)
(at Illinois College)
SOCIAL MEDIA
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OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team continues a three-game road trip this week. On Saturday, the Crusaders are at Fontbonne University for a 7 p.m. tip-off. The next day, UD is at Illinois College with a 1 p.m. start that will conclude the Midwest road dates.
Dallas (2-0) has won its first pair of contests in the young season and are coming off a 90-76 victory at Hendrix College on Tuesday. The Crusaders shot over 60-percent from the field and had five players reach double-digits. Michael Wambsganss (Denver, Colo.) led that group with 20 points in his second collegiate game.
UD NOTABLES
- Wambsganss shot 6-of-9 from behind the three-point arc and was 4-for-5 in the first half. Wambsganss is the first player since Tanner Bruffrey in 2012-13 to make at least that same amount from deep. Bruffey achieved the feat most recently at Trinity University (Feb. 16) with a 7-for-12 result. Earlier that same campaign, the senior went 6-of-10 versus Colorado College (Jan. 12).
- The last three seasons, Dallas has had one player make five three-pointers in a contest. Last year, Lorenzo Gonzalez (5-8) did it at Trinity University (Jan. 28, 2017). Sean Bambace (5-7) notched an individual-high from downtown on his "Senior Day" against Southwestern University (Feb. 13, 2016). Victor Garate (5-6) and Michael Sarrat (5-9) respectively did it in 2014-15 at Schreiner University and versus Southwestern Adventist University.
- Including Wambsganss, three of the last four players with a single-game high of treys in a season wore the number 10.
- Darrius Colvin (Waco, Texas) and Spencer Levi (St. Louis, Mo.) have reached double figures in points the first two contests and rank atop the squad in points-per-game (ppg) with 18.0 and 17.5, respectively.
- The Crusaders have edged their opposition in rebounds 77-59 so far.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Illinois College Season Stats
- The Crusaders defeated Illinois College in their only previous meeting all-time. That final result was 80-66 at the Maher Center and was part of UD's 8-1 (2nd best start in program history) opening record in 2014-15. Only Emmanuel Calton (Keller, Texas) and Solomon Berezin (League City, Texas) remain on the roster that played in that matchup.
- Dallas is 0-1 versus Fontbonne University, with the only game between these programs happening on the road on November 29th, 2002. UD fell 93-86.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
(Fontbonne University)
- The Griffins are 0-2 this season. They fell 102-87 on Tuesday at Oakland City.
- Fontbonne hosts the Crusaders for its home opener on Saturday. 24 hours prior to that tip, the Griffins will be at Eastern Illinois for an exhibition.
- Thomas Ritter is averaging 19.5 points (39 total) in two contests and has shot 62.5 percent (15-24) from the field in those games. He is also 8-of-15 from distance.
- Tristan Baker is second on the team averaging 4.5 rebounds and has dished seven assists (3.5).
- The Griffins went 3-22 overall last year and were 3-15 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC).
(Illinois College)
- The Blueboys are 2-0 on the season with both at the home confines last weekend in the Bill Merris Tournament. After an 85-82 overtime triumph in the opener, IC defeated Dominican University 90-71.
- Illinois College will play at Quincy University in an exhibition on Friday before continuing its regular season home stretch with the Crusaders.
- IC holds a 78-65 edge in rebounds and 33-20 advantage in assists against opponents.
- In two games, the Blueboys are shooting 46.8 percent from the floor.
- Brady Hays and Mason Speer are the top two scorers for IC with 37 and 35 points, respectively. Sean McDonald leads a trio of players in double-digits for rebounds with 18.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Dallas returns to the Maher Center to start a four-game home stand. On Nov. 30th, the Crusaders host University of the Ozarks at 7:30 p.m. The next calendar month starts on December 2nd with Johnson & Wales University at 3 p.m.