PREVIEW: Men's Basketball at Trinity (1/5) | Schreiner (1/6)
HOW TO FOLLOW
Media Coverage: (at Trinity) Livestats, Video | (at Schreiner) Livestats, Video
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
UD Men's Basketball Twitter: @UDallasMBB
UD Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
UD Men's Basketball Facebook: University of Dallas Basketball
UD Instagram: udallasathletics
OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team starts 2018 by continuing a four-game road trip. This is the first of two road stretches this length coming up later on the season for the Crusaders. So far, UD has dropped one contest on this span after a 104-95 result at Rhodes College on New Year's Eve.
The weekend trip starts January 5th with the Crusaders picking up Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play at Trinity University. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. Dallas travels the next day over to Schreiner University for a 4 p.m. matchup.
Dallas (7-3, 1-0 SCAC) continues to boast the best overall record despite two setbacks in a row. The Crusaders and Centenary College are tied atop the standings with one conference win each.
UD NOTABLES
- Spencer Levi (St. Louis, Mo.) notched a personal-best 30 points while matching his best 12-for-13 shooting performance a second time in Sunday's contest. The freshman pulled down 13 rebounds to secure his 6th double-double, and added four more blocks to his impressive total of 30.
- Levi improved to third in NCAA Division III with a 76.3 field goal percentage. That mark leads the SCAC and United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Levi also checks into the national rankings sixth for blocks-per-game (3.00), tied 9th for blocks (30), and tied 12th for double-doubles. He just cracks the top-50 for total rebounds with 105 (T-49th).
- Levi leads the team in scoring with 18.5 points-per-game (ppg) and 10.5 rebounds-per-game. The forward is fourth and second, respectively, in the conference rankings.
- Michael Wambsganss (Denver, Colo.) is shooting 54.4 percent from three-point range. He entered the latest national rankings in ninth, while leading the SCAC and second in the USCAA.
- Darrius Colvin (Waco, Texas) is second on the squad averaging 15.5 points, while Wambsganss sits right behind with a 15.4-clip. Prince Giadolor (Rockwall, Texas) has contributed 10.7 ppg.
- Dallas remains strong on offense with 82.7 ppg and 50.9 percent field goal shooting. The Crusaders totaled a season-high in points at Rhodes. Both times the team has eclipsed 90 points were on the road, which UD is 2-2 for the campaign.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Levi's FG% went �� this week and improved him to 3rd in #D3hoops coming into today! He is nationally ranked high in some other stat columns, including a pair of top-10 marks for blocks! | @UDallasMBB #GoUD #UDMBB #d3h pic.twitter.com/eFROnYoqeY
— UDallas Athletics (@UDallasSports) January 4, 2018
BY THE NUMBERS
- The Crusaders are 7-36 versus Trinity University overall. They have won three of the last four head-to-head meetings.
- They are 7-10 against Schreiner University in the all-time series.
- UD split the season series with the Tigers – the home team won each outing.
- In San Antonio, Dallas forced Trinity into two overtimes but fell on a buzzer-beating three that made it 92-91.
- Dallas went 0-2 against Schreiner, who were the SCAC Regular Season Champions.
OPPONENT NOTABLES
(Trinity University)
- They are 6-5 overall and have dropped the past two. Their most recent game was a 92-85 setback at George Fox University. Trinity is 4-2 at the home confines.
- The Tigers will open SCAC play with the Crusaders. TU was selected 3rd in the SCAC Coaches' Preseason Poll.
- Danny Rivara is the top scorer on the squad with 162 points (14.7 ppg). Jayden Holland is right behind averaging 13.4 points. He is shooting 50 percent from three (2nd SCAC).
- Matt Jones is narrowly in double-digits for scoring average with an 11.8-clip. Isaiah Specks has tossed in 9.5 ppg and rounds out a quartet of players over 100 points on the year with 105.
- The offense for the Tigers is averaging 78.5 points.
- Rivara has snatched 98 boards and is averaging 8.9 overall.
(Schreiner University)
- The Mountaineers are 3-8 overall and are seeking an end to a four-game slide. They fell last time out to Letourneau University 90-82.
- Schreiner is 2-4 at home and opens league play with Colorado College Friday before UD visits Saturday.
- A year ago, Schreiner won the SCAC regular season title with an 11-3 record. This preseason the team was picked second.
- Keenan Gumbs is averaging 21.1 points (232 total) to lead the Mountaineers and comes in second in the conference. Blake Kelley is second with 14.4 ppg, while Josh Bashford has added 10.8. The trio mentioned have all surpassed triple-digits.
- Gumbs and Kelley are the top two rebounders with 78 and 71, respectively.
- Luis Mancillas has dished a team-most 39 assists.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Dallas wraps up the away trip on Jan. 10th with a non-conference tilt at Southwestern Adventist University. Then the Crusaders are back at the Maher Center for a quartet of SCAC matchups. The homestand begins Jan. 12th with Centenary College at 5:30 p.m. Two days later, Austin College visits for a 12 p.m. tip.