Desean Hodge/UCCS

PREVIEW | UCCS Travels to South Dakota Mines, Black Hills State

2/19/2019 7:32:00 PM

By: Sarah Meier, Associate Athletic Director

THIS WEEK
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team will hit the road to Rapid City, S.D. to take on South Dakota School of Mines on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m., and Spearfish, S.D. to face Black Hills State University at 6 p.m. the following night.

ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
The Mountain Lions are tied with Dixie State University and BHSU for third place in the conference standings with a 13-6 league record (16-9 overall). After two home wins this past weekend, the Mountain Lions clinched a spot in the RMAC post-season tournament.

UCCS enters the weekend on a four-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents by nearly nine points. In their last three games, the Mountain Lions have surpassed the 90-point mark.

The Mountain Lions have the third highest scoring average in the league, netting 83.4 points per game. From the floor, they are shooting 45.9 percent and 73.9 percent from the free throw line. UCCS has handed out a league high 16.2 dimes per game, while registering a 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio, marking the second best ratio among the 16 teams.

Defensively, UCCS is sixth in the RMAC in blocks, stopping 3.2 shots per game while stealing the ball 7.0 times per game.

Padiet Wang, Dalton Walker and Blend Avdili are each averaging more than 12.0 points per game. Wang is netting 12.9 points, followed by 12.1 points per game by Walker and Avdili.

Wang, who is the only Mountain Lion to have started all 25 games for UCCS, leads the team in steals (48) and rebounds (5.8).

In the Mountain Lions four-game winning streak, Walker scored a team high 80 points and hit 15 three-pointers and 25-of-28 free throws. This season, he is shooting a team-best 82.4 percent from the charity stripe, hitting 75-of-91 attempts.

Freshman DaRaun Clark has recorded 22 starts in 25 games and is averaging 11.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He has added 33 assists, 25 steals and has nailed 40 three-pointers.

AWARD WINNERS
For the third time this season, Wang has been named the RMAC Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week. Wang also received the award on Jan. 7, 2019 and Nov. 12, 2018.

Wang averaged a double-double with 13.5 points and 10 rebounds per game to help the Mountain Lions win two home games against CSU-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands. He notched five steals and blocked two shots while also dishing out 14 assists.

LAST TIME OUT
Walker hit eight three-pointers and matched a career high 30 points to lead UCCS to a 97-84 win over Colorado State University-Pueblo Friday night in Gallgoly Events Center.

The win snapped a six-game losing streak to the ThunderWolves. Twelve of the Mountain Lions final 14 points came from the free throw line. UCCS made 12-of-14 in the last four minutes of action to seal the win.

Walker finished the game sinking 8-of-13 from behind the arc and 9-of-16 from the floor. He added four free throws and three rebounds.

Titus Reed came off the bench to net 17 point on 4-of-5 field goals, including three from long range, and 6-of-7 free throws. Wang recorded his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds. He added six assists, three steals and blocked two shots. Isaiah Wilson dished out a game high seven dimes to go with his 10 points and three steals. All 10 of his points came from the charity stripe as he was perfect on all 10 attempts.

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES
Friday marks the second time this season the Mountain Lions and Hardrockers have faced each other. UCCS defeated SDSMT, 79-78, at home on Jan. 18.

The Hardrockers enter the weekend with an 11-16 overall record and are tied for 10^th place in the conference standings at 8-11. SDSMT is 1-3 in their last four games but are 8-4 this season when playing on their home court.

South Dakota Mines is led by Mitchell Sueker's 14.3 points per game. He is supported by Allec Williams' 13 points per game and Logan Elers' 11.7 scoring average. Elers is shooting the ball at a solid 54.8 percent clip from the floor and 77.1 percent from the charity stripe.

SCOUTING BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY
Tied with UCCS for third place in the conference standings, Black Hills State is 13-6 in the league and 14-9 overall. The Yellow Jackets have won seven of their last eight games and are 6-2 at home.  The Mountain Lions posted a one-point win over BHSU, 73-72, in their first meeting earlier this season.

BHSU is edging their opponents in scoring, netting 73.1 points per game while allowing 70.7.

Fraser Malcom is shooting a solid 52.1 percent from the floor, 43.3 percent from long range and 82.4 percent from the free throw line while averaging a team high 16 points. Dez Stoudamire is contributing 12.2 points per game and has stolen the ball 23 times.

HEAD COACH JEFF CULVER
Jeff Culver, who led UCCS to its first RMAC championship in program history, is in his seventh season as the Head Coach at UCCS in 2018-19. He's coached the only NBA Draft pick and the only All-Americans in program history in the past six years.

Culver was the only four-year head coach to offer Derrick White a scholarship out of high school, and he would become a two-time All-American and the No. 29 pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2017 NBA Draft. White played with Alex Welsh, the other All-American in program history, and the two hold the top spots in the UCCS career scoring records.

Culver came to UCCS after a seven-year career at Johnson & Wales, where he also doubled as athletic director for the final six years. As athletic director at Johnson & Wales, Culver led a $7 million renovation to campus athletic facilities.

UP NEXT
The regular season will close on March 1 at Colorado School of Mines. Tip-off at Lockridge Arena is set for 8 p.m.

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