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Ryan Cruz

PREVIEW | Men's Basketball Ready for Round Two Against CSU-Pueblo and NMHU

2/11/2020 3:00:00 PM

By: Jake Wise - Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
This Week's Games
  • The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team will be on the road again this weekend taking on Colorado State University – Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands University.
  • On Friday, February 14, UCCS will be in Pueblo, Colo. taking on CSU – Pueblo at 7:30 p.m.
  • On Saturday, February 15, UCCS travels to Las Vegas, N.M. to play NMHU at 7 p.m.
Game Coverage Last Time Out
  • The Mountain Lions took care of business as they completed their second consecutive Friday-Saturday sweep. UCCS got revenge against Metropolitan State University of Denver with a 70-47 blow out win, followed by a 75-62 win over Chadron State College.
  • UCCS is now 15-7 overall this season and 11-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
  • On Friday, UCCS paired a good offensive performance with a great defensive performance. The Mountain Lions shot 45.5 percent from the field, 44 percent from three and 90 percent from the line and held MSU Denver to 32 percent from the field and 25 percent from long range.
  • MSU Denver made just six shots in the first half and finished with 19 points, while UCCS finished with 33. The second half was more of the same as UCCS outscored the Roadrunners 37-28 in the second on their way to an emphatic win.
  • Blend Avdili led all scorers with 22 points as he went 8-for-15 from the floor and 6-for-11 from three. Padiet Wang added 10 points and a game high six assists.
  • Saturday's game proved to be more competitive as CSC took a six-point lead, 40-34, rinto the locker room at halftime. However, as has been the theme all year for UCCS, defense reigned supreme as the Mountain Lions held the Eagles to 22 second half points and 29 percent shooting from the field.
  • UCCS put up 41 points in the second half to seal their 15th win of the season.
  • The Mountain Lions had four players score in double figures as Avdili and Wang both finished with a team high 15, with Wang tallying a game high eight free throws. Close behind the two top scorers were Parker Gaddis with 14 points and Alijah Comithier with 12 points off the bench.
RMAC Record/Standings
  • With their fourth straight win, UCCS now sits alone in fourth place in the RMAC thanks to an 11-6 conference record.
  • The three teams ahead of them are Dixie State University (14-3 RMAC) and Black Hills State University (14-3 RMAC) in a tie for first and Colorado School of Mines in third place (12-5 RMAC).
The Series
  • UCCS sports an unimpressive 11-41 record against CSU – Pueblo but have won the last two matchups including an 86-72 win just a few weeks ago. The Mountain Lions will look to add to their win streak on Friday.
  • Including their most recent 95-85 win, UCCS has a 25-20 record against NMHU. That record also wins in nine of the last 10 matchups between these two teams. The Mountain Lions will look to complete the season sweep of the Cowboys on Saturday.
Scouting Report
  • CSU – Pueblo has dropped to 10th in the RMAC as they are now 10-13 overall and 8-9 in the RMAC. However, since last playing UCCS, the ThunderWolves did upset Black Hills State University, 68-67.
  • CSU – Pueblo is averaging 75.3 points per game while allowing 78.7 points per game. They are shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range and 74.6 percent from the free throw line. The ThunderWolves are also averaging 33.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 11.9 turnovers and 3.3 blocks per game this year.
  • David Simental leads the team in scoring at 16 points per game, followed by Brandon McGhee and Bryce Sanchious at 10.8 points per game. McGhee leads the team in assists with 92 while Sanchious leads the team in rebounds (123) and blocks (20).
  • Tyson Gilbert leads the team with 41 made threes this season.
  • NMHU has gone 1-2 since playing UCCS, giving them a 14-8 overall record and 9-8 conference record. They are currently two games back of UCCS in the RMAC standings. The Cowboys remain the highest scoring team in the conference at 89.4 points per game.
  • NMHU is shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three while also averaging 35.2 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 13 turnovers and 7.4 steals per game this season.
  • Sammy Barnes-Thompkins leads the team and the RMAC in scoring at 24.9 points per game and is followed the RMAC's third leading scorer in Raquan Mitchell at 23.4 points per game. Barnes-Thompkins also leads the team in steals with 44, while Mitchell leads the team in threes made and assists with 67 and 70, respectively.
  • Will Johnson leads the team in rebounds with 111.
Hot Takes
  • The Mountain Lions are currently riding their longest win streak of the season at four games, and have won five of their last six games.
  • UCCS is averaging 73.9 points per game and allowing only 67.8 points per game. The Mountain Lions are shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three this season as well.
  • Senior Padiet Wang remains the team's leading scorer at 16.4 points per game, followed by redshirt senior Blend Avdili at 13.2 points per game. After last weekend, both Wang and Avdili again moved up the UCCS All-Time Scoring leaderboard. Wang and Avdili are in fact in a tie for the fifth most points in UCCS history at 1,126.
  • Wang continues to inch closer to the all-time steals record for UCCS as he is now just four steals away from tying the record and five away from owning it.
  • Avdili continues to pace the three-point shooting for UCCS with 53 made three this season. He is followed by Wang with 30 and redshirt junior Geoff Kelly with 23.
  • Freshman William Becker remains the top rebounder for UCCS with 145 boards this year (6.9 per game). The freshman also remains the team's leading shot blocker with 30 blocks this season.
  • Junior Parker Gaddis leads the team in assists with 84, followed closely by Wang with 83.
RMAC Leaders
  • As a team, UCCS ranks first in the RMAC in points allowed per game (67.8), blocks per game (4.7), rebounding margin (+6.1), offensive rebounds (240) and offensive rebounds per game (10.9). They also rank second in rebounds per game (37.8), opponent's shooting percentage (42.2 percent), and opponent's 3PT shooting percentage (34.1 percent), fourth in rebounds allowed (31.6) and assists per game (14.6), and eighth in shooting percentage (46.5 percent).
  • Padiet Wang ranks second the in the RMAC in steals per game (2.0, tied), third in steals (43, tied), seventh in scoring (16.4 PPG) and assists per game (3.8, tied), and 10th in assists (83).
  • William Becker ranks first in the RMAC in offensive rebounds (52) and offensive rebounds per game (2.5), second in blocks (30) and blocks per game (1.4) and third in rebounds per game (6.9).
  • Parker Gaddis ranks seventh in the RMAC in assists per game (3.8, tied) and ninth in assists (84).
  • Blend Avdili ranks seventh in RMAC in threes made per game (2.4, tied) and 10th in threes made (53).
UCCS Under Coach Jeff Culver
  • UCCS is 129-98 with coach Culver leading the charge. The team seems to be meshing really well as we are coming to the end of the regular season. This weekend poses a pair of challenges, but also a pair of chances to complete the season sweep on two more RMAC opponents. Coach Culver will look to keep this hot streak going.
Upcoming Games
  • Next weekend, UCCS return home to host South Dakota School of Mines and Black Hills State University.
  • On Friday, February 21, UCCS hosts SDSM in the Gallogly Events Center at 7:30 p.m.
  • On Saturday, February 22, UCCS will host BHSU at 7:30 p.m. inside the Gallogly Events Center.
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