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Dec 6, 2019; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; The UCCS Mountain Lions hosted the CMU Mavericks in basketball at Gallogly Events Center. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing
Isaiah J. Downing

PREVIEW | Men's Basketball to Host Mines for Senior Night

2/25/2020 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 at home for their final game of the season this Friday, February 28.
  • UCCS will take on Colorado School of Mines for Senior Night on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Game Coverage Last Time Out
  • The Mountain Lions got two big wins last weekend against South Dakota School Mines and Technology, 74-62, and Black Hills State University, 73-61. UCCS is now 17-9 overall this season and 13-8 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). Both teams were ahead of the Mountain Lions in the RMAC standings, allowing UCCS to move up in the standings heading into the last weekend of the regular season.
  • On Friday, it was a hard-fought defensive battle between both teams. In the first half, it took over eight minutes of play for each team to reach double digits in scoring. UCCS led for the final 10 minutes of the first half and all of the second half to claim their 16th win of the season.
  • Padiet Wang and Parker Gaddis combined for 51 points in the win, scoring 26 and 25 points, respectively. Wang had a game high six assists and three steals, while Gaddis cashed in a game high four three pointers and added seven boards and three steals as well. Alijah Comithier provided some offense off the bench for UCCS with 14 points and seven boards.
  • Saturday's game was a much more dominant performance from UCCS, against the second ranked team in the RMAC standings no less. UCCS took the lead with just under 18 minutes left in the first half and never looked back. The Mountain Lions ended the first half with a 14-point lead, 34-20, as they held BSHU to only nine made field goals in the half.
  • The Yellow Jackets were able to cut the deficit to four with 15 minutes to go in the second half, but UCCS was able to hold off the comeback and cruise to their second straight double-digit win.
  • Wang again led all scorers with 24 points and added four assists. Gaddis added a double-double with 15 points and a game high 11 rebounds, while Blend Avdili tallied 14 points and four assists.
RMAC Record/Standings
  • After two big wins over teams ahead of them in the conference, UCCS now sits in a tie for fifth in the RMAC with their 13-8 conference record. South Dakota Mines also has a 13-8 record.
  • The four teams ahead of the Mountain Lions are: Dixie State University and Black Hills State tied for first place in the conference with 16-5 conference records, followed by Colorado School of Mines in third with a 15-6 record and Colorado Mesa University in fourth with a 14-7 record.
The Series
  • UCCS has an 11-34 record against Mines in their history. However, the Mountain Lions did win the matchup against the Orediggers earlier this season, 82-77. UCCS will look to take down a third straight opponent who ranks ahead of them in the RMAC.
Scouting Report
  • Mines has a 19-9 record this season, including their 15-6 conference record which has earned them the third seed in the RMAC with one weekend left in the regular season. The Orediggers are averaging 77.4 points per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from three and 77.3 percent from the free throw line this season. They are allowing 68.3 points per game this season.
  • Mines is also averaging 35.4 rebounds, 13.1 assists, 12 turnovers, 6.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game this season.
  • Mines has five players averaging double figures in scoring this season, with the top three being Mason Baker (15.1 PPG), Brendan Sullivan (13.7 PPG) and Michael Glen (12.1 PPG). Baker leads the team in assists with 70, while Glen leads the team in in rebounds (182, 6.5 per game) and blocks (44).
  • Sullivan is the leading three-point shooter with 43 made threes and is shooting nearly 50 percent from long range (49.4 percent).
Hot Takes
  • The Mountain Lions are averaging 73.7 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from long range. Defensively, UCCS is holding opponents to 68.7 points per game.
  • Senior Night will be this Friday as the men's basketball team will be honoring three seniors, Padiet Wang, Blend Avdili and Ed Bourke, who have played key roles on the team all season, and throughout their careers at UCCS.
  • With their two big wins over BHSU and SDSM, UCCS is now right in the thick of the RMAC heading into the postseason.
  • Wang averaged 25 points, five rebounds and five assists over the weekend after going for 26 points and 24 points on Friday and Saturday, respectively. He is now averaging 17.1 points per game this season, which leads the team. Wang also recorded five steals in the two games, which gives him 150 for his career. That puts him in a tie with for the most steals in UCCS history, one more steal will give him the all-time record.
  • Redshirt senior Blend Avdili ranks second on the team in scoring at 13 points per game and still leads the team in threes made with 64 this season.
  • Junior Parker Gaddis had his best two game stretch of the season offensively as he averaged 20 points and nine rebounds in the two games last weekend. His 25 points on Friday were a season high, as were his 11 rebounds on Saturday.
Award Winners
  • Padiet Wang was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week for his outstanding offensive display last weekend. This is the second time this season Wang has been named Offensive Player of the Week, and the fourth time he has won POTW honors.
  •  Wang averaged 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in his two games last weekend while shooting 61.5 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. He also added five steals in the two games.
RMAC Leaders
  • UCCS leads the RMAC in blocked shots per game (4.7), offensive rebounds (280, tied), offensive rebounds per game (10.8) and rebounding margin (+6.2). The Mountain Lions also rank second in rebounds per game (37.5) and blocked shots (121), third in points allowed per game (68.7) and opponent shooting percentage (42.8 percent), and fourth in rebounds allowed per game (31.3) and assists per game (14.8).
  • Padiet Wang ranks fourth in the RMAC in steals per game (1.8), fifth in steals (47, tied), sixth in scoring (17.1 PPG) and eighth in assists per game (3.8).
  • Blend Avdili ranks fifth in threes made per game (2.5), eighth in threes made (64) and ninth in three-point shooting percentage (37.2 percent).
  • William Becker ranks first in the RMAC in offensive rebounds per game (2.3), second in blocked shots (32) and blocks per game (1.4), fourth in offensive rebounds (53, tied) and sixth in rebounds per game (6.4).
UCCS Under Coach Jeff Culver
  • UCCS now has an all-time record of 131-100 under head coach Jeff Culver. The Mountain Lions were able to get their two wins last weekend and now face a tough opponent in Mines coming this Friday. Coach Culver will look to make it three-in-a-row to end the regular season, while also completing the season sweep of Mines.
Upcoming Games
  • This weekend is the last weekend of the regular season. The RMAC Tournament will begin Tuesday, March 3, with the top four seeds hosting the first round of the Tournament.
  • After the Quarterfinals are done, the highest remaining seed will host the semifinals and the RMAC Championship, which are scheduled to be held on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, respectively.
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