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Eric Mason/UCCS

PREVIEW | UCCS on the Road this Week Taking On MSU Denver and Chadron State

2/4/2020 10:37:00 AM

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 this weekend taking on Metropolitan State University of Denver and Chadron State College.
  • On Friday, February 7, UCCS will be in Denver, Colo. playing MSU Denver. The game in scheduled for 7 p.m.
  • On Saturday, February 8, UCCS will be in Chadron, Neb. facing off against CSC at 7:30 p.m.
Game Coverage Last Time Out
  • UCCS came away with two wins last weekend against New Mexico Highlands University, 95-85, and Colorado State University – Pueblo, 86-72. Those two wins bring UCCS' record to 13-7 overall and 9-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
  • The Mountain Lions shot the ball extremely well over the weekend as they shot 50.8 percent from the field against NMHU and 58.6 percent from the field against CSU – Pueblo.
  • On Friday, it was a hard-fought battle against the highest scoring team in the RMAC. The first half went back and forth as neither team was able to build a lead. After the first 20 minutes, the Mountain Lions were trailing, 39-42.
  • The second half featured the majority of the action as UCCS exploded for 56 points on 62.1 percent shooting, while holding the Cowboys to 43 points on 41.5 percent shooting. After swapping the lead for the majority of the half, UCCS took the lead with 4:21 to go and never relinquished it.
  • Things got out of control for NMHU as they had three players and their head coach get ejected in the second half on double technical fouls. Two of the players and the coach were ejected with only five seconds left in the game.
  • Blend Avdili led UCCS with 23 points and a game high 10 free throws. Padiet Wang added 21 points and six assists, while Alijah Comithier and William Becker combined for 30 points off the bench (16 and 14, respectively).
  • Saturday's game proved to be less exciting than the night before as UCCS led for 32 of the 40 minutes of play, which included UCCS never trailing in the second half and holding a double-digit lead for the final 16 minutes of the game.
  • The Mountain Lions again shot the ball extremely well and held CSU – Pueblo to 40.7 percent shooting from the field and 25 percent from the three-point line. UCCS also had 18 assists, eight steals and four blocks in the game.
  • Wang led all scorers with 30 points on 12-for-15 shooting from the field and added a game high six assists as well. Becker followed up his 14 points on Friday with 16 against CSU – Pueblo and added eight boards and three blocks.
  • Comithier and Parker Gaddis both tallied 11 points and five rebounds in the game.
RMAC Record/Standings
  • The Mountain Lions are in a four-way tie for fourth in the RMAC with their 9-6 conference record. The other three teams at 9-6 are: New Mexico Highlands, Westminster College and Colorado Mesa University.
  • Black Hills State University sits alone atop the RMAC with a 13-2 conference, followed by Dixie State University in second with a 12-3 record and Colorado School of Mines in third with a 10-5 record.
The Series
  • After the loss to MSU Denver earlier this season, UCCS now has a 7-51 all-time record against the Roadrunners and a 5-5 record in their last 10 matchups. The Mountain Lions will look to get some revenge this weekend.
  • With their win against CSC earlier this year, UCCS improved their record against the Eagles to 25-14, which includes an 8-2 record in their last 10 games.
Scouting Report
  • MSU Denver has lost their last two games and now has a 10-11 overall record this season, which includes a 6-9 record in the RMAC. That record places them in the 12th position of the RMAC.
  • MSU Denver is now averaging 67.7 point per game and allowing 69.7 points per game. They are shooting 40.9 percent from the field, 33 percent from long range and 66.6 percent from the free throw line.
  • The Roadrunners are also averaging 36.5 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 12.8 turnovers, 6.1 steals and 4.1 blocks per game.
  • Individually, Druce Asah remains the team's leading scorer at 12.2 points per game. He is the only Roadrunner averaging double figures this season. Asah also leads the team in threes made with 43 this season. Mitch Lombard leads the team in assists with 74 and Kendall McIntosh leads the team in rebounds (110, 5.5 per game) and blocks (26).
  • CSC has continued to struggle this season as they have now lost eight in a row for their 3-18 overall record and 2-13 conference record. The Eagles are averaging 75.2 points per game and allowing 79.8 points per game this season. They are shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three and 75.8 percent from the free throw line.
  • CSC is also averaging 35.2 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 15.7 turnovers, and 4.9 steals per game.
  • Individually, Brian Rodriguez-Flores remains the team's top scorer at 16.9 points per game. He also leads the team in threes made (42) and rebounds with 119 (5.9 per game). Jacob Jefferson is the second leading scorer for CSC at 11.6 points per game.
  • Colby Jackson leads the team in assists with 112.
Hot Takes
  • The Mountain Lions put together their best offensive weekend of the season with their two games shooting over 50 percent. That marks the first time this season UCCS has shot over 50 percent in consecutive games.
  • UCCS is now averaging 74.1 points per game and allowing 69.1 points per game this season. They are shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three while hauling in 37.5 rebounds per game and dishing out 14.9 assists per game.
  • The Mountain Lions are also averaging 6.1 steals and 4.8 blocks (96 total) per game this season.
  • Senior Padiet Wang averaged 25.5 points per game over the weekend, which included a career high 30 points against CSU – Pueblo. He is now averaging 16.8 points per game, which leads the team. Wang also has moved up to eighth all-time in UCCS history in points with 1,101.
  • Redshirt senior Blend Avdili improved his scoring average to 12.7 points per game over the weekend and added to his three-point total as well. He now has 44 made threes this season. Avdili also moved up the UCCS All-Time Scoring leaderboard as he now ranks ninth with 1,089 career points.
  • Freshman Alijah Comithier also improved his scoring average last weekend as he put up 16 points on Friday and 11 on Saturday. He is now averaging 9.3 points per game, third on the team.
  • Redshirt freshman William Becker recorded is second double-double of the season on Friday with 14 points and 10 rebounds, then followed that up with a 16-point, eight rebound, three block performance on Saturday. Becker now has 130 rebounds this season (6.8 per game), which leads the team.
  • Junior Parker Gaddis continues to pace the Mountain Lions in assists with 81 (4.1 per game).
Award Winners
  • Padiet Wang was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week thanks to his two stellar performances over the weekend. Wang averaged 25.5 points, six assists, 4.5 rebounds and two steals in the two games. He also tabbed a block against NMHU. His 30 points against CSU – Pueblo mark a career high for the senior and tied the highest by any player on UCCS this season.
  • William Becker was named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance over the weekend. Becker nearly averaged a double-double over the two games, averaging 15 points and nine rebounds for the weekend. He also averaged two steals and two blocks by recording four of each in the two games combined.
  • UCCS had two players named to the RMAC All-Academic Team over the weekend as well.
  • Padiet Wang was named RMAC First Team All-Academic thanks to a 3.58 GPA in his major of Business-Accounting combined with his outstanding performance on the court.
  • Geoff Kelly was named to the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll for both his performance on the court and his 3.89 GPA in his major, Business-Accounting.
RMAC Leaders
  • As a team, UCCS ranks first in the RMAC in points allowed per game (69.1), blocks per game (4.9) and rebounding margin (+5.8), second in rebounds per game (37.5), offensive rebounds (218) and offensive rebounds per game (10.9), third in rebounds allowed (31.7), fourth in opponent's shooting percentage (42.7 percent) and assists per game (14.9) and seventh in shooting percentage (46.5 percent).
  • Padiet Wang ranks first in the RMAC in steals per game (2.0, tied), third in steals (39) and sixth in scoring at 16.8 points per game.
  • William Becker ranks first in the RMAC in blocks per game (1.5, tied), offensive rebounds (47, tied) and offensive rebounds per game (2.5), second in blocked shots (29) and fourth in rebounds per game (6.8, tied).
  • Parker Gaddis ranks seventh in the RMAC in assists per game (4.1) and eighth in assists (81, tied).
UCCS Under Coach Jeff Culver
  • UCCS is now 127-98 under coach Jeff Culver. With the team clicking offensively, Culver will look to lead the Mountain Lions to a revenge win over MSU Denver and a third straight win over CSC this weekend. Two wins this weekend could help separate UCCS from the pack that is the middle of the RMAC standings.
Upcoming Games
  • Next weekend, UCCS will again be on the road to repeat the slate from last weekend.
  • On Friday, February 14, UCCS will be in Pueblo, Colo. taking on CSU – Pueblo at 7:30 p.m.
  • On Saturday, February 15, UCCS will travel to Las Vegas, N.M. to take on NMHU at 7 p.m.
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