Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UCCS Athletics

Fugett_Jon'Il
Zach Goltieb

PREVIEW | UCCS Closes Non-Conference Play with SAGU AIC and CSUP's Thanksgiving Classic

11/23/2021 5:03:00 PM

This Week's Matchup
UCCS Men's Basketball prepares for three games in four days this week as the Mountain Lions start with a 5:30 p.m. game inside Gallogly Events Center on Wednesday against Southwestern Assemblies of God University American Indian College before hitting the road to Pueblo Friday and Saturday for the Colorado State University Pueblo Thanksgiving Classic. In a pair of 3 p.m. neutral site games on the campus of CSU Pueblo, the Mountain Lions will take on Kansas Christian College on Friday then battle Texas A&M International University on Saturday.

Game Coverage
Live Stream: https://www.rmacnetwork.com/gomountainlions/
Live Stats vs. SAGU American Indian College: https://gomountainlions.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Live Stats vs. KCC: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=csup
Live Stats vs. TAMIU: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=csup

Last Time Out
  • The Mountain Lions reached the century mark in their home opener on Sunday to defeat University of Maine at Fort Kent 100-40 as UCCS went on to set a new program record for the largest margin of victory in a single game (60).
  • Five Mountain Lions reached double-digit points with Jezza McKenzie dropping a game high as well as a new career high 22 points in the win. Guard Parker Gaddis came up just short of notching a triple double by recording 10 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists off the bench. Wyatt Dolberry also came off the bench to score 18 points after adding seven rebounds of his own.
  • UCCS shot 38-of-72 from the field Sunday night to ring in a 52.8 shooting percentage. The Mountain Lions were even more impressive from beyond the arc at 41.9 percent (13-of-31) as they also finished 91.7 percent from the charity stripe (11-of-12).
RMAC Records/Standings
  • With one week left of non-conference play, the Mountain Lions and Metropolitan State University of Denver stand as the only two undefeated teams at 3-0.
  • Regis University and Colorado School of Mines will start off the conference season on Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
The Series
  • UCCS' will be playing SAGU American Indian College Kansas Christian College, and Texas A&M International for the first times in program history.
Scouting SAGU American Indian College
  • The SAGU American Indian College Warriors compete as part of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NSCCAA).
Scouting Kansas Christian College
  • KCC (4-1 NSCCAA) is currently averaging the best margin of victory at 19.8 within the NSCCAA at an even 82 points scored per game while allowing a league low 62.2 points.
  • In league play, junior guard Jouvens Hyacinthe has been the focal point for the Eagles' offense by holding the team lead in points (78), rebounds (21), and assists (12). Hyacinthe is currently 27-of-57 (47 percent) from the field and leads the team in three-point percentage at 39 percent (8-of-22).
  • Sophomore guard Vince Smith sits right behind Hyacinthe in scoring at 14.5 points per game with 58 points off of 22-of-46 shooting (48 percent). He's made the most three-pointers for the Eagles but backs it up with a 36 percent shooting percentage as he sits 8-of-22 from beyond the arc.
Scouting Texas A&M International
  • Texas A&M International (4-0, 0-0 LSC) is off to their best start in program history with their most recent win recorded against Huston-Tillotson, 83-51. As a team, the Dustdevils are averaging 74 points per game off 104-of-233 shooting for a 44.6 percent field goal percentage. TAMIU has outrebounded their opponents 147-114 and average 36.8 board per game.
  • Senior Greg Bowie II paces the Dustdevils in scoring with an even 14 points per game as he sits 7-of-18 from three for 38.9 percent. Both he and Jermaine Drewery combine for 15 of TAMIU's 21 made three-pointers as Drewery is currently shooting 38.1 percent from three (8-of-21) and is second on the team in scoring at 11 points per game. Drewery also adds a 47.7 percentage from the field (16-of-35) and team leading 10 steals to his stat line.
  • 6-foot-8 junior La-Quiem Walker and 6-foot-4 freshman Tiras Morton have been the leaders in rebounds with 21 each with Walker grabbing a team high 10 offensive rebounds and Morton registering a team high 16 defensive rebounds.
Hot Takes
  • The Mountain Lions start 3-0 for the second time in two seasons and look to extend to 4-0 for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
  • At 90.3 points per game, UCCS has separated themselves from the opposition by limiting opponents to 61.3 points per game and registering a scoring margin of 29.0 to not only lead the conference but rank eighth in the nation.
  • UCCS has been a threat on the boards by out-rebounding the opposition 138-87 resulting in a 46.0 to 29.0 average and 17.0 rebound margin for the Mountain Lions.
  • UCCS also ranks atop the RMAC in assists per game (1.58), block shots per game (6.7), three-pointers per game (11.3), and total rebounds per game (46).
  • Off the bench, Parker Gaddis is the RMAC leader in assists per game (6.3) with eight assists in the last two games as he registered his first double-digit game on Sunday with 10 points scored.
  • William Becker has been exceptional through three games with a conference best 2.67 blocks per game. The 6-foot-9 forward has also grabbed 18 rebounds and averages 10 points a game off a 76.5 field goal percentage (13-of-17) after claiming three blocks and double-digit points in each of the first two games this season.
  • From three-point land, UCCS is shooting 37.8 percent (34-of-90) with Jezza McKenzie and Wyatt Dolberry combining for 16 of the 34 made three-pointers. McKenzie is shooting a stellar 47.1 percent from three (8-of-17) which ranks second in the RMAC and averages 11.0 point per game which is backed by 12-of-25 from the field (48 percent). Dolberry is second on the team in scoring at an average 15.0 points per game as he posts a 36.4 three-point percentage (8-of-22) and a 45 percent field goal percentage (18-of-40).
UCCS Under Head Coach Jeff Culver
  • Jeff Culver, who led UCCS to its first RMAC championship in program history, is in his 10th season as the Head Coach of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball program in 2021-22. He's coached the only NBA Draft pick and the only All-Americans in program history in the past eight years.
  • In 10 seasons as head coach, Culver holds a .559 winning percentage with a 141-111 overall record that includes, seven RMAC Tournament appearances, one RMAC Tournament Championship, a 5-6 RMAC Tournament record, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and a 1-2 NCAA Tournament record.
Upcoming Games
  • After this week the Mountain Lions will open conference play on the road starting with a 7:30 p.m. game against CSU Pueblo on Friday, Dec. 3. After stopping in Pueblo, Colo., UCCS will head to Alamosa to take on Adams State University on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Social
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions 
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
 
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics. 
 
Print Friendly Version