Cal Baptist basketball is heading to the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a Division I program. Can the Lancers continue their winning ways and bust some brackets along the way?
Cal Baptist made the move to NCAA Division I in 2018. But this season, the WAC Champions won a program record 25 games. The Lancers earned a No. 13 seed and will take on Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
How they got there:
Cal Baptist earned the No. 2 seed in the WAC Tournament after finishing the regular season with a conference record of 13-5. This also earned the Lancers an automatic bid into the Semifinals of the conference tournament.
In the semifinals, the Lancers dominated Utah Tech 86-72. They shot 50% from the field and a blistering 52..9% from behind the arc.
In the WAC Tournament Championship game, Utah Valley missed a game-tying alley-oop with a few seconds remaining. After that, the Lancers ran out the clock and advanced to their first NCAA Tournament in program history. They were led by Dominique Daniels Jr. with 23 points.
General information:
Team: California Baptist
Location: Riverside, CA
Record: 25-8 (13-5)
Head Coach: Rick Croy (13th season overall, 8th in NCAA Division I, all at Cal Baptist)
What to know about Cal Baptist basketball:
Rick Croy has been the head coach for Cal Baptist since 2013, which included the transition from Division II to Division I. While the Lancers have been competitive in conference play since joining the WAC, they grabbed the elusive NCAA Tournament Bid for the first time.
The Lancers are led by Dominique Daniels Jr., who is averaging 23.2 points per game, which is fifth most in the country. Cal Baptist only has one other player averaging double-figure points, Martel Williams, who is averaging just over 12 points per game.
The Lancers mix shooting with size, with Jonathan Griman at 6-foot-11 and 7-footer Bradey Henige. Both of which will be important in the first round matchup against Kansas.
This season, Cal Baptist has found success stringing wins together. They are currently riding a six-game win streak, but saw a nine-game win streak in January and February.
The Lancers also rank 21st in the country with 39.9 rebounds per game.
NCAA Tournament prediction for Cal Baptist basketball: Round of 64 exit
Seed: 13
Cal Baptist earned a No. 13 seed in the East Region and will face Kansas in the first round. While the Lancers have been successful rebounding the basketball, the Jayhawks are not too far behind in a much more competitive conference. The Lancers will also have a height advantage over the majority of the Kansas lineup. However, Flory Bidunga checks in at 6-foot-10 and should be a difference maker in the game.
While the Lancers have been competitive against Power Five competition, with single-digit losses to Colorado and Utah, the Lancers were dominated by BYU in December.
However, a common occurrence with upsets in March is a player who can take over a game, and Daniels Jr. is exactly that. But it will take more than one player to take down Kansas. If Bidunga can play well against the Lancers’ height and Darryn Peterson plays to his NBA potential, it will be very difficult for the Lancers to hang around in this contest.