The California Baptist Lancers are set to face off against the Utah Valley Wolverines, with both teams looking to bolster their tournament resumes, and the Wolverines are averaging 76 points per game over their last five contests, outscoring their opponents by 10.2 points in that stretch, with a 3-2 record to show for it. Utah Valley has been impressive on their home court, with a record of 12-1 at the UCCU Center, and they want to use this to their advantage as they take on California Baptist, who has a 7-5 record on the road. The Lancers have been on a tear lately, winning four of their last five games, including a 87-77 victory over UT Arlington, where they shot 51.9% from the field and made 11 three-pointers.
The Utah Valley Wolverines have been led by their high-powered offense, which has scored 81 points or more in three of their last five games, including an 83-55 thrashing of Tarleton State, where they shot 54.5% from the field and made 12 three-pointers. However, their defense has been a different story, allowing 77 points or more in two of their last five games, including a 78-71 loss to California Baptist, where the Lancers shot 50% from the field and made 10 three-pointers. The Wolverines must shore up their defense if they want to come out on top in this matchup. California Baptist, on the other hand, has been playing stingy defense, allowing just 66.2 points per game over their last five contests, and they have been led by their star player, who has been on a hot streak, averaging 22.5 points per game over his last four games.
California Baptist's Recent Road Success
Key Matchups
The matchup between these two teams will feature several intriguing individual battles, including the one between Utah Valley's leading scorer, who has been averaging 19.5 points per game over his last five games, and California Baptist's lockdown defender, who has been holding opponents to just 38.5% shooting from the field over his last four games. The Lancers will also need to find a way to contain the Wolverines' sharpshooter, who has made 45.5% of his three-point attempts over his last five games. On the other side, the Wolverines must find a way to slow down the Lancers' star player, who has been on a tear lately, scoring 25 points or more in three of his last four games.
The trend data suggests that Utah Valley has been the more consistent team over the last five games, with a scoring margin of +10.2 points per game, compared to California Baptist's +5.0 points per game. However, the Lancers have been playing well on the road, with a 7-5 record, and they want to use this to their advantage as they take on the Wolverines. The Wolverines, on the other hand, have been struggling with consistency, with a 3-2 record over their last five games, and they must find a way to put together a complete game if they want to come out on top.
CHD Scout Prediction
California Baptist
70
Utah Valley
76
The CHD Scout prediction has Utah Valley winning by 5.9 points, with a 69.5% win probability, and this is likely due to the Wolverines' strong offense, which has been averaging 76 points per game over their last five contests. The Wolverines have also been playing well at home, with a 12-1 record at the UCCU Center, and this will likely give them an edge in this matchup. However, California Baptist has been playing well on the road, and they want to use this to their advantage as they take on the Wolverines. The Lancers have also been led by their star player, who has been on a hot streak, and they want to ride his coattails to a victory.
The recent form of these two teams suggests that this will be a closely contested matchup, with both teams having won four of their last five games. Utah Valley has been led by their high-powered offense, which has scored 81 points or more in three of their last five games, while California Baptist has been playing stingy defense, allowing just 66.2 points per game over their last five contests. The Wolverines have also been outscoring their opponents by 10.2 points per game over their last five contests, while the Lancers have been outscoring their opponents by 5.0 points per game.
Tournament Stakes
A win for Utah Valley would be a significant boost to their tournament resume, as it would give them a quality win over a team that is also on the bubble. The Wolverines currently have a NET rank of 88, and a win over California Baptist would likely improve their ranking and give them a better chance of making the tournament. On the other hand, a loss would be a significant setback for the Wolverines, as it would give them a bad loss on their resume and make it more difficult for them to make the tournament. For California Baptist, a win would be a huge upset, and it would give them a significant boost to their tournament resume. The Lancers currently have a NET rank of 108, and a win over Utah Valley would likely improve their ranking and give them a better chance of making the tournament. A loss, on the other hand, would be a significant setback for the Lancers, as it would give them a bad loss on their resume and make it more difficult for them to make the tournament.
The Wolverines have been led by their experienced lineup, which features several players who have been playing well over the last five games. The team has been averaging 76 points per game over their last five contests, and they have been outscoring their opponents by 10.2 points per game. The Lancers, on the other hand, have been led by their star player, who has been on a hot streak, averaging 22.5 points per game over his last four games. The team has been playing well on the road, with a 7-5 record, and they want to use this to their advantage as they take on the Wolverines. The trend data suggests that this will be a closely contested matchup, with both teams having won four of their last five games, and the team that can find a way to impose their will on the other will likely come out on top. Utah Valley has been averaging 81.3 points per game in their last three home games, and they want to use this to their advantage as they take on California Baptist. The Lancers, on the other hand, have been averaging 68.5 points per game in their last three road games, and they must find a way to score more points if they want to come out on top.
HEADLINE: Utah Valley Wolverines Host California Baptist Lancers in Crucial Matchup SUBHEADLINE: Utah Valley looks to build on their 12-1 home record as they take on California Baptist, who has won four of their last five games, including a 87-77 victory over UT Arlington, where they shot 51.9% from the field and made 11 three-pointers.