Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team concludes the non-conference portion of its schedule on Sunday with a 3 pm PT tip on the road at Grand Canyon.
The Highlanders are 7-6 on the season which is the team's best record through 13 games since the 2008-09 campaign when they were 9-4.
On Friday, UC Riverside nearly came back form its second straight double-digit deficit to grab victory from the jaws of defeat, but Northern Illinois was able to eke out a five-point win in overtime, 72-67 (
box score/
recap).
The Highlanders are challenging a number of the program's Division I offensive records as they enter the week averaging 68.1 points per game while making 44.3 percent of their field goals, 35.6 percent of their three-pointers and 71.2 percent of their free throws.
Taylor Johns (17.1 ppg) and Jaylen Bland (14.0) continue their quest to finish the season as the top scoring duo in the Highlanders' Division I history, while Bland is taking a run at the program's single-season three-point record.
Grand Canyon is 8-8 on the year, but the 'Lopes have played 12 of their games at home where they are 7-5. Their most recent decision was a 72-59 loss to Harvard which snapped a three-game winning streak.
Statistically, Grand Canyon boasts virtually identical numbers on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
| PPG | FG% | 3G% | FT% |
| Offense | 66.8 | .444 | .304 | .658 |
| Defense | 68.2 | .435 | .304 | .653 |
DeWayne Russell leads the team in scoring at 15.0 point per game followed by Joshua Braun at 10.3 and Royce Woolridge and Jerome Garrison at 9.9 each. Braun is also the team's leading three-point threat at 38.3 percent (23-60). No player on the 'Lopes roster averages more than 4.3 rebounds per game.
The Highlanders are 12-20 all-time against Grand Canyon (
view results). The last meeting between the clubs came back on February 4, 2000, and resulted in a 68-67 UC Riverside win.
