Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team hosts the Rainbow Warriors this Thursday, February 2 at 8 pm PT, as part of a Women's/Men's double header, broadcast around the world on ESPN3. UCR then travels to Cal Poly, Saturday, for a 7 pm tip, which is also part of a Women's/Men's doubler header.
The Highlanders had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a, 63-59, loss to CSUN (
box score/
recap). It was the toughest shooting night of the new year for UCR, who made 47.6 percent of their shots from December 31 through January 25, only to connect on 34.4 percent in the loss to the Matadors. CSUN held the Highlanders to 59 points on the night—UC Riverside's lowest output since a 55-point performance at Denver on December 22 (
box score/
recap).
Freshman Dikymbe Martin led UCR's offense Saturday night, scoring 13 points. It was the Riverside native's third straight double-figure scoring effort, and he is averaging 14.0 points per game, while making 17 of 26 field goals and five of six three-pointers, during that stretch.
Secean Johnson also scored in double figures (12) against the Matadors, and leads the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game. Chance Murray is the other member of the Highlanders averaging double figures at 11.1 points per game, and he also leads the team in rebounding at 5.4 boards per contest.
Hawai'i split its two conference games last week, and is now 9-11 on the season, and 3-4 in the Big West. Included in those results was a 70-64 home loss to UC Riverside (
box score/
recap).
The Rainbow Warriors are giving up 76.7 points per game since the start of conference play, which is the second highest average in the Big West. Their defensive field goal percentage of .467 against league competition, is the third highest in the conference.
Offensively, Hawaii ranks in the middle of the pack, averaging 75.1 points per game against Big West foes (3rd), connecting on 44.6 percent of its field goals (5th) and 30.9 percent of its three-pointers (6th). The Rainbow Warriors are tops in the league in free throw percentage, making 75.6 percent of their attempts.
Noah Allen leads the team in both scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg), and has been particularly effective since the beginning of conference play, averaging 17.9 points per game, and making 54.2 percent of his shots from the field. Gibson Johnson (10.5 ppg) also averages in double figures, while Jack Purchase (9.9 ppg) and Sheriff Dammeh (9.4 ppg) sit just outside double-digits. Purchase is also the team's top long-distance threat, connecting on 37.1 percent of his three-pointers.
The Highlanders are 4-7 all-time against Hawai'i, and have won two straight over the Rainbow Warriors.
Cal Poly submitted an early Oscar contender for Big West upset of the year last week, as the previously winless Mustangs knocked UC Irvine from the ranks of the unbeaten, 79-66. They followed that victory up with an, 81-71, loss at Cal State Fullerton to drop to 6-15 overall, and 1-6 in conference.
Prior to Cal Poly's win over the Anteaters, the Mustangs lost 10 straight games. However, seven of those losses were on the road, two were to Pac-12 teams, and one was in overtime.
Cal Poly is struggling on the both ends of the floor this season. Offensively in league play, the Mustangs are making 39.7 percent of their shots from the floor (second lowest in the conference), and 30.5 percent of their shots from long distance (second lowest).
Defensively against Big West foes, Cal Poly is allowing teams to make 49.7 percent of their shots from the field, and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc. Both of those marks are the highest in the league.
Four members of the Mustangs are scoring in double digits this season, but leading scorer Josh Martin (10.8 ppg) has not played since the fifth game of the season. Kyle Toth (10.4 ppg), Victory Joseph (10.4) and Donovan Fields (10.2) are also averaging double figures for Cal Poly. Toth is the team's most prolific three-point shooter on the season, knocking down 42.3 percent (47 of 111) of his shots from long range, but he is making just 31.3 percent in league play.
Martin was also the team's top rebounder early in the season, averaging 8.4 boards per game. Nobody else on the squad is averaging more than 4.6 rebounds per game.
The Highlanders are 46-48 all-time against Cal Poly, and the teams have split their last six meetings. Last year, the road teams won both games, with UCR picking up a 72-68 decision at Mott Gym (
box score/
recap), and the Mustangs winning, 86-78, at the SRC Arena (
box score/
recap).
