RIVERSIDE— The red hot Highlanders (6-2) will put their four-game win streak to the test this week as the UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team is set to play two games in three days this week. First, UCR heads to CBU (3-4) to take on the Lancers in the Crosstown Showdown, before returning home Friday night to host Cal Lutheran (1-5) at SRC Arena. Both games are set to tip-off at 7 PM.
FOUR STRAIGHT
UC Riverside is currently riding a four game win streak after downing Redlands, Denver, Longwood, and SIUE all at home. In this four game stretch the Highlanders have outscored their opponents 289-202.
LOCKING UP
UCR is currently ranked No. 5 in the NCAA in Scoring Defense (52.5 ppg), No. 11 in Opponent 3pt Field Goal Percentage (25%), and No. 16 in Opponent Field Goal Percentage (35.1%).
They also lead the conference in Scoring Defense and Opponent 3pt Field Goal Percentage.
THE BIG MAN
An incredible pair of games for Callum McRae last week earned the sophomore big his first career Big West Player of the Week Award and gave UCR it's second winner in three weeks (George Willborn III - Nov. 11).
The sophomore averaged 16.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as the Highlanders defeated Redlands (76-44) and Denver (73-49) to improve to 4-2 on the season.
McRae shot a stellar 88.2 percent from the field, making 15 of 17 shots and both of his free throw attempts.
McRae also currently leads the Big West in rebounding (9 rpg) and is 3rd in FG% (.600).
R' HOUSE
The Highlanders will are undefeated at SRC Arena boasting a perfect 5-0 record. In those games they have outscored their opponents 347 - 253.
2-0 FOR THE FIRST TIME
UC Riverside, picked to finish seventh in the preseason media poll, raced out to a 2-0 start for the first time in the program's Division I history on opening week.
The Highlanders demolished Nebraska of the Big Ten Conference by 19 points on opening night of the 2019-20 season, handing the Huskers their first home opening loss since 1980.
UCR then won its home opener against Idaho. Division I transfer George Willborn III (UT San Antonio) posted a pair of double-doubles to help the Highlanders get off to a hot start.
UCR has since improved to 6-2 which is the program's best start through eight games in over a decade.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Averaging a double-double through his first two games as a Highlander was enough to earn George Willborn II his first ever Big West Player of the Week Award. His 13 point - 18 rebound performance saw a program record 14 defnsive rebounds.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Highlanders have a strong non-conference schedule that features eight total games at SRC Arena. That is the most UCR has hosted since the 2015-2016 season. The team will welcome Idaho, Redlands, Denver, Longwood, SIUE, Cal Lutheran, Northern Arizona, and San Diego Christian.
YEAR TWO
The Highlanders return for their second season under Head Coach David Patrick after a solid showing in 2018-19 that saw big wins over the likes of Pepperdine, LMU, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, and Hawaii.
The roster features a lot of new faces including three freshman and five transfers that will all be eligible at some point this season. They will join a strong returning sophomore class that was the core of last year's team in Callum McRae, Dragan Elkaz, DJ McDonald, and Zac Watson.
MOVING UP
After a successful season as the Director of Operations last year, Michael Lecak was promoted to Assistant Coach during the summer of 2019. Wayne Hunter, the head coach of a prominent UAA 16U program, West Coast Elite, was brought in as the new Director of Operations for the 2019-2020 season.
BREAKING RECORDS
The Highlanders broke several Division I program records last season..
Points: 112 (vs Bethesda 1/4)
Assists: 31 (vs Bethesda 1/4)
T-Assists vs NCAA Team: 26 (vs Hawaii 1/19)
Turnovers: 3 (vs Bethesda 1/4)
Field Goals: 45 (vs Bethesda 1/4)
T-Indiv 3pts: 7 - Dragan Elkaz (vs Hawaii 1/19)
Largest Conference Win - +23 (at Cal Poly 1/23)
THE RETURNERS
Six Highlanders return to the UC Riverside roster....
#0 Dragan Elkaz
#3 DJ McDonald
#11 Zac Watson
#15 Dikymbe Martin
#22 Dominick Pickett
#25 Callum McRae
THE NEWCOMERS
The Highlanders will see eight new faces on the floor this year...
#1 Arinze Chidom
#2 Quinton Ford
#4 Daniel Mading
#5 Zyon Pullin
#13 Khyber Kabellis
#23 Angus McWilliam
#24 Jaylen Cross
#35 George Willborn III
THE BIG WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The Big West Conference Tournament is set for the weekend of Thursday March 12th - Sunday March 15th. The winner of the tournament gets automatic entrance to the NCAA Tournament.
Last year, the Highlanders battled to a tournament birth but would fall to the eventual champion UC Irvine in the first round.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
UCR's 74-51 victory over Cal Poly (1/23/2019) was the program's largest margin of victory in Big West Conference play. The Highlanders outscored the Mustangs 39-19 in the second half holding Cal Poly to .250 shooting.
FROM DOWNTOWN
The Highlanders found success from behind the arc last season as their .375 3pt shooting percentage lead the Big West and 11 different players hit from deep. The team's 254 threes also leads the conference.
On the individual side, then junior Dikymbe Martin lead the Big West was 2nd in the Big West shooting .448 and then freshman Dragan Elkaz ranked 3rd shooting .440.
DRAGAN FROM DEEP
Last season, then freshman guard Dragan Elkaz made his presence felt in his first season as a Highlander hitting 62 threes and shooting .440 from behind the arc.
The Aussie native led UCR to its first conference win of the season tying the program's DI three point record with 7 on his way to a career-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting. He also added 4 assists and two rebounds.
1K CLUB
On Thursday, February 14th junior Dikymbe Martin became just the 5th Highlander in the Division I era to reach 1,000 career points. A tough layup in the 2nd half of a 71-57 win over UCSB would get Martin to 1K and he now sits at 1,041.
This milestone earned him his third Big West Athlete of the Week Award and DK is now the only current Highlander in the club.
