Dragan Elkaz Triple Threat 2 2019
Zak Raskin
40
Cal Lutheran CLU 1-7,0-1 SCIAC
74
Winner UC Riverside UCR 7-3,0-0 Big West
Cal Lutheran CLU
1-7,0-1 SCIAC
40
Final
74
UC Riverside UCR
7-3,0-0 Big West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Cal Lutheran CLU 18 22 40
UC Riverside UCR 37 37 74

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Highlanders Too Much To Handle For Cal Lutheran In, 74-40, Home Victory

Presented by Altura Credit Union


RIVERSIDE, Calif. – In front of an early holiday season crowd on a rainy December Friday night at the SRC Arena on the campus of the University of California, Riverside, the UCR Men's Basketball team defeated a determined Cal Lutheran squad, 74-40. The Highlanders raised their record to 7-3 on the season and are off to one of their best starts in the program's two decade Division I history.

Speaking about his team's effort immediately following the game, Head Coach, David Patrick, said, "I was obviously disappointed with our performance the other night against CBU and we emphasized rebounding in practice yesterday. We want to be dominant on the glass and I thought we were tonight. I thought we moved the ball better offensively and I think our guys played better as a team, too."

Rebounding has been key for UCR – and in more ways than one. The team's ability to bounce back following adversity has epitomized its mindset and approach to the season. In addition, this year's new-look Highlanders have found good chemistry with one another and their play on the court showed that once again tonight. On multiple occasions during the course of the game, Coach Patrick subbed his student-athletes in and out in waves, enabling them to remain fresh and fast on the court while wearing down an often confused and frustrated Cal Lutheran opponent. 

"We played 10 or 11 the other night and tonight," Patrick continued. "I think our depth is our strength and when you get to Conference play and have back-to-back games, the more players you can play and can contribute, the fresher the guys are which allows us to pick up the floor defensively. You can do that and have more success when you're able to play more guys. Every minute counts – especially game minutes."

The Highlanders continue to play with a level of physical and mental toughness that is emblematic of the brand of basketball Coach Patrick is working feverishly to establish in his second year at the helm. Defensively, UCR was stifling, holding the visiting team to just 33% shooting from the field (16-48) and limited them to just two offensive rebounds on the night and outrebounding Cal Lutheran 42-22 overall. 

Offensively, the Highlanders shot 48% from the field including 38% from beyond the three-point line. Sophomore Dragan Elkaz led the way in scoring, knocking down five of eight from beyond the arc, finishing with 15 points on the night. 

Notes:
UCR's student-athletes will head into fall quarter final exams next week before Men's Basketball heads to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Washington State Cougars on Sunday, December 15. The Highlanders will return home immediately afterward and prepare to host the Lumberjacks from Northern Arizona University on Thursday, December 19.