Halftime Report
Cal Baptist fell flat on their face against Oregon on Tuesday, but memory of that harsh loss doesn't seem to have tripped them up today. Cal Baptist has jumped out to a quick 37-29 lead against UC Riverside.
If Cal Baptist keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 7-3 in no time. On the other hand, UC Riverside will have to make due with a 4-7 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Cal Baptist Lancers @ UC Riverside Highlanders
Current Records: Cal Baptist 6-3, UC Riverside 4-6
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Student Recreation Center -- Riverside, California
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $35.00
What to Know
UC Riverside will be in front of their home fans on Saturday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will be home for the holidays to greet the Cal Baptist Lancers at 8:00 p.m. ET at Student Recreation Center. Both of these teams will be looking for a pick-me-up after considerable defeats in their previous games.
It's hard to win when you don't work as a unit and post 12 fewer assists than your opponent, a fact UC Riverside found out the hard way on Wednesday. They took a serious blow against the Cougars, falling 86-49. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points UC Riverside has scored all season.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Isaiah Moses, who scored 17 points.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, UC Riverside struggled to work together and finished the game with only eight assists. That's the fewest assists they've managed all season.
Cal Baptist has been a dominant force so far, but they're in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They suffered a painful 76-55 defeat at the hands of the Ducks on Tuesday.
The Highlanders bumped their record down to 4-6 with that defeat, which was their sixth straight on the road. That rough patch could be blamed on the team's lackluster offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 58.7 points per game. As for the Lancers, their loss dropped their record down to 6-3.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: UC Riverside have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Cal Baptist struggles in that department as they've been averaging 39.9 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
UC Riverside came up short against Cal Baptist when the teams last played back in November of 2022, falling 65-60. Will UC Riverside have more luck at home instead of on the road?
Odds
Cal Baptist is a slight 2.5-point favorite against UC Riverside, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Lancers as a 1.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 133.5 points.
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Series History
Cal Baptist has won 3 out of their last 4 games against UC Riverside.
- Nov 30, 2022 - Cal Baptist 65 vs. UC Riverside 60
- Dec 12, 2021 - UC Riverside 70 vs. Cal Baptist 54
- Dec 04, 2019 - Cal Baptist 79 vs. UC Riverside 67
- Nov 29, 2018 - Cal Baptist 80 vs. UC Riverside 70
