CA Baptist defeats Southern 75-67
CA Baptist Edges Southern in Thrilling Home Victory
In a hard-fought non-conference matchup, California Baptist University (CA Baptist) emerged victorious over visiting team Southern, 75-67, at the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center on Wednesday night.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams displaying impressive offensive skills. However, CA Baptist's balanced attack ultimately proved to be too much for Southern, as the home crowd watched their team take control in the second half.
At halftime, CA Baptist held a slim 34-32 lead, but the visitors refused to give up. Southern came out strong in the second half, with Cam Amboree scoring 12 points in the period to cut the deficit to just three points. However, CA Baptist's Dominique Daniels Jr. responded by scoring 10 points of his own, including four three-pointers, to keep his team ahead.
Daniels Jr.'s all-around performance was a key factor in CA Baptist's victory. The senior guard scored 30 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists, while also contributing two steals. His hot shooting from beyond the arc proved to be the difference-maker in the game, as he made four of his seven three-point attempts.
Southern's Terrance Dixon Jr. led the visitors with eight rebounds and seven points, but it wasn't enough to overcome CA Baptist's balanced attack. The Golden Eagles also got strong performances from Thomas Ndong, who contributed 11 rebounds and 11 points off the bench.
The game was a statistical battle, with both teams shooting efficiently from various angles. CA Baptist made 22 of 60 field goals (37%), including 10 three-pointers, while Southern shot 38% from the field. The Golden Eagles also outrebounded their opponents 40-39 and committed just 11 turnovers to Southern's 14.
In the end, CA Baptist's superior shooting and balanced attack proved too much for Southern to handle. The victory marked a crucial win for the Golden Eagles in their non-conference schedule and sets them up for success in conference play moving forward.
Game Stats
CA Baptist (HOME) Game Stats:
* Field Goals: 22/60 (37.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 12/27 (44.4%)
* 3-Point FG: 10/33 (30.0%)
* Free Throws: 21/26 (81.0%)
* Rebounds: 40 (Off: 14, Def: 26)
* Assists: 14
* Turnovers: 11
* Steals: 6
* Blocks: 2
* Total Fouls: 15
* Total Points: 75
Southern (AWAY) Game Stats:
* Field Goals: 22/58 (38.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 14/35 (40.0%)
* 3-Point FG: 8/23 (35.0%)
* Free Throws: 15/20 (75.0%)
* Rebounds: 39 (Off: 12, Def: 27)
* Assists: 6
* Turnovers: 14
* Steals: 5
* Blocks: 2
* Total Fouls: 20
* Total Points: 67