(Photo Graphic courtesy of Hannah Miller)
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OPENING TIP
The University of Dallas men's basketball team (15-8) will be looking to close the regular season out in strong fashion with two final contests at the Maher Athletic Center on Thursday and Saturday.
The home stand opens Feb. 19 with a non-conference affair versus Arlington Baptist College at 7:30 p.m. following the women's basketball tip. Dallas is 7-2 at the friendly confines this campaign. A strong ending bolds well for UD heading into conference tournament play a week from Friday, with it being located in Irving, Texas.
The Crusaders are 9-1 when facing squads outside of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play.
Their last matchup versus an opponent in that category was on Jan. 5 with Hendrix College being traveling to take on the Crusaders. Since that game, the Navy and White met on the hardwood against 12-straight SCAC foes.
LAST TIME OUT
Dallas wrapped up its final road trip of the year with a 1-1 split by defeating Schreiner University (87-77) and falling at Trinity University (80-73).
In the Schreiner triumph, the Crusaders matched a team-high scoring output for the second time this season. The previous was an overtime win against Centenary College of Louisiana at the Maher Athletic Center.
Senior Mark Promberger (Phoenix, Ariz.) paced a quartet of double-digit scorers with 19 points. Also marking double figures were sophomore Victor Garate (Austin, Texas), senior Aaron Wyatt (Frisco, Texas), and sophomore Michael Sarrat (Colleyville, Texas) with 17, 16, and 14 points, respectively.
Garate's career-high that evening was compiled after draining a personal best five trifectas. UD was down nine at halftime, but notched a season-high for scoring in a half, by 53 points, to rally a comeback.
At Trinity, Dallas was unable to slow a tough Tigers squad and ended a three-game winning streak.
Both teams shot about 43 percent, and the Crusaders and TU each poured 48 in the second stanza, but an early deficit for the road team was not enough to keep rolling.
Promberger led the offense again for UD with 20 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double on the campaign. Sarrat added 15 and sophomore Lorenzo Gonzalez (San Antonio, Texas) chipped in 13 off the bench.
QUICK NOTES
- Leading Dallas offensively is Sarrat with 12.2 points-per-game (ppg).
- Wyatt wraps up the overall group on the stats averaging double-digits per game in points with 11.9.
- Due to his stellar action of late, Promberger burst onto the scene late in the year averaging a 10.2-percent clip versus SCAC programs. He has increased his scoring average and ranks second in rebounding with 116 total.
- Promberger's efforst were recognized by the league this week with his first career and team's second Men's Basketball Player-of-the-Week. He is in front in the conference with field goal percentage at 53.9-percent.
- Senior Kym Malone (Richardson, Texas) remains in the top spot for assists for his third straight-week, by shattering the margin by over 20 separating the next individual on the miss. He has compiled 108 overall and is averaging 4.6 per contest.
- As a team, Dallas boasts the best field goal percentages, 46.1-percent, and three-point field percentages, at 40.2 in the SCAC.
SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS
Arlington Baptist College (13-12) dropped a 119-117 affair at Dallas Christian a few nights ago at Farmers Branch, Dallas. The Patriots have eclipsed the century mark in scoring at least eight of the past nine and totaled that feat 10 times this year.
In games the 100-point column is hit, ABC has gone 8-2 and both setbacks have been determined by two and three points, respectively.
A year ago, the programs tipped off at Arlington, Texas, and UD dropped an 82-79 overtime contest after rallying from a 13-point deficit. Wyatt was the lone player on the current roster to crack double figures for Dallas in that contest, garnering 12 points.
In the 2012-13 campaign, UD prevailed last at that time with a 61-60 decision favoring the Navy and White. It was also the last time these teams did battle at the Maher Athletic Center.
UP NEXT
Dallas will be at home on Feb. 21 by welcoming Austin College from Sherman, Texas. First tip is slated at 4 p.m. following the women's basketball contest.
The last contest of the regular season also will be "Senior Day" for five Crusaders. The unit of players getting recognized prior to tip-off include: Zach Royal (Chandler, Ariz.), Blackburn, Malone, Promberger, and Wyatt.
Next week UD will be participating in the SCAC Championship Tournament hosted at its home venue in Irving, Texas, Feb. 27-March 1.
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Dallas Athletics Twitter: UDallas Athletics (@DallasSports)
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