MEN’S BASKETBALL AIMS TO GET BACK IN WINNING COLUMN AGAINST LTU

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. - Men's Basketball (7-1, 2-1) will look to get past its loss to Madonna earlier in the week with a home contest against the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils (5-4, 2-2) on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Warrior Athletics is excited to welcome students and staff of the Pontiac School District for the first-ever Pontiac Schools Day, celebrating the Pontiac community and its significance to the Rochester University campus.

THREE KEY THINGS

WARRIORS LOOK TO WIN DEFENSIVE BATTLE

Rochester has had plenty of good things to hang its hat on for the start of the season, and defense has been one of them. The Warriors currently rank fourth in the WHAC in points allowed, with defensive stalwarts James Fisher, Bralin Toney, and Anthony Cukaj leading the way.

Lawrence Tech is not far behind at sixth, with several talented defensive guards, including Brandon Beavers and Blake Lund.

HEART OVER HEIGHT

While undersized on paper, the Blue Devils have several talented rebounders, showing strength on that end of the floor. After graduating big man Gunnar Gustafson, the Blue Devils have a rebounding leader that may surprise some - the 6'2" Beavers is currently second in the WHAC in rebounding at 8.0 rebounds a game.

The Blue Devils also showcase talented perimeter defenders with plenty of athleticism. Limiting second-chance opportunities will be essential for the Warriors to secure a win.

FROM LONG RANGE

The Warriors will look to continue their three-point shooting showcased in the loss to the Crusaders, where the team shot over 50% from beyond, including an 8-11 start in the first half. Rochester has had several players show impressive performances from beyond, and the team will look to maintain that in this matchup behind the home crowd.

COACH'S CORNER

Head Coach Klint Pleasant had this to say on the gameplan for the matchup:

"LTU is very good and talented and shoots the ball extremely well. We will have to be incredibly locked in. We try not to deviate much from our main tenets and philosophy, but we must emphasize how well they shoot it and move without the ball. Coach Pickens does a great job."

SPORTS INFORMATION SPOTLIGHT

Gunner Walters has been on fire to start the season - the sophomore guard is third in the WHAC in three-point percentage at 57.6%

AROUND THE CONFERENCE

The WHAC has been highly competitive to start the year, with seven teams having at least two wins. One team - Lourdes - stands alone at 3-0. Rochester ranks in third, conceding the current tiebreaker to Madonna.

Hussein Murray - RU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Hanna Swanson - RU Athletics