LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) – The Kansas Jayhawks were awarded a 4 seed by the NCAA selection committee and matched up with the Western Athletic Conference champion California Baptist Lancers.
Here’s what you need to know about the Lancers ahead of Friday’s matchup.
Where and what is California Baptist University?
Located in Riverside, California, California Baptist University was founded as California Baptist College in September 1950.
It began operations with 42 students that fall. Now, the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 8,417 and an 85% acceptance rate.
The Lancers athletic program has only been a Division I basketball program for eight seasons. As recently as 2009, CBU was playing NAIA basketball.
Friday’s appearance in the NCAA Tournament against Kansas will be CBU’s first game in the tournament.
California Baptist guard Devon Malcolm (12) points to the sideline after a made basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Brigham Young, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)(Tyler Tate | AP)
About the Lancers
This year, the Lancers are 25-8. They defeated Utah Valley in a thrilling WAC championship game, 63-61, thanks to some late-game heroics from senior guard Dominique Daniels Jr.
This season, their 25 wins have set a CBU school record for most wins during their time in Division I.
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Dominique Daniels Jr., the 2025-26 WAC Player of the Year, averaged 23.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game this season en route to the award.
Daniels Jr., at 5-foot-10, began his college career in junior college but has since spent his last three years at CBU. In those three years, he’s been an All-WAC selection every season.
Results against high majors
This year, CBU has played three games against high-major opponents, all Big 12 teams, and they went 0-3.
CBU lost 91-60 to BYU, 78-70 to Colorado and 91-85 to Utah. All three of those games were played in the first week of December.
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