Griffins Set to Host South Dakota Schools
The Westminster men's basketball team will return to the road this weekend to open a four-game road stretch with a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games. The Griffins will play at UCCS on Friday at 7:30 p.m. MST in Colorado Springs, Colo. They will then face MSU Denver on Saturday at 7 p.m. MST.
 
Both games of the weekend trip will be broadcast live on the RMAC Network with the host school producing the content. The RMAC Network is available at RMACsports.tv and is optimized for viewing all mobile devices. Live stats will also be available during each game and links for all live features can be found at WestminsterGriffins.com/live.
 
About the Griffins
Westminster travels to Colorado this weekend at 9-6 overall and riding a season-long four-game winning streak. They are currently fourth in the RMAC standings with their 9-4 mark in conference games. The Griffins have gone 4-3 on the road this season.
 
The Griffins are currently averaging 73.2 points per game to rank 12th in the RMAC. They sit sixth in the conference by shooting 46.7 percent from the field and third by connecting on 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Griffins make 6.5 threes per outing. They also sit third in the conference in foul shooting at 76.1 percent.
 
Both Dayon Goodman and Zerrion Payton are inside the RMAC's top-20 in scoring average. Goodman is scoring 15.3 points per game to sit 13th in the conference with Payton adding 13.7 per game to rank 19th. Travis Devashrayee leads the RMAC by making 61.3 percent from beyond the arc and he is third by shooting 60.0 percent overall.
 
Westminster ranks second in the RMAC by holding opponents to 66.5 points per game. The Griffins lead the conference in holding the opposition to 39.2 percent shooting from the field and they are third by allowing 33.7 percent from beyond the arc. The team pulls in 34.4 rebounds per game and allow just 33.8. They rank second in the league at 4.1 blocked shots per game while averaging 13.9 assists and 5.5 steals.
 
Goodman leads the team with 113 rebounds and is fourth in the RMAC at 7.5 rebounds per game. Payton leads the team with 56 assists and 14 steals. His 3.7 assists per game are eighth most in the RMAC. Marcus Bryce blocks 1.7 shots per game to place second in the RMAC with Goodman sitting fourth at 1.5 blocks per game.
 
Count on 10
In this 18th season of the current era of men's basketball, Westminster teams have recorded a double-digit win total every season. They have recorded a winning record in every year except two (1999-00 and 2014-15) with 12 seasons recording at least 20 wins. There have been 34 seasons with 10-plus wins in the 40 years of program history, including 30 winning seasons.
 
Win with Defense
The Griffins enter the weekend second in the RMAC by allowing just 66.5 points per game. They have held three straight opponents under 60 points and they have given up 70 points in a game just four times. Westminster leads the RMAC by holding opponents to 39.2 percent shooting and they are third with opponents shooting 33.7 percent from three. The Griffins have held the past five opponents below 40 percent shooting and they are second in the RMAC by blocking 4.1 shots per game.
 
Block Party
Westminster has tallied 62 blocked shots as a team this season with multiple blocks in all but two games this season. The 62 blocks rank as the seventh most for a single season in team history and the average of 4.1 per game that ranks second in the RMAC would set a new school record. The team is on pace to notch 99 blocks and set a new school record. The duo of Marcus Bryce and Dayon Goodman have totaled 43 of the team's blocks and they are second and fourth in the conference in blocked shots respectively.
 
Goodman is Good, Man
Junior Dayon Goodman leads the Griffins in scoring at 15.3 points per game and he has scored in double figures 11 times this season. Goodman is fourth in the RMAC by grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game and is one of just two players in the conference to rank in the top-15 in by scoring and rebounding. His three 20-point outing lead the team and he was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on January 16 after leading the Griffins to a road sweep at Chadron State and Regis.
 
Mr. Everything
Zerrion Payton continues to have a hand in everything the Griffins do this season. The senior is second on the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game and he is third by grabbing 4.7 rebounds per night. Payton has scored in double figures a team-best 12 times on the year and led the team in scoring six times. He also leads the team with 56 assists and is eighth in the RMAC at 3.7 assists per game. Payton ranks 12th in team history with 169 career assists and his 4.51 defensive rebounds per game are second most in school history.
 
Opponent Info: UCCS
• UCCS is 8-11 overall this season and they are 6-3 at home.
• The Mountain Lions are tied for seventh in the RMAC at 7-7.
• TreShawn Wilford leads the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game.
• Westminster is 2-1 all-time in the series and 1-0 on the road.
• the teams split two games last season with each winning on the road.
 
Opponent Info: MSU Denver
• MSU Denver enters Saturday at 12-8 and losers of four of six.
• The Roadrunners are 8-6 in RMAC play to sit in the fifth position.
• Cameron Williams averages 15.1 points per game to lead the team.
• The Griffins are 2-1 all-time against MSUD and 1-1 in Denver.
• The teams split the two games last season by each winning at home.
 
Following the Griffins
Make sure to like Westminster Griffins on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and You Tube for the latest news about the Griffins. Game updates are provided on Twitter by following @wc_griffins. Fans can stay connected with Westminster men's basketball by following @griffinbasketball on Instagram.
 
Looking Ahead
The Griffins will return to the road next weekend for the final time this season. They play at Western State on February 3 and then at Colorado Mesa on February 4. Both games tip at 7:30 p.m. MST and will be broadcast live on the RMAC Network.