WAVERLY, Iowa – The Wartburg men's basketball team (5-3 overall) will travel to face University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (3-3) on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
 
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The Series
The two programs have met a total of five times, with Wartburg owning a perfect 5-0 series record. The last meeting between the two teams took place on Dec. 10, 2017 in a 72-69 Wartburg victory.
 
Career Record Watch
Senior guard Jaran Sabus (Urbandale) scored 17 points in the Knights last loss to Loras, which gives him 1,205 career points and moves him into 16^th all-time in program history for career points. Sabus trails 15^th by 39 points, 14^th by 72 and 13^th by 104. Seven of his 17 points against Loras came off of free throws, which gives him 370 career free throw makes and places him in sole possession of third in program history for career made free throws. Sabus trails second by 80 made free throws.
 
Fellow senior guard Cam Kickbush (Reinbeck) connected on two three-pointers versus Loras, which updates his career total to 184 made threes, bringing him into sole possession of fourth place in program history for made three-pointers. Kickbush trails third place by 19 made treys, second by 34 and first by 39.
 
Wartburg
The Knights are coming off of back-to-back losses, most recently to No. 21 Loras College 91-90 on Wednesday, Dec. 5. Leading the team in scoring is Sabus at 21.5 points per game (55% FG), in addition to leading the team in assists per game (4.1). Trailing Sabus in scoring is Kickbush with 12 points per contest (42% FG). Senior center Josh Gehling (Dyersville) has been the presence down low throughout the season and has scored 9.6 points per game (62.7% FG) while pulling in 5.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Max Smith Drahos (Cedar Rapids) scored a career-high 19 points against Loras, bumping his points per game total to 10.9 (42.6% FG), all while serving as a defensive presence for the Orange and Black, as his 19 steals lead the team.
 
UW-La Crosse
The Eagles are coming off of a 76-61 win over Viterbo University on Wednesday, Dec. 5. Fellow American Rivers Conference rival Buena Vista University (3-3, 1-1) is scheduled to take on the Eagles on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 3 p.m.
 
Leading the way in scoring for the Eagles is senior guard Brendon Manning at 15.7 points per game, in addition to leading the team in rebounding by hauling in 7.5 boards per contest. Trailing Manning in scoring is senior forward Ben Meinholz at 12.6 points per game, who also leads the team in steals (14) and blocks (6). The Eagles have maintained a pace of scoring with their opponents by only trailing 221-212 total points in the first half of their games and leading 216-201 in the second half of their contests.
 
The Eagles are coached by Kent Dernbach, who was named head coach of the program on March 12, 2018, after serving as the interim head coach for the 2017-18 season. He is assisted by Kenny Finco and Adam Hjelter.
 
National Stat Rankings
Wartburg is ranked in the top-100 of 12 statistical categories, which the NCAA updated today.
 
The Orange and Black are 15^th in field goal percentage (51.4%), 31^st in free throw percentage (76.9%), 40^th in three-point field goal percentage (40.6%), tied for 40^th in total assists (133), tied for 56^th in assists per game (16.6), 64^th in scoring offense (84.1 PPG), tied for 72^nd in total three-point field goals made (73), tied for 76^th in scoring margin (9.5), tied for 84^th in personal fouls per game (16.9), tied for 87^th in total free throws made (120), tied for 90^th in rebound margin (5.0) and rank 100^th in three-point field goal attempts per game (9.1).
 
The Orange and Black have two players ranking in the top-100 of seven statistical categories.
 
Sabus is tied for 8^th in total free throws made (52), tied for 10^th in free throw attempts (64), tied for 34^th in total points (172), tied for 46^th in points per game (21.5) and is tied for 80^th in total made field goals (55). Smith Drahos is tied for 42^nd in total steals (19) and is tied for 54^th in steals per game (2.38).