Preview: California Baptist Looks to Rebound at Texas-Arlington in WAC Opener ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — A pair of Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball teams looking to start the new year on a positive note will meet Thursday when California Baptist visits Texas-Arlington at College Park Center. The Lancers (10-4) enter conference play seeking to bounce back from a 73-66 road loss at Utah Valley on Monday. California Baptist had won three straight prior to that defeat, including an 88-83 victory at Eastern Washington on Dec. 12. Guard Martel Williams has been a consistent force for the Lancers, averaging 13.4 points over his last seven games. He scored 23 points in the win at Eastern Washington and logged 40 minutes in two of those contests. In Monday’s loss, Dominique Daniels led the team with 17 points. Texas-Arlington (8-5) also looks to shake off a recent home loss, falling 69-63 to Tarleton State on Monday. The Mavericks had won two of their previous three, including a 69-57 victory at Oral Roberts. Raysean Seamster is a key player for UTA, averaging 8.8 points. He has played significant minutes, including 41 in an overtime win at Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Dec. 11. The matchup features a contrast in recent performance. California Baptist has shown a potent offense, scoring 85 points in a narrow loss at Utah and 88 at Eastern Washington. Texas-Arlington has relied more on defense, holding opponents under 70 points in six of its eight wins. This game marks the conference opener for both teams. California Baptist will continue its Texas road trip at Tarleton State on Saturday. Texas-Arlington travels to face Southern Utah on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST Thursday.