SHAWNEE – A pivotal conference series is looming for Oklahoma Baptist this week. On Jan. 16, Ouachita, who is two games back of the first-place Bison, comes to Shawnee before a Saturday, Jan. 18 showdown with the Henderson State Reddies.
Currently, the Bison and HSU are tied with Southern Nazarene for the top spot in the GAC.
Last week, the green and gold played two close games in Arkansas, falling 63-61 at Arkansas Tech before a thrilling 74-70 win at Harding. Those results moved the team's record to 10-4 and 7-1 in league play.
Historically, the Bison's matchup with Ouachita has been a close one. In 17 matchups, the Bison hold a 9-8 advantage. However, as of recent memory, the team from Shawnee has won six of seven. The series with HSU is the same: 9-8 Bison. Over the last four matchups, each team has two wins.
Below are notes on both teams.
Bison Notes
- Despite falling at ATU, the Bison showed some championship resiliency and grit, rallying from a 16-point halftime deficit and nearly winning at the end.
- In the win at Harding, JC Curry went off, going for a season-high 21 points while hitting a pair of three pointers.
- Curry has been a solid addition to OBU this year, ranking fourth on the team in scoring (9.4) while also posting the fifth-best free throw percentage in the GAC (84.4).
- Nathan Wilson added another block last week, boosting his total to 22. That's tops in the GAC. He's also second in rebounding (8.7).
- Wilson also has top-three GAC marks in offensive (2.71) and defensive (6.0) rebounds per game.
- Senior Ricky Brown is having a standout final year in Shawnee. He is shooting a career-best 53.6 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from deep and is pulling down 4.6 rebounds per game.
- Brown also averages 11.1 points per game, second-highest on the team.
- OBU is 5-0 at home this year. They are outscoring teams by an 18-point margin while shooting 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from downtown.
- Plus, in the previous five home contests, the Bison are holding opponents to 39.2 percent shooting and hold a plus-10 rebounding advantage.
Tigers Notes
- Ouachita earned two wins last week at home against Northwestern Oklahoma State and SWOSU. The Tigers are 10-4 this year and 5-3 in the GAC.
- They have one of the best players not only in the GAC but in the nation in forward Hobert Grayson.
- He's been named GAC Player of the Week six times and leads the GAC in these categories: rebounds per game (11.6), double-doubles (9), field goals made (243), total rebounds (163) and points scored (344).
- Grayson is also sixth in the nation in scoring (24.6).
- Ouachita also possesses solid scorers in Shaun Williams and Reggie Martin. Those two score 19.4 and 11 points per game, respectively.
- As a team, the Tigers are seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68) and third in three-point percentage (41.3).
- There have been some struggles defensively though, as OUA ranks ninth in the GAC in scoring defense (75.5). The Tigers are also eighth in field goal percentage defense (45.7).
- Of note, when Ouachita has played away from Arkadelphia, they've allowed 77 points per game, give up 45.8 percent shooting and have been outrebounded 39-32.
Reddies Notes
- Henderson State has won four in a row after a decisive 96-70 win against Northwestern on Jan. 11.
- The Reddies are 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the GAC.
- HSU really likes to run, and they average 16.71 fastbreak points per game. That's 24th in the nation and No. 1 in the conference.
- They also lead the GAC with 22.6 free throw attempts per game and 9.4 steals.
- One other team positive for HSU is its turnovers forced per game. They lead the league in that category at 16.07.
- Individually, six-foot-eight junior forward Nehikhare Igiehon is a force. He's third in the GAC in field goal percentage (56.9) and blocks per game (1.21). The Austin, Texas native is also sixth with 92 rebounds.
- Junior Matthew Mayes is another standout Reddies player. He ranks top-ten in the country in steals and steals per game.
- Mayes also averages 13.3 points per game and leads the team in assists (39).
- Henderson has been very good away from home this year, winning five of six games away from the Duke Wells Center.
