SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist (11-5, 8-2 GAC) has a massive mid-season matchup with first-place Southern Nazarene coming up on Thursday in Bethany. After that, OBU will return home to face Southwestern Oklahoma State on Jan. 25.
SNU is 12-2 overall this season and leads the GAC with a 9-1 record. As for SWOSU, the Bulldogs are 8-7 and 5-5 in the league. Earlier this season, the Bison dialed up a 78-63 win in Weatherford.
Historically, the Crimson Storm lead the series over OBU 19-14 and have won four in a row dating back to Jan. 23, 2023. OBU's last win over SNU came on Feb. 14, 2022 in the Noble Complex. The SWOSU matchup has heavily favored the Bison, who hold a 17-5 series advantage including winners of the last five.
Todd Miller and Scott Wanish will be on the call of both games for the Bison Sports Network. Below you'll find notes on all three teams.
Bison Notes
- The Bison are coming off a 75-72 win over Henderson State on Jan. 18.
- In that game, Daniel Ransom became the first OBU player in the D2 era to go 12-for-12 at the free throw line.
- Ransom also posted 18 points and 10 boards. He's the first player to record a double-double with at least 10 free throw makes as well.
- Ethan Scott scored a career-high 22 and buried 6-of-10 from long range. He ranks third in the GAC and boasts the school's best single-season three-point percentage at 50.6.
- Scott is also second in the conference averaging 2.8 threes per game.
- Senior big man Nathan Wilson continues to lead the GAC in blocks. He's got 24, which is one off his total from last year.
- Wilson also ranks second in the league in rebounds (140) and boards per game (8.8).
- Speaking of rebounding, the Bison lead the GAC in margin (5.6), defensive rebounds per game (27.38) and total rebounds per contest (38.75).
- OBU is pretty good defensively, too. They have top-50 marks in scoring defense (69.1) and field goal percentage defense (41.9).
- At the free throw line, JC Curry's 85.5 percentage is the fourth-best total in school history and fourth in the GAC.
Crimson Storm Notes
- SNU is on a three-game winning streak after disposing of Ouachita, 80-71.
- The Storm are a perfect 6-0 at the Sawyer Center this season and have won by an average of 14 points in those contests.
- Under second-year coach BJ Foster, SNU's defense has been formidable. They are 11th nationally in scoring defense (64.4).
- SNU is also fourth in the GAC in field goal percentage defense (42.4).
- Offensively, the Storm have had issues. They rank eighth of 12 GAC schools in points (72.6) and turn the ball over the most (13.4).
- However, SNU does make 47.3 percent of its shots, third-best in the GAC.
- Individually, Jeremy Golson and Stevie Strong rank top-six in three-pointers per game at 2.43 and 2.25, respectively.
- Plus, Strong is third in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.32) and assists per game (4.8).
Bulldogs Notes
- Southwestern snapped a three-game skid following a 71-63 win against Arkansas-Monticello on Jan. 18.
- In the previous game with OBU, the Bison held SWOSU to 34.4 percent shooting.
- Only a couple things jump out for Southwestern. They are fourth in the GAC in free throw percentage (74.5) and second in turnovers per contest (10.7).
- Offensively, SWOSU is tenth in scoring (68.3) and field goal percentage (43.0).
- They are also tenth (of 12) in rebounding margin at -2.1.
- SWOSU has three players that average double-digit points led by Tobias Roland (14.9).
- MJ Warrior leads with 73 dimes which is second-best in the league. Plus, Warrior is third with 29 steals.
