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SWOSU (2-1, 0-0 GAC) at Harding (2-1, 0-0 GAC) Saturday, November 21, 3:00 pm Searcy, Ark. (Rhodes Field House) Live Stats  |  Watch Live  |  Live Audio SWOSU Game Notes (pdf)

Setting the Stage
- Great American Conference play tips off for the SWOSU Men's Basketball team on Saturday afternoon as they visit historic Rhodes Field House in Searcy, Ark., to take on Harding
- SWOSU is 0-3 in their previous trips to Harding as a GAC member and the Bisons swept the Bulldogs last season
- The Bulldogs come into the game at 2-1 after splitting last weekend at the SBU Classic and defeating Southwestern Christian 74-71 on Tuesday at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center
- SWOSU is 2-1 in their GAC opener since joining the conference, including victories in both of the past two seasons
 
The Opponent
Harding (2-1, 0-0 GAC)
- Enter the game with a record matching the Bulldogs at 2-1 after victories over Champion Baptist and Northeastern State and a defeat against Christian Brothers
- All three of their games have been played on their home court at Rhodes Field House
- Ranked third in the GAC in scoring with an average of 85.3 points per game behind Andras Kavas at 18.0 ppg
- Shooting 40.0% (32-for-80) from 3-point range with five players that have hit at least four triples
- Swept SWOSU last season after the team's split their home-and-home series in the first two years of the GAC's existence
- Kavas is also the team's leading rebounder with 9.0 per game as the Bisons are outrebounding their opponents by nearly seven boards per contest
- Other top scoring threats include Johnthan McGee (13.3 ppg), Blake McNair (12.3) and Will Francis (12.0)
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (19-11, 2nd season)
- Bob Battisti was named the 14th head men's basketball coach in SWOSU history prior to last season after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Oklahoma Christian University
- Battisti led the Bulldogs to a 17-10 record in his first season, marking a five-win improvement from the previous season
- Three players earned All-GAC distinction in Battisti's first season at SWOSU, including GAC Player of the Year Rod Camphor and Defensive Player of the Year Michael Bradley
- SWOSU committed the fewest turnovers in NCAA Division II in Battisti's first season with 243, an average of just 9.0 per game
- Previously spent 25 years at Northwestern Oklahoma State, coaching the men's basketball team for 21 seasons before taking over as the school's athletic director
- In 25 years as a head coach, Battisti has a career record of 428-307 (.582)
 
Harding: Jeff Morgan (366-238, 22nd season)
- Longest-tenured head coach in the Great American Conference as he is into his 22nd season as the Bisons head coach
- Has led Harding to consecutive berths in the NCAA Division II Tournament and six overall postseason appearances, including the 1996 NAIA National Tournament
- Prior to coming to Harding, served as the head coach at West Texas A&M for the 1992-93 season
- Led HU to five 20-win seasons, including two in the past three seasons
- Played at York College before finishing his career playing at West Texas A&M for two seasons, earning Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors
 
Last Time Out
- Despite being outscored 43-32 in the second half, SWOSU held off Southwestern Christian for a 74-71 victory in their home opener
- The Bulldogs opened up a 16-point lead in the first half before going to the break holding a 42-28 advantage
- SCU went on a 21-4 run early in the second half to take the lead, one they would hold until the final minutes
- Martell Collins tied the game at 64-64 with an old-fashioned three-point play and the Bulldogs would not trail again, hitting 8-of-10 free throws down the stretch
- Collins scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Trent Washington (12) and Ayo Ojo (11) also reached double figures
 
Checking the Standings
- Three Great American Conference games were played on Thursday with Southern Nazarene, East Central and Henderson State opening up conference play at 1-0
- SWOSU and Harding enter with matching 2-1 records as both will be playing their GAC opener on Saturday
- Just two teams - Southern Nazarene and Ouachita Baptist - enter the weekend without having suffered a conference defeat
 
SWOSU Notes
- Martell Collins is leading the Bulldogs and tied for second in the GAC with an average of 21.7 points per game through three games
- Collins is also SWOSU's leading rebounder with 24 (8.0/game)
- Trent Washington is averaging 12.0 points per game and has dished out a team-best nine assists (3.0/game) and recorded a team-best six steals (2.0/game)
- Kenyan Borders ranks third on the team with 11.0 points per game and he's hit 12-of-13 (92.3%) free throws to date
- Mark Braden made his first start of the season against Southwestern Christian and he grabbed a season-best five rebounds in 14 minutes of action
- After being held to two points in each of the first two games, Ayo Ojo scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the home opener against SCU
- Emeche Wells has started all three games and is one of four players for SWOSU logging an average over 30 minutes per game. Wells is averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs
- Richard McCalop notched season-bests of five points and five rebounds against SCU while logging a season-high 19 minutes
- SWOSU ranks 10th in the GAC in scoring offense with 66.7 points per game, but they are second in scoring defense by holding opponents to 63.3 points per game
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU hosts Central Oklahoma on Tuesday for a crucial regional matchup before heading to Goodwell on Saturday to face Panhandle State