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SWOSU (9-6, 3-5 GAC) at Arkansas-Monticello (5-7, 2-6 GAC) Saturday, January 17, 3:00 pm Monticello, Ark. (Steelman Field House) Live Stats  |  Watch Live  |  Live Audio SWOSU Game Notes (pdf)

Setting the Stage
- After securing a crucial road victory on Thursday night against Henderson State, the Bulldogs try to sweep the weekend trip when they face Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday
- The Bulldogs, who improved to 5-2 on the road this season, have won at Monticello in each of the past two seasons and they are 2-1 on the Boll Weevils home court since the GAC's beginning in 2011-12
- Both teams are fighting for positioning in the GAC standings and a UAM victory on Saturday would give the teams matching conference records
- SWOSU is 4-3 against UAM since joining the Great American Conference, including two victories at the GAC Tournament in Bartlesville
 
The Opponent
Arkansas-Monticello (5-7, 2-6 GAC)
- Had a two-game winning streak snapped in an 80-70 setback against Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday
- The loss dropped the Boll Weevils into the conference cellar at 2-6, but they are just one game behind SWOSU and Northwestern for ninth
- One of the highest scoring teams in the GAC with an average of 74.6 points per game, but they are allowing opponents to score nearly the same with 74.5 points per contest
- Three players are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Sharif Hudson at 16.3 points per game
- Other top scorers include Jamal Peterson (13.2 ppg) and D'Audrio Patton (10.3)
- Have a record of 4-3 at Steelman Field House this season, but they are just 1-4 away from home
- Ranked last in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage (30.1%), but they are among the top rebounding teams in the GAC with an average margin of nearly two boards per game
- Cameron Blue ranks third in the GAC with 18 blocked shots (1.6/game)
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (26-16, 2nd season; 435-312 career, 26th 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
- 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
- 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 434-311 (.583)
 
Kyle Tolin (5-7, 1st season)
- In his first season with the Boll Weevils after being named the 15th head men's basketball coach in UAM history in June of 2014
- Previously spent 10 years as an assistant coach at Oklahoma Baptist, a school that will join the Great American Conference and begin NCAA Division II reclassification next season
- Helped Oklahoma Baptist reach 14 straight NAIA National Tournaments, 10 as a coach and four as a player, and win the 2010 NAIA National Championship
- Coached and recruited two NAIA National Players of the Year, three Sooner Athletic Conference Players of the Year and 10 All-Americans
 
Last Time Out
- SWOSU used a 15-0 run spanning the final six minutes of the first half as they defeated Henderson State 73-60 on Thursday night in Arkadelphia
- The Reddies got within four in the second half with just under nine minutes remaining before Trent Washington hit a big 3-pointer to jumpstart a quick 10-2 run by the Bulldogs
- Martell Collins led the Bulldogs, notching his eighth double-double of the season with career-highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds
- Kenyan Borders finished with 16 points and eight rebounds while Washington chipped in 12 points off the bench
- SWOSU tied their season high for points in a conference game with 73 despite committing 13 turnovers, the most they've had during a GAC game this season
 
Checking the Standings
- Thursday's victory improved the Bulldogs to 3-5 in league play, where they currently sit tied with Northwestern Oklahoma State in ninth place
- SWOSU is one game ahead of UAM, meaning a Boll Weevil victory on Saturday would bring the teams into a tie
- The Bulldogs remain just one-half game behind Southern Nazarene and Henderson State and within one game of fourth place and a trio of teams at 4-4
- Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas are tied atop the standings at 6-2 in league play, one game ahead of East Central in third
 
SWOSU Notes
- After recording his fifth double-double in the past six games on Thursday, Martell Collins now ranks third in the GAC in scoring (17.9 ppg) and first in rebounding (9.1 rpg)
- Collins also leads the GAC with eight double-doubles this season in 15 games and he earned his first GAC Player of the Week honor back on January 5
- Trent Washington was held to a combined 11 points in SWOSU's two defeats last weekend, but bounced back with 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting Thursday night
- Kenyan Borders scored 16 points against HSU, his second-highest scoring night this season, and he has now scored 10 or more points 10 times this season
- Richard McCalop continues to be efficient in his on-court time, scoring seven points in nine minutes of action on Thursday after a season-best 21 points against SAU in just 22 minutes of play
- Offensively, SWOSU has had their two highest-scoring GAC games in their last two outings, putting up 73 points against both SAU and HSU
- Concern for the Bulldogs comes in their turnover numbers, which are 12.5 per game in the past two games after five straight games with seven or fewer turnovers
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU has two more upcoming road games before returning to the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, starting next Thursday in rivalry action at Northwestern Oklahoma State
- After a full week off, SWOSU visits SNU on Thursday, January 29 in Bethany