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2015 SWOSU CLASSIC Weatherford, Okla. (Pioneer Cellular Event Center) Lindenwood at SWOSU Friday, November 13, 7:30 pm Nebraska-Kearney at SWOSU Saturday, November 14, 7:30 pm Live Stats  |  Watch Live  |  Live Audio (Saturday only) SWOSU Game Notes (pdf)

Setting the Stage
- SWOSU Basketball opens the 2015-16 on their own home court, facing a pair of in-region foes in the SWOSU Classic, which features a challenge between members of the Great American Conference and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
- The Bulldogs will face Lindenwood on Friday night at 7:30 pm inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center before hosting Nebraska-Kearney at the same time on Saturday evening
- SWOSU has been picked to finish fifth in the GAC this season while Nebraska-Kearney was picked third in Lindenwood seventh in the preseason MIAA poll
- Both teams visiting Weatherford this weekend for the SWOSU Classic will be first-time opponents of the Bulldogs
 
How To Follow
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/swosu/mbball/
Watch Live: http://livestream.com/accounts/5503429
Live Audio (Saturday Game only): http://streamdb2web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWEY
Twitter Updates: @SWOSUAthletics
 
The Opponent
Lindenwood (0-0)
- Lindenwood returns nine letterwinners from last year's squad that went 17-12 overall and finished third in the MIAA with a 12-7 mark
- Among the returners are three starters in guard Nick Van Osdale, forward Cory Arentsen, and center Sam Mader
- Lindenwood led NCAA Division II last year with a .430 three-point percentage
 
Nebraska-Kearney (0-0)
- Receiving votes in the NABC Preseason Division II poll in addition to being picked to finish third in the MIAA this season
- Finished last season with an 18-10 overall record that included a 12-7 mark in MIAA conference play
- The Lopers are led by reigning MIAA Player of the Year Connor Beranek and First Team All-MIAA pick Ethan Brozek
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (33-23, 2nd season; 442-319 career, 27th season)
- In his third season as the head coach of the Bulldogs, having led SWOSU to back-to-back winning seasons in his first two years at the helm
- Has coached three players at SWOSU that earned All-GAC distinction, including one GAC Player of the Year and one GAC Defensive Player of the Year
- 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 26 years as a head coach, Battisti has a career record of 442-319 (.581), but he has not faced Lindenwood or Nebraska-Kearney while at SWOSU
 
Lindenwood: Lance Randall (0-0, 1st season)
- Named the 19th head coach of the Lindenwood men's basketball program in May, taking over after spending the last four years as the head coach at St. Leo University in Florida
- Has 20 years of coaching experience, with seven years as a head coach including a three-year stint at Webster College
 
Nebraska-Kearney: Kevin Lofton (156-125, 11th season)
- After serving for 10 years as co-head coach of the Lopers, Lofton is now the sole coach leading the UNK Men's Basketball program
- Lofton has spent 20 years on the bench at UNK in a variety of different roles
 
Last Time Out
- SWOSU went 0-2 in exhibition play, falling 103-58 at the University of Arkansas last Thursday before a close, 73-70 setback at Oklahoma City on Saturday
- Collin Jennings and Nick Shoemaker led the Bulldogs by each averaging 10.0 points per game during exhibition play while Markeise Champion added 9.5 points per game
 
Preseason Poll
No. Team, Points (1st-Place Votes)
1.   Harding, 109 (4)
2.   East Central, 107 (3)
3.   Ouachita Baptist, 100 (4)
4.   Arkansas Tech, 96 (1)
5.   SWOSU, 74
6.   Southern Nazarene, 69
7.   Southern Arkansas, 67
8.   Southeastern Oklahoma State, 45
9.   Arkansas-Monticello, 43
10. Henderson State, 36
11. Northwestern Oklahoma State, 29
12. Oklahoma Baptist, 17
 
SWOSU Notes
- SWOSU returns three starters from last season in seniors Martell Collins, Emeche Wells and Ayo Ojo
- Collins was a Second Team All-GAC selection last year after leading the Bulldogs in scoring (15.5 ppg) and rebounding (85 rpg)
- Wells averaged 9.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while leading the Bulldogs with 41 steals last season
- Ojo ranked second on the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and fifth in scoring (7.8 ppg) while blocking a team-best 42 shots
- Other returners for SWOSU include Oliver Willis, Garrett Hammonds and Keyshawn Perkins along with Luke Lewallen and Nick Shoemaker, who both redshirted last season
- SWOSU's recruiting class of five consists of two freshmen and three transfers
- Among those who transferred to SWOSU in the offseason are guards Markeise Champion (Southern Union State CC) and Collin Jennings (Missouri-Kansas City) along with forward Juwan Newmen (Central Connecticut State)
- True freshman joining SWOSU for this season are Cooper Battisti (Southmoore HS) and Wesley Franklin (Frisco Heritage HS)
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU concludes their four-game home stand to open the season next weekend when they open Great American Conference play against Arkansas Tech (Thursday) and Harding (Saturday)