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Arkansas Tech (1-1, 0-0 GAC) at SWOSU (1-1, 0-0 GAC) Weatherford, Okla. (Pioneer Cellular Event Center) Thursday, November 19, 7:30 p.m. Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats SWOSU Game Notes

Setting the Stage
- SWOSU Basketball welcomes the reinging Great American Conference Tournament champions, Arkansas Tech, to the Pioneer Cellular Event Center on Thursday, November 19 at 5:30 p.m.
- The game represents the conference opener for both squads, and they enter the game with matching records after both went 1-1 to open the 2015-16 season
- The Dawgs went 0-2 against the Wonder Boys last season by matching scores of 69-65

The Opponent
Arkansas Tech (1-1)
- The Wonder Boys went 1-1 at the GAC/Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Challenge, beating Northern State and falling to Minnesota State-Moorehead. Both games were decided by a total of three points
- Marquis Yates is ATU's top shooter, boasting a team-best 21.5 points per game on 14-of-37 shooting, including seven makes from long range
- Arkansas Tech has outrebounded their opposition 100-75 in the early part of the season, led by Nick Wayman and Thomas Alexander who have 16 and 13 boards respectively
- Opponents are finding plenty of space for shots, hitting .450 from the field and .385 from distance
- Averaging 11.5 turnovers per game, ATU holds a 1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Freddy Lee leads the team with 11 assists to just one turnover

The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (34-24, 3rd season; 443-320 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

Arkansas Tech: Chad Kline (18-14, 2nd season)
- Enters his second season at the helm after taking over as head coach of the Wonder Boys after three years as an assistant under former head coach Doug Karleskint
- Directed an ATU squad that won the GAC Tournament and reached the NCAA Regional Tournament
- Has developed three All-GAC selections as a head coach, and has mentored seven selections overall, including a GAC Player of the Year and honorable mention All-American
- Prior to joining the Wonder Boys' coaching staff, Kline spent time at Frank Phillips College, Coastal Bend College and Barton County Community College 

Last Time Out
- SWOSU opened the regular season by going 1-1 at the SWOSU Classic, a GAC-Mid-America Intercollegiat Athletic Conference challenge that pitted the Bulldogs against Lindenwood and Nebraska-Kearney
- The Dawgs fell in the season opener against Lindenwood, 77-68. Markeise Champion led the way with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, and went 5-of-8 from downtown
- SWOSU led wire-to-wire in the second game of the SWOSU Classic, dropping Nebraska-Kearney, 79-72, behind strong performances from Martell Collins and Collin Jennings. The duo combined for over half of the Dawgs' points in the game with 21 and 19 points respectively

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 is averaging 73.5 points per game after going 1-1 at the SWOSU Classic
- Four different Bulldogs are averaging at least 10.0 ppg: Collins (16.5), Champion (14.5), Jennings (12.0) and Emeche Wells (10.0)
- The Dawgs outrebounded their first two opponents 77-71, including a 20-15 advantage on the offense glass. Juwan Newmen leads all SWOSU players averaging 9.0 rebounds per game. He had a game-high 12 rebounds against UNK
- Opponents are shooting .439 from the field against SWOSU, but the Dawgs have limited opponents to shooting just .220 from beyond the arc
- Champion is SWOSU's sharpshooter after two games, hitting 7-of-13 3-pointers, good for a .538 shooting percentage from downtown
- The Bulldogs are averaging 12.0 assists per game, led by Keyshawn Perkins who is averaging 4.5 assists per night. He also holds a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio
- Wells has a team-high six steals after two games, and SWOSU is averaging 6.5 swipes per contests
- SWOSU is shooting just .638 from the charity stripe. Of players who have taken at least 10 free throws, Collins leads the team hitting .750 

Looking Ahead
- SWOSU concludes their four-game homestand against Harding on Saturday, November 21. Tip-time is set for 3:00 p.m.
- The Dawgs will be looking for their first win over the Bisons since February 9, 2013