Setting the Scene
- After playing in their first GAC action of the season last week, the Bulldogs return to non-conference play on Tuesday when they host Rogers State inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center at 7 pm
- SWOSU will look to snap its three-game losing streak which it currently rides after starting the season 1-0 with a win over Lincoln University
- Both of SWOSU's conference losses last week were decided by one possession, losing by three points against Henderson State and two points against Ouachita
- The home game vs Rogers State will conclude a three-game homestand for the Dawgs who will then play the following three games away from Weatherford 
 
The Opponent
Rogers State (3-1)
- In opposite fashion of SWOSU, RSU comes into Tuesday's non-conference affair on a three-game winning streak after beginning the season with a loss to CSU-Pueblo
- In the early going of the season, the Hillcats are shooting 42.9% as a team while holding opponents to 37.8% from the field
- They are led by two players averaging double figures in Baron Smith Jr. (13.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 rpg) and Tate Turner (11.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg)
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (57-60, 5th season; 466-356 career, 29th season)
- In his fifth season as the head coach of the Bulldogs, having led SWOSU to at least 16 wins in three of his first four years at the helm
- Has coached five players at SWOSU that earned All-GAC distinction, including one GAC Player of the Year and one GAC Defensive Player of the Year
- In 28 years as a head coach, Battisti has a career record of 466-355 (.582) and he is facing Rogers State for the first time as the head coach at SWOSU
 
Rogers State: Justin Barkley (148-66, 8th season)
- In his seven seasons guiding the program, Barkley has led the Hillcats to at least 16 wins each season, reaching the 20-win plateau five times, including two of the last three seasons
- Barkley has coached three-straight Heartland Conference Player of the Year recipients: Jeylyn Sharpe (2016-17), JC Hartzler (2015-16) and Frederico Santos (2014-15)
 
Checking the Standings
- After one week of GAC play, three times remain unbeaten in league play with 2-0 records: East Central, Northwestern, and Southern Nazarene
- Six teams sport even 1-1 slates: Arkansas Tech, Arkansas-Monticello, Ouachita, Henderson State, Oklahoma Baptist, and Southeastern
- SWOSU, along with Harding and Southern Arkansas remain winless at 0-2
- Northwestern has collected the most wins overall, sitting at a perfect 4-0 overall record with all four wins coming in Alva
- Ouachita has the most impressive win, coming against Division I University of Arkansas Little Rock in an exhibition 
 
The Series
Date    Location         Score
First Meeting
 
SWOSU Notes
- Despite outperforming its two conference opponents last week in shooting percentage (38% vs 36%), three-point percentage (44% vs 38%) and free throw percentage (77% vs 64%), the Bulldogs went winless to begin GAC play with a pair of losses to Ouachita and Henderson
- The Achilles heel came in the form of turnovers, turning the ball over 34 times in two games compared to 26 by opponents
- The Bulldogs got major contributions from both Daniel Eibel and Nick Shoemaker last week with the pair responsible for 11 of SWOSU's 20 made three point shots
- Eibel scored a career high against HSU on Saturday, tallying 16 points on 5-of-6 (83.3%) shooting from beyond the arc
- Jerry Hurt continued to lead the offense in scoring, averaging 17.5 points last week which included a season best 22 points against Ouachita on Thursday night
- Hurt has found success at the free throw line, shooting just under 80% (79.5%) and averaging 9.75 trips to the charity stripe per contest
- SWOSU's second leading scorer, Charles Beauregard Jr., quietly set his season best in scoring on Saturday with 19 points despite shooting just 28.6% from the floor
 
Looking Ahead
- The Bulldogs will travel to Lawton, Okla. on Saturday to begin their three-game road streak against Cameron at 3 pm inside Aggie Gym
- The following week, SWOSU will return to GAC play with games against Arkansas Tech on Thursday night and Harding on Saturday afternoon