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Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Men's Basketball opens the 2017-18 season in Bolivar, Mo., at the Southwest Baptist Classic on Friday and Saturday
- The Bulldogs meet Lincoln (Mo.) on Friday afternoon at 2:00 pm in the season opener before facing tournament-host Southwest Baptist on Saturday evening at 7:00 pm
- This marks the Bulldogs second trip to the John Q. Hammons Court for the SBU in the past four seasons after previously attending to start the 2014-15 season
- In their last visit to SBU, SWOSU defeated Southwest Baptist 65-55 before falling to Lincoln 64-61
- SWOSU has been picked to finish ninth in the Great American Conference this season after missing the conference tournament last season for the first time as a member of the league
 
The Opponents
Lincoln (Mo.)
- The Blue Tigers have been picked to finish 11th in the MIAA this season after ending the 2016-17 season 17-13 and advancing to the MIAA Tournament semifinals
 
Southwest Baptist
- SBU returns three starters off a team that finished 1-14 last season and the Bearcats have been picked to finish 13th in the MIAA this season
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (56-57, 5th season; 465-353 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 465-353 (.582) and he is 1-0 against Southwest Baptist and 0-1 against Lincoln as the head coach at SWOSU
 
Lincoln: John Moseley (37-51, 4th)
- Fourth-year head coach of the Blue Tigers who also serves as Lincoln's Athletic Director
- Last season, Moseley led Lincoln to 17 wins for their highest win total in 15 years and won a postseason game for the second straight season
 
Southwest Baptist: Clark Sheehy (36-50, 4th)
- Now in his fourth season at Southwest Baptist after previously coaching at John Brown
- Holds a career coaching record of 218-151 across 12 seasons while coaching six All-Americans and over 20 athletes who have moved on to play professionally
 
Preseason Poll
#. Team, Total Points (1st)
1. Arkansas-Monticello, 121 (11)
2. Arkansas Tech, 98 (1)
3. East Central, 97
4. Southern Nazarene, 91
5. Harding, 83
6. Henderson State, 58
7. Southern Arkansas, 57
8. Ouachita, 55
9. SWOSU, 46
10. Southeastern, 44
11. Northwestern, 22
12. Oklahoma Baptist, 20
 
The Series (NCAA Era)
vs Lincoln (1-1)
Date                Location                      Score
11/11/11          Weatherford, Okla.     W 71-46
11/15/14          Bolivar, Mo.                 L 61-64
 
vs Southwest Baptist (2-1)
Date                Location                      Score
11/24/07          Weatherford, Okla.     W 76-74
12/9/08            Bolivar, Mo.                 L 82-106
11/14/14          Bolivar, Mo.                 W 65-55
 
SWOSU Notes
- SWOSU returns two starters from last season in senior guard Devin Pugh and Collin Jennings
- Pugh started 17 games last season and ranked as the Bulldogs second-leading scorer with 13.1 points per game while hitting 55 three-point attempts as a junior
- Jennings made 24 starts and grabbed a team-best 124 rebounds while also ranking second on the team in steals and assists
- SWOSU also has five other returners who started at least one game last season: Nick Shoemaker, Luke Lewallen, Geoffery Hightower, Daniel Eibel and Cooper Battisti
- The Bulldogs added seven new players to the roster for the 2017-18 season, four of which are expected to be in the starting lineup for the season opener
- Jerry Hurt averaged 18.0 points per game during the exhibition season and takes over at point guard and he will be joined in the backcourt by Charles Beauregard, Jr., who posted 17.5 points per game in two exhibition contests
- Projected starters in the frontcourt include forwards Jefkins Agyeman-Budu – a 6-7 transfer from Garden City CC – and Justin King – a 6-7 transfer from Vincennes University
 
Looking Ahead
- Great American Conference play begins next weekend with SWOSU hosting Ouachita (Nov. 16) and Henderson State (Nov. 18)
- SWOSU then concludes a three-game home stand on November 21st against Rogers State