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Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Men's Basketball returns from the holiday break to host Randall University on Saturday afternoon in their final game of the 2017 calendar year
- The contest will mark the first game for interim head coach Kris Johnson, who will lead the Bulldogs for the remainder of the 2017-18 season following the retirement of Bob Battisti
- Tipoff for Saturday's game is set for 3:00 pm in the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, where SWOSU is winless this season following a last-second loss to Panhandle State on December 8th
- SWOSU and Randall have faced off four times over the past five seasons, with the Bulldogs earning a victory each time, including a 91-83 win last year on New Years Eve
 
The Opponent
Randall (6-9)
- The Saints have faced a difficult schedule this season and currently have a record of 6-9 with an NCAA Division II victory over St. Mary's (Texas) to their credit
- Randall (formerly Hillsdale Baptist) has won the past two NCCAA National Championships under the direction of coach Mark Berokoff
- Randall is averaging 82.7 points per game for the year, with Xavier Hunter leading the way by putting up 20.2 points per contest this season
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Kris Johnson (0-0, 1st season) * Interim
- Named the interim head coach at SWOSU for the remainder of the 2017-18 season on December 13 following the retirement of head coach Bob Battisti
- Now in his seventh season as an assistant coach at SWOSU, including the last four-plus years as the lead assistant to Battisti
- A native of Kansas City, Mo., Johnson came to SWOSU following a four-year playing career at Northwestern Oklahoma State
 
Randall: Mark Berokoff (6th season)
- Has led Randall (then Hillsdale Baptist) to back-to-back NCCAA National Championships, claiming the 2017 title with a 90-76 win over Kentucky Christian this past March
- In his sixth season leading the Saints after one year as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Texas State men's basketball team
 
Checking the Standings
- Southern Nazarene holds the GAC's only undefeated league record with five wins after their most recent victory over Southeastern
- Three teams have one league loss at 3-1: Arkansas Tech, Northwestern, and East Central while Southeastern also sits above .500 at 3-2 with an extra game played
- Monticello, Ouachita, and Oklahoma Baptist sit even at 2-2 followed by SWOSU and Henderson State with one win apiece at 1-3
- Rounding out the GAC rankings is Southern Arkansas and Harding who both are yet to win a conference matchup at 0-4
 
The Series
Date                Location         Score
12/30/2013      Weatherford    W 106-86
12/6/2014        Weatherford    W 82-81
1/2/2016          Weatherford    W 92-75
12/31/2016      Weatherford    W 91-83
 
NCAA Division II Era: SWOSU leads 4-0
In Weatherford: SWOSU leads 4-0
In Moore: No Meetings
 
SWOSU Notes
- Charles Beauregard, Jr. leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 17.2 points per game after posting 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting against Panhandle State the last time out
- Beauregard has scored at least 10 points in eight-of-nine games this season, with more than 20 points in three of the last five games
- Jerry Hurt was held below his average by OPSU, scoring eight points off the bench, and he now averages 12.7 points per game for the year
- Beauregard set new season highs with 12 rebounds and seven assists against Panhandle State, recording his first double-double as a Bulldog in the process
- Justin King came off the bench against OPSU to finish with 16 points, his second-highest scoring effort of the season, two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes of action
- SWOSU is currently 10th in the GAC rankings for scoring offense (72.3 ppg) and ninth in scoring defense (77.9 ppg)
- Nick Shoemaker has emerged into the Bulldogs top three-point shooting threat, knocking down at least one three in each game this season and shooting 18-for-44 (40.9%) from long range to date
 
Looking Ahead
- The Bulldogs have three consecutive conference home games to open the 2018 calendar year, beginning on Thursday (Jan. 4) against Arkansas-Monticello
- On Saturday (Jan. 6), SWOSU welcomes Southern Arkansas to the Pioneer Cellular Event Center before East Central comes to Weatherford next Thursday (Jan. 11)