Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Men's Basketball looks to build off its first ever win on the road at Harding with a non-conference matchup against Panhandle State on Friday at 5 pm
- With the win last Saturday, the Dawgs snapped their six game losing streak that dated back to November 11th -- following a win in their season opener a day prior
- Last season, SWOSU defeated Panhandle State by a final score of 81-69 in a game where
Nick Shoemaker scorched the Aggies with a career high 25 points on 7-of-11 from beyond the arc
- Since the Dawgs became a Division II school, SWOSU is 9-1 all-time against OPSU with a lone loss back in 2015 in Weatherford
- Friday will mark the final game for the Bulldogs before they take off more than three weeks off for Christmas Break
The Opponent
Panhandle State (6-2)
- The Aggies are off to a solid start to the new season, sporting six wins with just two losses coming into the contest -- all against NAIA competition
- OPSU is coming off of victory over the No. 1 ranked team in NAIA, a 90-81 win at home against Texas Wesleyan
- They have four players averaging significantly high scoring rates of 15+ points per game, led by Jace Kerr who is averaging 22.6 points and 5.3 rebounds
The Coaches
SWOSU: Bob Battisti (58-63, 5th season; 467-359 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 467-359 (.582) and he is 2-1 against Panhandle State as the head coach at SWOSU
Panhandle State: Jerry Olson (62-220, 11th season)
- Has been the Head Men's Basketball Coach at OPSU since 2007 after previously serving as the Athletic Director for the Aggies as well
- Came to Goodwell after ten years as an assistant men's basketball coach at Montana State
Checking the Standings
- Southern Nazarene holds the GAC's only undefeated league record with five wins after their most recent victory over Southeastern on Wednesday
- 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
11/30/99 Goodwell ....................................... W 88-71
12/7/99 Weatherford ................................. W 122-81
11/25/2003 Goodwell ....................................... W 93-66
12/2/2003 Weatherford ................................... W 85-54
11/17/04 Goodwell ....................................... W 56-48
11/29/04 Weatherford ................................... W 72-42
11/27/2010 Edmond ......................................... W 67-63
11/29/2014 Goodwell ....................................... W 86-62
12/12/2015 Weatherford ................................... L 65-76
12/11/2016 Goodwell ....................................... W 81-69
NCAA Division II Era: SWOSU leads 9-1
In Weatherford: SWOSU leads 3-1
In Goodwell: SWOSU leads 5-0
Neutral: SWOSU leads 1-0
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs collected their second win of the season against Harding last Saturday, picking up their first conference win of the season in the process following a last second stop on defense
-
Jerry Hurt led the way on offense, scoring 22 points for the second time this season to match his season high -- a game removed from being held to zero points against Arkansas Tech
- Charles Beauregard was SWOSU's only other player in double figures, tallying 18 points before he fouled out of the game in the fourth quarter
- As a team, the Bulldogs are shooting 70.5% from the free throw line (sixth in the GAC) but shot a season low 54.2% from the line against Harding on 13-of-24 attempts (first in the GAC in total attempts with 146)
- The defense held the Bisons to 27.3% (6-of-22) from beyond the arc, marking the lowest shooting percentage from three point land SWOSU has held any opponent to this season
- In last year's matchup with OPSU, SWOSU held the Aggies to a mere 28.1% (18-of-64) shooting from the field which included a 24.3% (9-of-37) mark from the three point line
Looking Ahead
- Following more than three weeks off from competition, SWOSU will welcome Randall to Weatherford on Saturday, December 30th for a non-conference matchup in preparation for the following week's slate of GAC action against Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas (both also at home)
