Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Basketball returns home on Thursday night to host Great American Conference foe Arkansas Tech at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center in Weatherford
- This will be the first home game for the Bulldogs in three weeks after they spent the last two weekends playing four conference road games
- The Bulldogs are searching their first conference victory of the season and looking to snap a six-game slide that has stretched throughout the month of January
- After starting GAC play 0-6, Arkansas Tech has won two of their last four games, including an 85-74 victory over defending league champion Southern Nazarene two weeks ago
- SWOSU is the final team in the GAC that remains winless in league play, two games behind 10th place
- The Bulldogs have struggled to a 2-15 against ATU as GAC foes, with the Wonder Boys winning the last five meetings between the two programs
 
About the Opponent
Arkansas Tech (4-12, 2-8 GAC)
- ATU is coming off an 84-80 setback at Henderson State on Saturday after winning two of their previous three contests
- The Wonder Boys are the third-highest scoring team in the conference, averaging 79.1 points per game while allowing 83.9 points per, which ranks just ahead of SWOSU at 86.7 points per game
- R.J. Glasper leads the Wonder Boys and ranks third in the GAC with 18.8 points per game while Will Adler (15.5 ppg) and Alex Brown (13.4) are also averaging double figures in scoring
- Chad Kline is in his fifth season leading the ATU Men's Basketball program and he has led the Wonder Boys to one GAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Regional appearance
 
The Series (GAC Era)

1/12/12	*Weatherford	L, 72-78
2/9/12	*Russellville	L, 73-80
3/4/12	Bartlesville, Okla.	L, 58-69
1/5/13	*Russellville	L, 52-69
2/7/13	*Weatherford	L, 57-60
3/9/13	Bartlesville, Okla.	L, 51-56
1/4/14	*Weatherford	W, 63-38
2/6/14	*Russellville	L, 77-85
12/17/14	*Russellville	L, 65-69
2/5/15	*Weatherford	L, 65-69
3/7/15	Bartlesville, Okla.	L, 74-85
11/19/15	*Weatherford	W, 88-63
1/28/16	*Russellville	L, 78-82
11/17/16	*Russellville	L, 67-84
1/28/17	*Weatherford	L, 87-98
11/30/17	*Russellville	L, 81-88
2/3/18	*Weatherford	L, 81-90
All-Time: ATU Leads 20-10
NCAA Era: ATU Leads 19-8
in Weatherford: SWOSU Leads 7-6
in Russellville: ATU Leads 10-1
Neutral Site: ATU Leads 4-2
GAC Era: ATU Leads 15-2
at Pioneer Cellular Event Center: ATU Leads 3-1

 
SWOSU Notes
- Nick Shoemaker moved to the top of SWOSU's all-time three-pointers made list on Saturday, hitting 3-of-7 attempts from long range to pass Clarke Hale (182; 2006-09) for the record
- Shoemaker has now hit 185 three-pointers in his career, including 22 this season while shooting 36.7% (22-of-60) from downtown
- Kamden Gipson led the Bulldogs in scoring for the second straight game on Saturday, posting 18 points and seven assists in 31 minutes of action at Southeastern
- Gipson has moved into the starting lineup for seven of the last eight games and he's averaging 7.3 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game during his freshman season
- The GAC's leading scorer, Tre Evans, was limited to 12.8 points per game on 27.7% (13-of-47) shooting during SWOSU's four-game road trip
- During that four-game stretch, Evans saw his scoring average drop from 25.0 points per game to 21.7, which remains the highest scoring total among players in the GAC
- Daniel Eibel knocked down 11-of-37 (32.4%) three-point attempts over the last four games and he's tied with Evans for the team lead with 25 made threes this season
- Chris Braggs, Jr., has been elevated to the starting lineup for the last six games and he's now SWOSU's second-leading scorer with 7.9 points per game this season
- Phill Baker posted a career-high with four points in four minutes at Southeastern while also hauling in two rebounds
- After being blanked in three straight games, Cheikh Fall finished the road trip strong with seven points and six rebounds in 16 minutes of action against Southeastern
 
Looking Ahead
- On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs are back at home to host Harding inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, with tip time set for 1:00 pm
- The following weekend brings another trip to Arkansas as SWOSU will face Southern Arkansas (Jan. 31) and Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 2) to conclude the season series with each opponent