Setting the Scene
• For three of the next four games, SWOSU will be in action at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, including a pair of conference games in Weatherford this weekend
• SWOSU hosts Southern Arkansas on Thursday evening before welcoming Arkansas-Monticello to the PCEC on Saturday afternoon
• The Bulldogs are searching for the season sweep of SAU after previously defeating the Muleriders 72-67 on January 4th in Magnolia
• Saturday's matchup with Arkansas-Monticello represents an opportunity for revenge as the Dawgs look to avenge a close, 98-96, overtime loss in Monticello on January 2nd
• SWOSU enters the weekend following a 95-73 victory at Harding last Saturday and they are now searching for their second two-game winning streak of the season and first since consecutive wins over Southern Arkansas and Ouachita earlier this month
 
About the Opponent
Southern Arkansas (9-9, 6-6 GAC)
• SAU is currently the hottest team in the conference, entering the weekend with four consecutive wins after sweeping Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Nazarene in Magnolia last weekend
• The Muleriders are the lowest-scoring team in the conference, scoring 68.8 points per game, but they also feature the top scoring defense in the league by holding opponents to just 66.6 points on average
• Jalen Brooks is the reigning GAC Player of the Week after posting double-doubles in both of the Muleriders victories last weekend
 
Arkansas-Monticello (13-8, 5-7 GAC)
• Since sweeping SWOSU and Northwestern on the opening weekend of January, UAM has dropped six consecutive games, including two overtime contests
• UAM is the second-highest scoring team in the conference with six different players scoring better than 10.0 points per game
• Kyle Tolin is in his sixth season leading the Weevils and he's assisted by former SWOSU interim head coach Kris Johnson and former Bulldog player Cooper Battisti
 
SWOSU Notes
• For the first time this season, Damion Thornton pushed his scoring average over 20.0 points per game after going for 28 points in the Bulldogs blowout win over Harding last Saturday
• Thornton has scored in double figures in each game this season and he's ranked fifth in the GAC with a scoring average of 20.1 points per game for the year
• SWOSU leads the conference with 164 steals, an average of 9.1 per game, while Thornton (2.2 per game) and Marquis Johnson (2.1) are ranked first and second, respectively, among players in the GAC
• Jaylan Williams has knocked down at least three three-pointers in five straight games and he's moved to sixth in the league with 50 made threes (2.8 per game) for the year
• With 18 points at Harding, Johnson had his second-highest scoring output of the season and he's dished out at least five assists in three straight games
• Johnson is ranked sixth in the conference, averaging 4.0 assists per game and his assist:turnover ratio of 2.4:1 is the fourth-best among players in the GAC
• Anthony Love posted his best offensive game of the season on Saturday, scoring 14 points while pulling down five rebounds in SWOSU's victory at Harding
• Bralyn James also had his highest-scoring effort of the season at Harding, hitting 8-of-10 field goals to finish with 17 points to go along with four assists and two steals
• SWOSU is averaging 8.7 made three-pointers per game with five players - Williams, Johnson, Kamden Gipson, James and Thornton - who have connected on at least 10 threes this season
 
Looking Ahead
• SWOSU will play their next four games against in-state rivals, starting next Thursday with a trip to Ada in search of a season-sweep of East Central
• The Bulldogs are back at home next Saturday to host Oklahoma Baptist before road trips the next week to Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene