SWOSU (5-2, 2-0 GAC) at Southern Nazarene (6-1, 3-0 GAC)

Saturday, Dec. 14 • 3:00 pm tipoff

Bethany, Okla. (Sawyer Center)

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SWOSU Hoops will look to keep its winning ways in conference going with a road matchup against Southern Nazarene on Saturday at 3:00 pm.  The game features two opponents who have yet to lose a conference game.
 
The Bulldogs, who are off to a 5-2 start this year, will face their first road test of the conference season against the Crimson Storm. A win would push them to 3-0 in the GAC, which would match their best conference start since the 2021 COVID season. Outside of the unique COVID season, the Dawgs last started 3-0 in conference back in 2015-16, when they won their first four.   
 
Saturday's contest is just SWOSU's second true road game of the season, though the Dawgs should face a lighter opposing crowd with both school's semesters officially ending on Friday, December 13. In the Bulldog's first road game back on November 26, they fell 91-60 to Cameron.
 
After one week of conference games, the Bulldogs have yet to be outscored in a half and it's been the second half they've shown to have even greater success. SWOSU outscored Harding and Arkansas Tech by a combined 17 points after halftime in a pair of double-digit victories.
 
It's been a group that's seen many contribute on offense, highlighted by three Bulldogs on the GAC's top-25 scoring list. Tobias Roland leads the offense with 18 points per game on 60% shooting. Eli Al-Debaran has knocked down a team high 15 three balls and is scoring 13.3 points per game. MJ Warrior is right behind him at 12.0 points per game with a GAC second best 5.3 assists per game.   
  
SWOSU also got lifts from the bench last week from Nate Reherman (17 pts vs Harding) and Kray Rogers (10 pts vs Arkansas Tech) who both posted double digit scoring season highs.
 
The Bulldog defense has limited opponents to 70 points per game through seven games, which is third best in the GAC. They've allowed a league fewest 48 three pointers and have opponents currently shooting at a league low 29% clip from the three-point line.
 
Southern Nazarene (6-1 overall) enters the matchup 3-0 in conference play with wins over Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Arkansas, and most recently Northwestern. They've held conference opponents to 67 points or fewer in all three games including a 67-44 win over UAM back on December 3. Crimson Storm opponents are shooting 39% from the field collectively so far this season, a percentage that is second best amongst GAC teams. They're also a perfect 3-0 at home this season.  
 
Five SNU players are averaging eight points or greater, led by Baron Bracey's 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
 
Since competing in the GAC, SWOSU is 3-10 against the Crimson Storm in Bethany and are looking to win inside the Sawyer Center for the first time since 2021. The Bulldogs have dropped 10 of the last 11 in the series on the road against SNU.