| GAC Tournament Quarterfinals |
| (6) SWOSU vs (3) Northwestern |
| 2:15 pm || Friday, March 8 || Shawnee, Okla. (FireLake Arena) |
| GAME NOTES || COVERAGE LINKS |
SWOSU Men's Basketball is set to open the GAC Tournament in Shawnee with a quarterfinal matchup against 3-seeded Northwestern on Friday, March 8 at 2:15 pm inside FireLake Arena.
Since Northwestern began competing under the GAC umbrella, they hold a narrow 13-11 series advantage but none of those contests were played on a neutral floor. Friday will mark the first time SWOSU and Northwestern will have met in the postseason.
In the GAC Tournament, SWOSU is 4-3 in quarterfinal games, 2-2 in the semifinals, and 1-1 in the championship game.
SWOSU won the first GAC Tournament held in Shawnee as the No. 7 seed in 2022. After narrowly missing the 2023 tournament, the Bulldogs make their return to Shawnee hoping to protect their 3-0 record inside FireLake Arena.
In head coach
Brett Weiberg's first season at the helm, he has led the Bulldogs to a No. 6 seed after SWOSU finished the regular season with a 10-12 mark in the GAC. It's SWOSU's highest seed since they earned the No. 5 spot in the 2016 tournament.
Against Northwestern this season, SWOSU split the two matchups where each host team came out victorious. The Bulldogs were 75-72 winners against the Rangers in Weatherford on Jan. 25 before falling 78-72 in Alva on Feb. 15.
Jalen Johnson and
Ben Smith had success against Northwestern this season. In two games with the Rangers, Johnson averaged 22.0 points on 14-of-25 (56%) shooting while Smith averaged 20.0 points on 13-of-25 (52%) shooting.
The Bulldogs have not fared well away from Weatherford this season with a combined 2-13 record in road and neutral site games. They'll look to wipe the slate clean with the start of the postseason play.
In the final week of the regular season, SWOSU finally snapped a season-long trend against ECU by earning a 61-60 win over the Tigers. Prior to the win, the Dawgs had not won a game scoring less than 74 points this season. They are 8-0 this year when scoring 75 or more points, with another 74-63 win over SNU -- accounting for nine of SWOSU's 10 wins this season. (other win 61-60 vs ECU)
Ben Smith, a First Team All-GAC selection, ranks sixth in the GAC averaging 17.3 points per game and 11th in rebounding at 6.1 boards per game. He's scored 20-plus points nine times this season and has one double-double on the year.
Jalen Johnson's 12.2 points per game this season slots him just outside of the top-25 in the league in scoring. His 54 makes from the three-point line is 11th in the GAC.
Mark Berry is fourth in the GAC in rebounding at 7.4 rebounds per game and seventh in field goal percentage by shooting 55%. He has 10 double-doubles this season.
MJ Warrior's 3.9 assists per game ranks him seventh in the GAC. He has had five or more assists 10 times this season and seven assists (his career high) on four different occasions.
Denali Alexander has not eclipsed double-digit scoring since missing a month of action due to injury. SWOSU is 3-0 this season if he scores 14 or more points.
Eli Al-Debaran is coming off a season high shooting performance in the regular season finale. He scored 19 points and knocked down five (of eight) three point shots -- both season highs.
Mason Hart has scored nine points twice this year. He has grabbed eight rebounds twice as well. Both of those are season highs.
