One of the greatest challenges in NCAA Division II basketball is getting back in the swing of things following the holiday break.
Teams are prohibited by the NCAA from practicing for a week as part of an initiative named “Life in the Balance,” and many teams go two weeks or more without a game before and after Christmas.
The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys are trying something different this year in an attempt to restart their season after the holidays. They will play what will count for Arkansas Tech as an exhibition game when the Wonder Boys take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Live coverage will be provided by KCJC 102.3 FM, the EAB Media Group app and www.arkansastechsports.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.
The game provides Arkansas Tech’s men with a needed opportunity to build confidence and momentum before they resume Great American Conference play.
It’s been an up-and-down season so far for the Wonder Boys. They lost their first three games of the season, but bounced back with four wins in their next five games.
Just when it appeared the team was finding itself, Arkansas Tech suffered a string of narrow defeats to Henderson State (63-59), Southern Arkansas (84-80 in double overtime) and Arkansas-Monticello (61-54) to send the Wonder Boys into the holidays 4-7 overall and 2-3 in the GAC.
“If we don’t do some changing, this is going to be a long year,” said Mark Downey, ATU head men’s basketball coach, following the loss at UAM. “It’s tough. I’ve got to figure it out. For this group to score 54 points…there’s something wrong. It’s on me. I’m the one who brought these guys here.
“I hate to keep saying this, but if we do figure it out, this team has a chance to be pretty good,” continued Downey. “(UAM) figured it out tonight. They’ve come together. They’re playing together. They had a reason to fight. They put it on the floor, believed they were going to win and they went out and did it. Somehow, some way, we’ve got to get to that. I want guys that are going to be proud to wear the green and gold. I’m proud to be at Tech and to be a Wonder Boy, and I want guys who want to be at Arkansas Tech. Ultimately, those are the guys we’re going to end up playing. We’ll live and die with those guys.”
Talk to you on the radio.
Tech Tidbits is a column written by Sam Strasner, ATU director of university relations and radio play-by-play voice for ATU football and basketball.
