Arkansas Tech University will embark upon its first road trip of the 2015-16 basketball season and begin Great American Conference play when it visits Southwestern Oklahoma State University for a Great American Conference doubleheader on Thursday, Nov. 19.
The twin bill in Weatherford, Okla., will be the first of two stops this weekend for the Golden Suns and Wonder Boys. On Saturday, Nov. 21, they will move on to Alva, Okla., for a GAC doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma State University beginning at 1 p.m.
#18 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (1-0, 0-0) at SWOSU Lady Bulldogs (0-2, 0-0)
When: Thursday, Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Pioneer Cellular Events Center, Weatherford, Okla.
Radio/Internet: KCJC 102.3 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com
Series: Tech leads 17-8
About the Golden Suns: Arkansas Tech opened its 2015-16 women’s basketball season on Saturday with an 82-62 home win over Lane College. Senior forward Fatima Adams scored 27 points and collected eight rebounds in the victory. She was 11-of-15 from the field. Adams’ performance allowed her to earn the first GAC women’s basketball player of the week award for 2015-16. The Golden Suns swept Southwestern Oklahoma State last season, defeating the Lady Bulldogs 97-52 in Russellville and 64-62 in overtime at Weatherford. Arkansas Tech is the preseason favorite among league head coaches to win the 2015-16 GAC women’s basketball championship.
About the Lady Bulldogs: Southwestern Oklahoma State dropped a pair of home games to begin the season last weekend. Nationally top-ranked Emporia State defeated the Lady Bulldogs 72-63 on Friday, while Missouri Southern edged SWOSU 71-68 on Saturday. The Lady Bulldogs’ leading scorers through two games are sophomore guard Jade Jones (17.0 points per game) and freshman forward Hailey Tucker (14.5 points per game). In their preseason poll, GAC women’s basketball head coaches predicted that SWOSU would finish third in the league standings this season.
Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (1-1, 0-0) at SWOSU Bulldogs (1-1, 0-0)
When: Thursday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Pioneer Cellular Events Center, Weatherford, Okla.
Radio/Internet: KCJC 102.3 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com
Series: Tech leads 15-9
About the Wonder Boys: Rebounding the basketball has been the strength of the Arkansas Tech men’s basketball team through its first two games of the season. The Wonder Boys are averaging a margin of +12.5 rebounds per game over their opponents. Tech defeated Northern State 81-80 in its season opener on Friday before dropping an 80-78 overtime decision to nationally ninth-ranked Minnesota State-Moorhead on Saturday. Junior guard Marquis Yates (21.5 points per game) and junior forward Jerry Owens (11.0 points per game) are Tech’s leading scorers. The Wonder Boys are picked to finish fourth in the GAC men’s basketball standings during the 2015-16 season.
About the Bulldogs: Southwestern Oklahoma State began its season with a 77-68 loss to Lindenwood University on Friday, but the Bulldogs bounced back one day later to take down the University of Nebraska-Kearney 79-72. SWOSU owned a significant edge in perimeter shooting over its first two opponents. The Bulldogs have connected on 18-of-48 shots (38 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc while holding their foes to 9-of-41 (22 percent) from that distance. Senior forward Martell Collins (16.5 points per game) is SWOSU’s top scorer. The Bulldogs were fifth in the 2015-16 GAC men’s basketball preseason poll.
