You wouldn’t know it from looking at a map, but Arkansas Tech University’s path to the Great American Conference Tournament in Bartlesville, Okla., goes through Shawnee, Okla., and Bethany, Okla.
The Golden Suns and the Wonder Boys will attempt to improve their postseason prospects this week during a road trip to face Oklahoma Baptist University (5:30 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21) and Southern Nazarene University (1 and 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23).
Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage of all four games.
Arkansas Tech will return home to close out its 2018-19 regular season with home doubleheaders against Northwestern Oklahoma State University
(5:30 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 28) and Southwestern Oklahoma State University (1 and 3 p.m., Saturday, March 2).
ATU Golden Suns (11-13, 8-10 GAC) vs. OBU Lady Bison (10-14, 6-12 GAC)
When: Thursday, Feb. 21, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Noble Complex, Shawnee, Okla.
Radio/Internet: KCJC 102.3 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com
Series: ATU leads 7-3
About the Golden Suns: Five wins in its last seven games have drawn Arkansas Tech within reach of its 13th consecutive postseason appearance in women’s basketball. The Golden Suns are in seventh place in the GAC standings, and a 2-0 road trip this week would guarantee them a spot in the GAC Tournament March 7-10 in Bartlesville. Arkansas Tech ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage defense (.374) and rebound margin (+2.3 per game). Sophomore Jayana Sanders is third in the GAC in assists (4.0 per game).
About the Lady Bison: Oklahoma Baptist is in the throes of a three-game losing streak. The Lady Bison are in ninth place in the GAC, one game behind Northwestern Oklahoma State University in the race for the eighth and final berth in the conference tournament. Oklahoma Baptist leads the conference in field goal percentage (.434). Senior guard Autumn Avina is No. 1 in the GAC in assists (8.3 per game) and steals (3.0 per game).
ATU Wonder Boys (9-15, 7-11 GAC) vs. OBU Bison (13-11, 12-6 GAC)
When: Thursday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Noble Complex, Shawnee, Okla.
Radio/Internet: KCJC 102.3 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com
Series: OBU leads 6-5
About the Wonder Boys: Arkansas Tech is in ninth place in the GAC men’s basketball standings with four regular season games remaining. Ouachita Baptist University, which is one game in front of ATU, currently holds the coveted No. 8 spot in the race for a postseason berth. The Wonder Boys lead the GAC in scoring offense (80.5 points per game) and 3-point field goals made (13.2 per game). ATU features three of the top 12 scorers in the conference: sophomore R.J. Glasper (4th, 18.3 points per game), senior Will Adler (8th, 15.6 points per game) and senior Alex Brown (12th, 13.9 points per game).
About the Bison: Oklahoma Baptist’s men have clinched their first appearance in the GAC Tournament. The Bison are tied for third place in the league standings. They are led by senior guard Antonio Wade. He is listed among the GAC leaders in scoring (7th, 15.8 points per game) and assists (6th, 5.1 per game). Oklahoma Baptist is second in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.317) and third in the league in rebound margin (+4.9 per game).
