DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State returns to the Bloomer Sullivan Arena to host Harding and Arkansas Tech. The Savage Storm opens the week with the Bisons on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and will later face the Wonder Boys on Saturday at 3 p.m.
STORM WATCH
Southeastern (4-10, 2-6) split last week's road contests in the Natural State, picking up its second conference win of the season at Arkansas-Monticello. The Storm avenged an 80-62 defeat versus Southern Arkansas two days before with a second-half rally against the Boll Weevils 62-58.
Robert Briley paced the scoring over the two games as he strung together back-to-back double-figure point games for 25 points, including a high of 14 versus SAU. The Wright City, Okla. native ranks third on the team in points per game with 10.7 and is one of four players averaging double-digit points per game. Additionally, Briley helps lead the second-best team at the glass with 7.9 rebounds per game, while the Storm are averaging 37.2 as a unit.
Landon Condiff and
Daniel Halldorsson helped chipped in with the scoring over the two games, as Condiff tallied a team-high 16 points versus SAU, and Halldorsson recorded another 16 against UAM. Both players average double-digit points a contest this season, with Condiff at 12.8 and Halldorsson at 10.3, while also dishing out a team-high 6.7 assists per game. Rounding out the scoring,
DJ Dill leads the team with 14.5 points per game.
Statistically, the Storm averages 78.6 points per game, which ranks fourth among the GAC, and shoots the ball at a 46.6 percent clip from the field and 36.1 percent mark from the three-point line. However, turnovers and defense have undone SE at times this season, as the blue-and-gold are tied for the most turnovers per game (13.5) in the league and allow the second-most points per game (81.4).
In the first game of the week, Southeastern and Harding meet each other for the 28
th time on Thursday. SE leads the series 15-12, including wins in the last three contests versus the Bisons, and holds a 9-2 record at home all-time. When SE and Arkansas Tech take the court on Saturday, it will be the 41
st the two sides have met. ATU has a slight edge in the series 22-18 after they split last season's regular season games.
PREVIEWING HARDING
After opening conference play with a loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State, Harding has won five of its last seven league games and sits 5-3 in the GAC standings and 9-5 overall. The Bisons split their most recent games, handing Southern Nazarene its first conference loss before falling to Oklahoma Baptist.
HU recently had a player named GAC Defensive Player of the Week in Wesley Booker, who totaled 20 rebounds, six blocks and three steals against SNU and OKBU. The senior forward ranks second in blocks this season across the GAC, with 1.5 per game for 21 total denials. The Bisons have three players averaging over 14.0 points per game, led by Rylie Marshall with 15.9 and Keyln McBride and Sam Smith with 14.9 and 14.7 points per game, respectively.
PREVIEWING ARKANSAS TECH
Arkansas Tech (6-8, 3-5) sits middle of the pack in the league standings at 3-5, closing in on the halfway point. Like Harding, the Wonder Boys gave Oklahoma Baptist its first GAC loss this season in a 63-61 victory but would lose a close contest to SNU 60-55.
ATU owns one of the best defenses in the conference, with opponents averaging 66.3 points per game. In the Wonders Boy's three conference wins, teams averaged 51.0 points per game, and ATU's stout defense held UAM to just 33 total points. On the other end, points have not come easy for Arkansas Tech, as they rank 11
th in scoring with 67.4 points per game. Cassius Brooks paces the efforts with 17.9 points per game and is the only player with over double-figure points in a contest.
