8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7
Claremore Expo Center in Claremore, Okla.
THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University travels to face Sooner Athletic Conference foe Rogers State.
ABOUT THE STARS: OCU never trailed in a 72-53 thumping of Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Monday at Abe Lemons Arena. OCU outscored Wayland 32-20 in the paint and led by as many as 23 points in the second half. The Stars improved to 5-3, 3-2 in the SAC with the victory.
Corey Bingham, a junior from Lynn, Mass., hit six 3-pointers and finished with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists to lead four OCU players in double figures. Bingham records 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists a game.
Chris Brown, a senior from Spencer, Okla., scored 18 points. Brown is averaging a team-high 20.4 points per game this season.
Kavon Lytch, a junior from Brooklyn, N.Y., notched 16 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Stars, while Bryant Williams, a junior from Austin, Texas, chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Williams ranks sixth in the NAIA with 2.88 blocks per game.
In the preseason, the Stars have been picked to finish sixth in the SAC. OCU has captured the SAC regular-season crown 13 times.
OCU and Rogers State have split the four all-time meetings. The Stars have dropped two straight games to RSU, including a 92-67 decision to Rogers State on Feb. 21, 2009 in Claremore, Okla.
ABOUT THE HILLCATS: Rogers State got its first conference victory of the season with a 77-57 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State on Monday in Claremore. RSU improved to 8-5, 1-4 in the SAC.
Sylvester Spicer paced the Hillcats with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Spicer, a 6-6 senior, is averaging 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Lance Sullivan leads the team with 15.8 points per contest.
Rogers State was picked second by the conference coaches in the SAC preseason poll.
ABOUT THE COACHES: Kevin Morrissey enters his first full season as OCU head coach. Morrissey spent the previous four seasons as St. Gregory's coach. He also has been an assistant at Missouri State and Texas-Pan American. Morrissey played his college ball at Oklahoma Baptist and Oral Roberts and high school at Bishop McGuinness in Oklahoma City.
Lloyd Williams is in his second season as head coach at Rogers State. Williams served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2006-08, and helped assemble the first recruiting class at RSU that included six NCAA Division I transfers.
QUOTABLE: “He's a wide body. I think he's going to make us better. The more he gets in shape, the better we will be.” – Morrissey on Lytch
FOLLOW THE STARS: Fans can keep up on the latest on OCU athletics through several ways.
Become a fan of the Oklahoma City University Stars on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/ocustars.
Become a follower of the OCU Stars on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ocustars.
Check out video of the Stars in action at www.youtube.com/oklahomacityuniver.
Listen to past game broadcasts and pregame and postgame interviews on the OCU pod center by clicking here.
Know when the game is happening and get scores and highlights following by calling the OCU athletics hotline at (405) 208-5400. Conference scores and highlights can be heard on the SAC Hotline at (405) 878-2110.
ON THE AIR: Thursday's game can be heard via audio broadcast live from Claremore, Okla. Andrew Himes will have the call. Click here for the broadcast.
