5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9
Abe Lemons Arena
THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University returns to Abe Lemons Arena to take on top 25-ranked John Brown (Ark.).
Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 students and free to OCU students, faculty and staff with their ID.
ABOUT THE STARS: Rogers State nipped OCU 80-77 on Thursday in Claremore, Okla. The Stars (5-4, 3-3 Sooner Athletic Conference) outscored Rogers State 42-26 in the paint and 27-15 in bench points, but Lance Sullivan's 3-pointer with 2:25 remaining put Rogers State up to stay.
Chris Brown, a 6-foot senior from Spencer, Okla., led OCU with 23 points, hitting 10 of 21 shots from the field. Brown records 20.4 points a game and 1.50 steals to lead OCU, ranking second in the SAC and 14th nationally in scoring.
Jeremy McCarty, a 6-6 junior from Houston, added 17 points and five rebounds off the bench. McCarty transferred to OCU from Redlands (Okla.). Corey Bingham, a 6-3 junior from Lynn, Mass., chipped in 15 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Bingham averages 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
In the preseason, the Stars have been picked to finish sixth in the Sooner Athletic Conference. OCU has captured the SAC regular-season crown 13 times.
OCU has a 23-8 record against John Brown. John Brown defeated OCU 84-68 on Feb. 19 at Abe Lemons Arena.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES: John Brown dropped a 101-82 verdict to Mid-America Christian on Thursday in Siloam Springs, Ark. Mid-America shot 55.6 percent against John Brown, which fell to 11-4, 3-4 in the SAC and lost its third in a row.
Davaughn Jackson, a 6-5 senior, topped John Brown with 23 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor Thursday. Jackson leads John Brown with 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. Coleson Rakestraw, a 6-3 freshman, added 15 points against Mid-America. Rakestraw records 11.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
John Brown is ranked 23rd in NAIA Divison I. SAC coaches tabbed John Brown for fifth in the conference 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.
Clark Sheehy has posted a 44-35 record in his third season since returning to John Brown, his alma mater. Sheehy spent two years at Fresno Pacific (Calif.) and has a 72-64 head-coaching record overall.
QUOTABLE: “I always knew that he could score. He was just having a hard time getting back into the flow of things, but he did have a good game. He shot the ball well.” – Morrissey on McCarty
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. Get conference scores and highlights by calling the SAC Hotline at (405) 878-2110.
ON THE AIR: The game will be broadcast via the OCU athletics web site. Greg Merick and Andrew Himes will call the action. Click here to listen to the broadcast, here for the live stats and here to access the video stream.
