7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11
Abe Lemons Arena
THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University faces Avila (Mo.) in the first of a home-and-home series this season.
Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 students and free to OCU students, faculty and staff with their ID.
ABOUT THE STARS: OCU (2-0) prevailed 73-46 over in-state rival Southeastern Oklahoma State on Monday at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars held Southeastern without a point for a stretch of 4:17 late in the game. OCU shot 58.6 percent from the field in the second half.
Dee Proby, a 6-foot-10 senior from Round Rock, Texas, led OCU with 15 points and four assists. Proby knocked in two 3-pointers and grabbed three rebounds. Proby transferred from West Virginia and averaged 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Angelina as a sophomore.
Brandon Moton, a 6-3 junior from Beaumont, Texas, totaled 13 points, three assists and four steals. Moton sank all five of his free-throw attempts. Moton recorded 13.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.50 steals as a sophomore for Angelina (Texas).Johnny Stephene, a 6-1 junior from Boynton Beach, Fla., had 10 points and two assists Monday. Stephene posted 3.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists last season for Liberty.
The Stars received votes in the preseason national rankings. OCU has been picked to finish fifth in the SAC according to league coaches. OCU has captured the SAC regular-season crown 13 times.
OCU meets Avila for the first time in program history.
ABOUT THE EAGLES: Avila fell 81-77 to Lincoln (Mo.) on Saturday in Jefferson City, Mo. Avila dropped to 1-1.
Lamar Williams, a 5-10 senior, topped Avila with 21 points and nine rebounds Saturday. Williams leads Avila in scoring (16.5 points), rebounding (7.5) and assists (3.5). Kevin Booker, a 6-4 junior, added 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists against Lincoln. Booker chips in 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds a game.
Avila has been projected to finish ninth in the 11-team Heart of America Athletic Conference in the preseason. Avila will host OCU on Nov. 29 in Kansas City, Mo.
ABOUT THE COACHES: Kevin Morrissey has posted a 34-26 record through two seasons at OCU. 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.
Rodney Perry took over the Avila program this season. Avila went 10-19 last season.
QUOTABLE: “Nate had only six points, but he did good job off the boards. He is relentless. I want the other guys to follow suit.” – Morrissey on Nate Flowers' 13-rebound effort Monday
FOLLOW THE STARS: Fans can keep up on the latest on OCU athletics through several ways.
Be sure to catch the OCU Athletics Update video program weekly on ocusports.com, the OCU YouTube Channel or on OCU Athletics' Facebook page. Click here to see the latest edition or see our video channel in the upper right-hand corner of our home page.
Listen to past game broadcasts and pregame and postgame interviews on the OCU pod center by clicking here.
Know when the game is happening by calling the OCU athletics hotline at (405) 208-5400.
ON THE AIR: The game will be broadcast via the OCU athletics web site. Greg Merick and Andrew Himes will call the game. Click here to listen to the broadcast, here for the live stats and here to access the video stream.
To order the video on ocusports.com/showcase, click on "Men's Basketball vs. Avila." Then either enter a user name and password or select "Sign up for a new all-access subscription."
