7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29
Abe Lemons Arena
THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University, ranked 21st in the NAIA Division I polls, faces its final non-conference opponent of the season. The Stars host York (Neb.) for their final game before the New Year dawns.
Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 students and free to OCU students, faculty and staff with their ID.
ABOUT THE STARS: OCU (9-2, 3-1) fell 74-68 to conference foe Mid-America Christian in its last outing on the hardwood. OCU trailed by as many as 11 points midway through the second half before slicing the Evangels' lead to three with 1:10 to play. The Stars were led by four double-digit scoring performances in the loss.
Nate Flowers, a 6-foot-5 senior from Waldorf, Md., notched his fourth straight double-double in the game, going for 16 points and 14 rebounds against Mid-America Christian. He also chipped in three assists for the Stars. Flowers is averaging a team-high 14.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
Dee Proby, a 6-10 senior from Round Rock, Texas, contributed 13 points and four rebounds for OCU. Proby is averaging 13.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest for the Stars. Bryant Williams, a 6-9 senior from Austin, Texas, added 13 points, six rebounds and five blocks for the Stars. Williams is averaging 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds. He has a team-leading 2.55 blocks a game. Stephene, a 6-1 junior from Boynton Beach, Fla., put in 15 points in the loss. Stephone is averaging 13.2 points and 3.0 assists per game for the Stars.
The Stars rank in the top 10 in seven statistical categories in NAIA Division I. OCU is first in assists per game (21.2) and third in field-goal percentage (52.3 percent). Indivudually, Flowers is second in defensive rebounds per game (8.9), fourth in total rebounds per game (11.5) and sixth in field goal percentage (63.6 percent). Williams is fifth for blocks per game with a 2.70 average. To see the complete listings of where OCU stacks up statistically in the NAIA, click here.
OCU has been picked to finish fifth in the SAC according to league coaches, but currently sit half a game back of the league leaders, Oklahoma Baptist. Six-time national champion OCU has captured the SAC regular-season crown 13 times.
This is the first meeting between OCU and York.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS: York (Neb.) is coming off an 80-64 win over Mount Marty (S.D.) in its first home game since the York Tip-Off Classic started the season Oct. 28-29. York (6-4) shot a blazing 49.3 percent in its Dec. 16 win.
York was led by two 20-point performances in their win against Mount Marty. Corey Standerfer, a 6-6 senior from El Reno, Okla., had 23 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Standerfer is leading the Panthers with 22.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Standerfer ranks 12th in NAIA Division II basketball for points per game.
Dedrick Dews contributed 20 points and eight rebounds to the winning effort. Gary Matthews Jr. added 17 points in the York victory. Dews, a 6-3 sophomore from Dallas, is the only other Panther averaging double-digit scoring, putting in 13.6 points per game. Matthews, a 6-3 junior from Houston, averages 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds for York.
York competes in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference and is currently fifth in the league before conference season begins.
ABOUT THE COACHES: Kevin Morrissey has posted a 41-28 record in his third season 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.
Delton Deal is in his first season as head coach at York after stepping up from the assistant ranks this year. In Deal's one year as assistant coach, the Panthers had a 10-17 record. Deal came to York after successful high school and AAU coaching experiences, winning a Texas state championship in 2006-07 with Bethesda Christian School.
QUOTEABLE: “I'm really disappointed that we weren't on the same page at Mid-America Christian. It's difficult when you have a game like that and then you have so many days off.” – Morrissey
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. Andrew Himes will call the game. Click here to listen to the broadcast, here for the live stats and here to
To order the video on ocusports.com/showcase, click on "Men's Basketball vs. York". Then either enter a user name and password or select "Sign up for a new all-access subscription."
