Kealon Clayborne is averaging 10.0 points per game in the Stars' first three games.

Men's Basketball 11/4/2019 1:56:00 PM

OCU vs. Baker men's basketball preview

Stars end home stretch against Wildcats

7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5
Abe Lemons Arena inside the Freede Center | Oklahoma City

THE MATCHUP
• Oklahoma City University will host Baker at Abe Lemons Arena inside the Freede Center in men's basketball for the final home non-conference matchup of the 2019-20 schedule
• This is the second straight meeting between OCU and Baker. Before last season, the two schools had not played since 1985-86
• Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students and OCU students, faculty and staff get into all regular-season OCU home athletics events free with their ID
• When the Stars score 70 points, fans get a 2-for-1 combo coupon for Raising Cane's

ABOUT THE STARS
• OCU downed Manhattan Christian (Kan.) 87-61 on Nov. 2 at Abe Lemons Arena. The win marks the largest margin of victory of the season for OCU, receiving votes in NAIA Division I. The Stars have now defeated Manhattan Christian at home for the third consecutive year. All 11 OCU players recorded an assist in their home opener
• A.J. Cockrell, a 6-foot-8 senior, was the Stars' leading performer scoring 21 points while securing four rebounds and three blocks against the Thunder. Cockrell finished 9-of-10 from the floor in the season-opener. He is now averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game through two games played in his first season with the Stars
• Elie Ghomsi, a 6-7 sophomore, scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for OCU in the win Saturday, shooting 8-of-11 from the field and improving his season field goal percentage to 73.3 percent. Ghomsi also had two steals in the victory
• Rashaun Coleman, a 6-0 junior, dished out eight assists in the Stars' home opener to go with two points and seven rebounds. Coleman leads the NAIA with a 18-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio on the season
• OCU is receiving votes in the preseason NAIA Division I rankings. Oklahoma City has made 25 NAIA Division I Tournament appearances and won six national championships in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2007 and 2008
• The Stars have been picked to finish fifth place in the Sooner Athletic Conference according to the preseason coaches poll. OCU owns 13 SAC regular-season titles and 10 SAC Tournament crowns
• The all-time series is tied, 1-1, between the two schools. Baker knocked down OCU, 85-70, on Nov. 6, 2018, in Baldwin City, Kan.

ABOUT THE WILDCATS
• Baker has started off the 2019-20 season 1-2, dropping their opener versus Ottawa (Kan.), 89-78. They also defeated Baptist Bible College, 80-74, before losing to Avila 87-82
• Xavier Elam, a 6-3 freshman, leads the team in scoring average with 18.7 points per game. Elam scored 21 points in their season opener against Ottawa on Oct. 30
• Charles Fisher, a 6-1 senior, is the Wildcats' leading rebounder with 8.7 boards per contest. Fisher also leads the team with 5.0 assists per game
• Michael Brooks, a 6-4 junior, is Baker's second leading scorer, garnering 13.3 points per game. Brooks is 5-of-8 from 3-point territory, including a 3-of-4 mark in their loss versus Avila

MEET THE COACHES
Stan Holt (first season with OCU)
• Holt arrived to OCU after directing fellow SAC school Langston to national prominence, putting together four consecutive 20-win seasons in his five seasons with the Lions. During his time there, Holt also won a conference tournament title in 2016 and reached the NAIA Division I Championship Tournament quarterfinals in 2017
• Langston produced five all-Americans and 18 all-conference performers under Holt
• Prior to his days at Langston, Holt spent time on the coaching staff at the University of Southern California. The Trojans appeared in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments during his tenure

Sean Dooley (eighth season with BU)
• Dooley's 87 career wins at Baker ranks him third all-time at the school
• He began his collegiate coaching career when he assisted another NAIA Hall of Fame Coach, Larry Holley, at William Jewell College. Dooley was an assistant at Jewell for three seasons, and held multiple titles while on staff. Due to the team's success, several Cardinals were recognized for their play, including 10 named to the Heart of America all-conference team, and four named NAIA Division II all-Americans.
• Under Dooley's leadership he helped develop freshman Javeion Gray into the 2013-14 Heart Freshman of the Year honor and EJ Carter was named to the Honorable Mention All-Heart squad

ON THE AIR
• Oklahoma City University athletics provides live and on-demand audio, stats and video of its contests on OCU's Stretch portal. Cost to watch the game is $7.95 per game, $29.95 for a men's basketball season pass and $74.95 for an all-season pass for 2019-20
• Andrew Himes will provide the play-by-play. Himes enters his ninth season as the voice of the Stars and has been broadcasting OCU basketball for 12 years starting on color commentary as an OCU student
• Fans can access regular-season broadcasts from NAIA institutions as well as from NAIA Championships postseason contests via Stretch Internet through custom apps on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. Users can search for "NAIA" on the app interfaces on any compatible device, and then download the free NAIA Network app

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#2 Rashaun Coleman: G; 6' 0"; Junior

#15 Elie Ghomsi: F; 6' 7"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#2 Rashaun Coleman
: 6' 0"; Junior
: G

#15 Elie Ghomsi
: 6' 7"; Sophomore
: F

Players Mentioned

#2 Rashaun Coleman

#15 Elie Ghomsi

Players Mentioned

#2 Rashaun Coleman

#15 Elie Ghomsi