8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14
Oscar Williams Field House in Goodwell, Okla.
THE MATCHUP
• Oklahoma City University looks to maintain a top spot in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings against Panhandle State
• The Stars are currently tied for second place in the SAC standings with John Brown
ABOUT THE STARS
• Oklahoma City University triumphed over Texas Wesleyan 82-73 on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars (17-7, 12-6 Sooner Athletic Conference) limited Texas Wesleyan to a 31.0 percent field-goal percentage and 3-of-12 shooting from past the 3-point line in the second half.
• Chris Williams, a 6-foot-2 senior from Denver, accumulated 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Williams produces 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.46 steals per game. Williams nails 87.7 percent from the free-throw line to rate fourth in the NAIA
•Anthony Davis, a 6-7 junior from Lewisville, Texas, delivered 16 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Davis hit 7 of his 10 shots from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Davis delivers 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest.
• The Stars sink 78.6 percent of their free-throw shots for the third-best team percentage in NAIA Division I. Compare OCU with the rest of the NAIA statistically this season here
• OCU returns to the latest NAIA Division I rankings coming in at 18th place after holding the fifth spot in the preseason top 25. Oklahoma City has made 24 NAIA Division I Tournament appearances and won six national championships in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2007 and 2008
• Oklahoma City has made 24 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 first place in the Sooner Athletic Conference according to the preseason coaches poll. OCU owns 13 SAC regular-season titles and nine SAC Tournament crowns
• OCU leads the all-time series 18-3 against Panhandle State with Panhandle State winning Jan. 12, 2019 in Abe Lemons Arena 90-86. Creed Kemp supplied the Stars with 16 points and five rebounds.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
• Panhandle State was defeated by Wayland Baptist 97-87 Saturday in Goodwell, Okla. Panhandle State (14-10, 9-9 SAC) allowed Wayland Baptist to score 48 points in the paint in the loss
• Khallid Edwards, a 5-9 junior, posted 19 points, three rebounds, two steals and five assists. Edwards averages 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.38 thefts per game
• The Aggies rank fourth among the NAIA with 11.00 3-pointers made and a free throw percentage of 78.2 per contest
• Coaches placed Panhandle State in the 11th spot in the preseason SAC coaches poll
ABOUT THE COACHES
Vinay Patel (77-38, fourth season with OCU)
• Patel has guided three OCU all-Americans, including the Stars' first first-teamer since 2008, 2017 Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year, the 2017 and 2018 SAC co-defensive player of the year, a finalist for the Dark Horse Dunker competition, 11 all-conference performers and four academic all-SAC choices. He is the 2018 John Hudson SAC coach of the year
• Before coming to OCU, he spent one season as Rogers State's assistant coach and aided the Hillcats to a 20-8 season led by the conference player of the year
• Patel spent nine years as assistant before serving as the head coach at West Texas A&M. During that time, West Texas went to the NCAA Division II Tournament five times, won the Lone Star Conference championship and took two Lone Star South Division titles. His overall coaching mark stands at 83-52 in five years
Aaron Coombs (14-10, first season with Panhandle State)
• Notched his first victory as Panhandle State head coach Oct. 30 against Arlington Baptist (Texas) 87-65 in Plainview, Texas
• Served as interim head coach and top assistant to Brett Weiberg in five years at Missouri Western State
• Previously coached as an assistant at Missouri Science and Technology and Northern Oklahoma in Tonkawa, Okla.
ON THE AIR
• Watch the game live or follow the game via live stats
