ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University men's basketball team begins Great American Conference play this week with a road game against Arkansas Tech and a home game against Harding.
The Tigers travel to Russellville on Thursday, December 2 to take on Arkansas Tech starting at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Harding comes to Bill Vining Arena for a 3 p.m. matchup. Live stats and live streaming video will be available for both games. The Ouachita Sports Digital Network will broadcast Saturday's home game. Links can be found at OBUtigers.com/coverage. General admission tickets will be available for Saturday's game for $5 upon arrival.
TIGER TRACKS
- Ouachita enters the week with a 1-4 record following an 0-2 showing at the A&M-Commerce Hoopsgiving Tournament this past weekend. The Tigers lost to UT-Tyler 74-62 on Friday and then took the host team to overtime, eventually falling 86-76.
- The trip to Commerce was Ouachita's final non-conference road game. The Tigers have two non-conference games remaining on the schedule, both at home.
- Ouachita's other non-conference games have resulted in a pair of losses in Minnesota to St. Cloud State and Minot State, and a win over Ecclesia College at home.
- Ouachita was picked No. 8 in the GAC preseason coaches poll following a 5-12 finish last season and a 4-10 mark in conference games.
- The Tigers are 11th in the GAC in scoring (69.4 points per game), and also 11th in scoring defense (78 points allowed per game).
- Ma'Darius Hobson ranks seventh in the GAC in scoring with an average of 16 points per game, aided by a 27-point effort in Ouachita's loss to A&M-Commerce. Hobson is also Ouachita's top rebounder at 5.3 per game.
- Kendarious Smith is second on the team with an average of 11.8 points per game. Smith ranks ninth at Ouachita in all-time scoring with 1,143 career points, just nine points away from moving into the No. 8 spot currently held by Colt Fason (2011-15).
- Jacob Street is also in double-digits in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game. Street is Ouachita's top three-point threat with 14 made for an average of 2.8 per game, which ranks second in the GAC.
- Larenz Nero leads the GAC in assist-to-turnover ratio with 15 assists to only one turnover so far this season. It is the fourth best ratio in the nation.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECH
- The Wonder Boys enter the week with an overall record 2-3 following a pair of losses in the Angelo State Tournament over the past weekend. Tech lost to A&M-Kingsville (72-67) and Angelo State (70-68). The two wins for the Wonder Boys were against Emporia State and Missouri Southern.
- Tech was picked No. 6 in the preseason GAC coaches poll following a 7-11 overall record last year and a 5-10 mark in conference games.
- Tech is last in the league in scoring (69 points per game) and fourth in scoring defense (65.6 point allowed).
- Czar Perry leads the Wonder Boys and ranks fourth in the league with an average of 17 points per game. He leads the league in free-throw percentage (10-for-10) and ranks second in the league in assists at 6.2 per game.
- Since the start of the GAC in 2011, Ouachita holds a 13-12 advantage over Tech. Neither team has won more than three in a row during that span.
SCOUTING HARDING
- Harding enters the week with a 2-3 record following an 80-61 loss to UA-Fort Smith at home on Saturday. The two wins for the Bisons came in the week prior over Ecclesia College and Champion Christian.
- The Bisons were picked No. 9 in the GAC preseason coaches poll following a 4-11 finish last season with a 4-10 mark in GAC games.
- Harding opens GAC play on Thursday at home against Southern Arkansas.
- Through five games, Harding is matching what it scores to what it gives up at 78.2 points per game, ranking fourth in the league in scoring and last in scoring defense.
- The Bisons have a pair of top 10 scorers in the league in Taylor Currie and Stetson Smithson. Currie ranks third in the league with an average of 19.4 points per game. Smithson ranks eighth at 15.6. The duo is also in the top 10 of the league's rebounding charts. Currie is second at 8.6 per game. Smithson is fifth at 8.0.
- Since the start of the GAC in 2011, Ouachita holds a 17-8 series advantage against Harding. The Tigers have won two in a row and five of the last six.