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Opponent: University of Central Oklahoma
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma (Hamilton Field House)

Bolivar, Mo. - Southwest Baptist will travel to Edmond, Oklahoma Thursday night to begin MIAA action against the University of Central Oklahoma.

Previewing the Bearcats
The Bearcats have opened the 2017-18 season with a 4-3 record. Their last time out the Bearcats defeated Ecclesia College to a final tune of 108-46. The Bearcats are paced by senior forward Logan Hovey who averages a team high 20.7 ppg and 8.4 rpg. Juniors Cartier Dean and Marlon Alcindor average double figure scoring with 11.0 ppg and 13.6 ppg, respectively. Alcindor dropped a career high 20 points on six threes in the last game against Ecclesia. Dean is also the second leading rebounder on the team with 4.7 rpg.  As a team, the Bearcats are scoring 85.0 ppg and shooting 45.3% from behind the arc while only giving up 74.7 ppg on 43.3% shooting from opponents.

Previewing the Bronchos
Central Oklahoma comes into this contest with a record of 7-2 (2-1 MIAA). On Tuesday night, they defeated fellow MIAA opponent Northeastern State 82-71. Corbin Byford had a double double in that game with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Leading the charge for the Bronchos are the aforementioned Byford, Marqueese Grayson, and Marquis Johnson. Byford is the team's leading scorer and rebounder with 12.9 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Grayson averages 10.8 ppg and Johnson puts up 10.2 ppg. For the year, the Bronchos are averaging 72.6 ppg andallowing 64.0 ppg.

Coaches
SBU head coach Clark Sheehy is in his fourth season on the SBU bench, holding a 40-53 (19-41 MIAA) record while at SBU. Coach Sheehy holds a career coaching record of 222-154 across twelve seasons while coaching six different All-Americans and over 20 athletes that have moved on to play professional basketball. Sheehy has guided the Bearcats back over .500 after starting out 1-3 this season.

Tom Hankins is in his third year at the controls of the Central Oklahoma men's basketball program after a lengthy career as an assistant coach on the Division I level. Hankins is 33-26 in two seasons with the Bronchos.

All-Time Series
UCO leads the all-time series against SBU 10-4. In their most recent game, the Bronchos knocked off the Bearcats by a final score of 71-61 on February 4th, 2017 in Edmond.