FORT WORTH, TX: The 9th ranked Texas Wesleyan University men's basketball team (24-6) will take on the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma (17-13) in semifinal action at the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday. The game is set for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off in Oklahoma City University's Abe Lemons Arena.
Texas Wesleyan is the top seed in the tournament after winning its second consecutive SAC Regular Season Championship. USAO is seeded fourth in the tournament after tying for third in the league standings with a conference record of 11-7.
General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. The game will also be streamed live on the
SAC Stretch Internet Portal for a cost of $8.95.
The Rams advanced to the semifinals with a 93-60 win over Mid-America Christian University while the Drovers defeated Wayland Baptist University 100-99 in overtime. The same two teams met in the SAC semifinals last season. The Rams entered that game ranked 8th in the NAIA, but fell to the Drovers 75-73.
Texas Wesleyan leads the all-time series with the Drovers 9-8, but the two teams split this season with each team winning on the road. Texas Wesleyan won 102-79 in Chickasha, OK, while the Drovers took an 86-80 win in overtime at the
Sid Richardson Center.
Dion Rogers put up 32 points in each of the two meetings with USAO this season.
Najeal Young averaged a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds per game, while
Naiel Smith averaged 8 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists per game against USAO.
The Drovers are led by the NAIA's most dynamic scorer, Taran Buie. The senior from Albany, NY, is the nation's leading scorer at 27.7 points per game on the year. Against the Rams he averaged 22 points with 15 on his home floor and 29 in USAO's overtime win. Last season, he also averaged 22 points in three meetings with the Rams including 28 in USAO's SAC Tournament win.
The SAC Tournament is a single elimination bracket with the champion receiving an automatic-bid to the NAIA National Championship in Kansas City, MO, March 25-21. The SAC Championship game will be played at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday on the campus of Oklahoma City University.
Ramblings
- Texas Wesleyan, now in its fourth season in the SAC is 2-3 all-time in SAC Tournament play.
- The Rams are looking to make their second consecutive and 15th overall trip to the NAIA National Championship. They are 13-13 all-time in that event and have won one championship (2006).
