GAME INFORMATION
ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS 8-6 (5-5 GAC)	SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE BULLDOGS 14-3 (8-1 GAC)	NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS 10-6 (6-4 GAC)
Thursday, January 20 | 5:30 p.m. Tucker Coliseum | Russellville, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LISTEN LIVE | ATU NOTES | SWOSU NOTES Saturday, January 22 | 1 p.m. Tucker Coliseum | Russellville, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LISTEN LIVE | ATU NOTES | NWOSU NOTES

Coming off a hard fought home win over SAU, Arkansas Tech looks ahead to a tough week of matchups.

The Golden Suns return home this week after a 17 day road trip. Arkansas Tech finds themselves going head-to-head with Southwestern Oklahoma on Thursday night and Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday inside
of Tucker Coliseum. The game against Southwestern Oklahoma is scheduled for a tip-off time of 5:30 p.m. on Thursday night and tip-off against Northwestern Oklahoma is 1 p.m. on Saturday as both sides prepare to face each other for the first time in two years.

With an 8-6 start to the year, the Golden Suns have shown that they are a team with a lot of resilience. Their most recent 94-84 win against Southern Arkansas at home showed how elite the Golden Suns can be when scoring the ball with two players scoring over 20 points. In their GAC opener they were able to withstand Ouachita to walk out with a 90-84 win.

Against East Central, they were down by 7 at the half, but Tech went on to score 34 points in the third quarter for the second time this season to give them the edge and pull out the 70-59 victory.

The Golden Suns recently had their best performance of the season against Southern Nazarene on the road where they controlled the entire game and won 80-52. Three members of the Golden Suns hit double figures in scoring, all above 15 points or more. The team also shot a season high 60.0% (6-of-10) from three.
 

Arkansas Tech enters this weekend with an 8-6 overall record and a 5-5 record among conference opponents. Their last outing proved to be a good win at home against Southern Arkansas
as the Golden Suns hot shooting from the floor overtook the Muleriders going 57.3% (43-of-75) from fg .

Statistically, this year, the Golden Suns are averaging 78.5 ppg and rank fifth in the GAC. On the defensive end of the court, the Golden Suns rank ninth in the league in scoring defense, giving up an average of 72.6 ppg. In terms of field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense, the Golden Suns are third in the conference as they shoot at an overall clip of .438 (400-of-914) and are limiting their opponents to a .400 mark (357-of-892) to rank eighth.

From beyond-the-arc, the Golden Suns are shooting at a clip of .328 (79-of-241) to rank eighth in the GAC while their opponents are making three-pointers at a mark of .329 (92-of- 280) to rank tenth. From the free throw line, the Golden Suns are shooting .728 as a team (220-of-302) to rank fifth.

Individually, the Golden Suns have three players averaging double figures in scoring. Kaley Shipman leads the way at 18.6 ppg. Jayana Sanders is next at 15.2 ppg. Rounding out the list of the double figure scorers for Arkansas Tech is Ashlei Lopez who is averageing 14.5 ppg .

The Golden Suns are coached by Dave Wilbers, who is in his 15th season on the sidelines at Tech. A member of the 300-career win club, Wilbers has a career record of 320-101. Overall in his time at Tech, Wilbers has kept the Golden Suns as perennial contenders in the GAC, the region and the nation, winning 20 or more games nine times, capturing seven conference regular championships, five conference tournament championships and advancing to nine NCAA Regional Tournaments.
 

Southwestern Oklahoma enters Thursday's conference game at 14-3 overall with an 8-1 record in conference play and are coming off their first conference loss of the season at Northwestern Oklahoma 68-79. Their last win was at home against Henderson State on January 8.

In the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Southwestern Oklahoma finished 18-4 overall and 16-2 in conference to place first in the GAC West Division.

Statistically this season, the Bulldogs average 81.9 ppg on offense to rank third in the GAC and give up an average of 67.8 ppg to rank sixth in the GAC. In terms of field goal percentages, SWOSU shoots at a .430 clip overall (512-of-1190) to rank fifth and is allowing opponents to shoot at a mark of .388 (423-of- 1089) to rank fifth.

From three-point range, the Bulldogs shoot at a .342 clip (167- of-488) to rank fifth in the GAC and are allowing their opponents to shoot .320 (115-of-359) from range to rank ninth. At the charity stripe, the Bulldogs shoot .757 (202-of-267) to rank fourth in the GAC.

Individually, the Bulldogs have four players scoring in double figures and are led by Makyra Tramble with 20.4 ppg and Lauren Ramey averaging 12.1 ppg. Closing out the double figure scorers for Southwestern Oklahoma is Macy Gore with 11.0 ppg and Karly Gore with 10.3 ppg.

The Bulldogs are coached by Kelsi Musick, who is in her thirteenth season at Southwestern Oklahoma. In her time at the helm of SWOSU, Musuick has a 224-123 career record and a 168- 73 conference record.
 

Northwestern Oklahoma enters Thursday's conference game at 10-6 overall with a 6-4 record in conference play and are coming off a 52-68 loss at Oklahoma Baptist . Their last win was at home against Southwestern Oklahoma State handing the Bulldogs their first conference loss of the season on January 13.

In the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Northwestern Oklahoma finished 6-14 overall and 4-13 in conference to place fifth in the GAC West Division.

Statistically this season, the Rangers average 74.6 ppg on offense to rank seventh in the GAC and give up an average of 63.1 ppg to rank third in the GAC. In terms of field goal percentages, NWOSU shoots at a .441 clip overall (423-of-959) to rank second and is allowing opponents to shoot at a mark of .382 (354-of-927) to rank first.

From three-point range, the Rangers shoot at a .339 clip (114-of-336) to rank seventh in the GAC and are allowing their opponents to shoot .308 (117-of-380) from range to rank seventh. At the charity stripe, the Rangers shoot .762 (234-of-307) to rank second in the GAC.

Individually, the Rangers have two players scoring in double figures and are led by Bailey Brown with 18.4 ppg and Scout Frame averaging 15.5 ppg. Brown is shooting very well from the floor at 54.2% on fg's this season and is a solid 88.2% from the free throw line.

The Rangers are coached by Tasha Diesselhorst, who is in her sixth season at Northwestern Oklahoma. In her time as the NWOSU head coach, Disselhorst has a 63-88 overall record.