GAME INFORMATION
ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS 0-0 (0-0 GAC)	CHAMPION CHRISTIAN TIGERS 1-3 (0-0 SW)
Monday, November 14 | 5:30 p.m. Tucker Coliseum | Russellville, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LISTEN LIVE

TIPPING OFF
For the third-straight year, the Arkansas Tech women's basketball team will play their season opener against Champion Christian. The Golden Suns have won both matchups against the Tigers the previous two years as they look to make it three straight wins. 

Leading the Golden Suns on the sidelines once more is Dave Wilbers as he is set to embark on his 16th season as head coach. In his time as the head coach 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. Wilbers surpassed the 300-win milestone as a head coach in the 2020-21 season in a 63-60 win against Arkansas-Monticello. Wilbers was also named the GAC Coach of the Year during that same season.

The season opener against Champion Christian is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off tomorrow evening in Tucker Coliseum.

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Tech Tidbits
The Golden Suns finished last season with a 16-13 record overall and 11-11 in the Great American Conference. The team made a deep run all the way to the finals in the Great American Conference Tournament after picking up wins over Southern Nazarene and Harding in the first two rounds, but ultimately fell to Southwestern Oklahoma State in the finals. 
 
Last year, the Golden Suns averaged 76.7 ppg and ranked fourth in the GAC. On the defensive end of the court, the Golden Suns ranked 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 were first in the conference as they shot at an overall clip of .440 (1,113-of-2,528) and limited their opponents to a .390 mark (994-of-2,548) to rank second.
 
From beyond-the-arc, the Golden Suns shot at a clip of .328 (210-of-641) to rank fifth in the GAC while their opponents made three-pointers at a mark of .339 (275-of-811) to rank last. From the free throw line, the Golden Suns shot .746 as a team (555-of-744) to rank fourth.
 
Individually, the Golden Suns had four players average double figures in scoring. Then junior, now senior Kaley Shipman led the way at 15.6 ppg and looks to once again be one of the most prolific scorers in the conference. The rest of the list of double figure scorers was made up of former players Jayana Sanders, Ashlei Lopez and Tori Lasker. The Golden Suns will also see the return of another top scoring talent as Jalei Oglesby makes her return to the court following an injury last season. 
 
The Golden Suns are coached by Dave Wilbers, who is in his 16th season at the helm of the program.
 
In his time at Tech, Wilbers has amassed a 328-108 record.

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Scouting The Tigers
Champion Christian ended last season with a 23-6 overall record and a 12-1 record in the Southwest Region. 

So far this season, the Tigers are 1-2 and have played three games before their upcoming matchup against Arkansas Tech.

Prior to facing the Golden Suns, Champion Christian traveled to Arkadelphia where they played Ouachita Baptist in their last outing and lost 54-97 against the Tigers in the exhibition game. 
 
The Tigers are coached by De 'Anthony Ellison, who is in his fourth season at Champion Christian. In his first season, Ellison led the Tigers to a 19-11 record.