The nightcap of Thursday’s doubleheader at the Noble Complex should be a good one as Oklahoma Baptist hosts No. 23 St. Gregory’s.
♦ St. Gregory’s (18-7, 9-7) won the first contest this season, 69-63, on the Cavaliers’ home court. Jaron Vierra led the way for SGU with 16 points, while Josiah Campbell had another double-double, logging 13 points and 13 boards.
Aaron Abram had a double-double of his own for Oklahoma Baptist (13-13, 7-9) with a game high 21 points to go with 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the then-No. 17 Cavs beat the Bison for the first time in 18 tries.
♦ The visitors for tonight’s game are led in scoring by junior Marty Wilkerson, whose 21.3 points per game have him leading the Sooner Athletic Conference and ninth in the country in that category. He has scored 20 or more points in 19 of the Cavs’ 25 games this season. Clearly on the OBU scouting report, Wilkerson was held to only eight points in the first meeting this season, but still contributed to the point total, dishing out a game high seven assists.
♦ The Bison answer on offense with Cale Jackson, who has come alive in the last eight games. The junior, appropriately enough for this contest, from Shawnee, has scored in double figures in each of the past eight contests and is averaging 20.6 ppg. He is shooting an impressive 60.1 percent from behind the arc in that stretch and made nine three-pointers in the Bison win over Northwood on Saturday.
♦ Both teams come into the game having lost two of the last three and both – at least mathematically – have a chance to finish second in the SAC. And yes, that involves wild scenarios that we don’t have room for in this post.
♦ St. Gregory’s is going for its first season sweep of OBU since 1999-2000. That Cavs’ team was coached by current ESPN analyst Bryndon Manzer, and set the school record for wins with 20. That season was also the last season for OBU prior to the arrival of current coach Doug Tolin on the Bison campus.