The Lowdown: Langston University @ Mid-America Christian University
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Gaulke Activity Center
Live Video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/macu.portal
Live Stats:
http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Webcasts.aspx?association=10
The Dish on the Evangels: The Mid-America Christian University Evangels are 3-1 after suffering their first loss of the season at Bacone College on Nov. 14. The Evangels have also played three NCAA II exhibitions since then, falling at Dallas Baptist University and Rogers State University but winning 88-86 at Arkansas Tech University.
Angelo Lewis leads three Evangels averaging at least 20 points per game with 22.8 ppg along with a team-best 6.8 rebounds. Semar Farris and Jarius Wilson are each scoring 20 ppg, with Farris dishing out a team-high 22 assists and Wilson leading the Evangels with 13 threes on the season.
The Dish on the Lions: The Langston University Lions are still searching for their first win of the season with an 0-5 mark. LU has played two Sooner Athletic Conference teams this season, falling 73-70 at Oklahoma City University and 70-56 at USAO.
David Harris is the lone Lion averaging double-figure points with 13.6 ppg. Travis Scott leads the Lions with 8.6 rpg this season.
The Coaches:
Willie Holley is in his 41st season as head coach at Mid-America Christian University and his 772 career victories rank first in school history and second all-time in the NAIA.
Holley helped the Evangels become competitive in a short period of time in the Sooner Athletic Conference and broke through last season. Holley guided the Evangels to their highest-ever finish of third in the SAC with a 9-7 league record. MACU made their first appearance in the NAIA Top 25 in school history, coming in as high as tied for 23rd. The Evangels went on to capture their 20th NCCAA Central Regional Championship and finished fifth at the NCCAA National Tournament.
The 2012-13 season also featured guard Charlie Shorter, who was named SAC Player of the Year, NCCAA National Player of the Year and was a first-team NAIA All-America selection. It's the third straight season Holley has coached an NAIA All-American, as Shorter and Brandon Williams were Honorable-Mention selections in 2011-12 and 2010-11, respectively.
Holley's coaching style is to establish in his players a "no quit" attitude. This style led to an improbable NCCAA National Championship in 2007. The title was the fourth of Holley's illustrious career as he previously won the championship in 1998, 2003, and 2004. This year the plan is to take that same attitude and improve on last season's effort.
During his time at Mid-America, Holley has become a fixture in the athletic program, as he served as Athletic Director from 1973-2012. In 1997, Holley was inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame, and he has been named the NCCAA Division II Coach of the Year four times - 1985, 1995, 2000 and 2004. Holley has also coached 17 All- Americans and won numerous conference and regional championships.
Holley earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from University of Louisiana - Monroe in 1970. He and his wife, Janet, have three daughters: Angela, Jessica and Stacey.
Nigel Thomas is in his third season at the helm of Langston University after serving as an assistant coach at LU for three years. Thomas was also a four-year player at Langston from 1999-03.
The Series: This is the first meeting between the Evangels and Lions since MACU joined the NAIA in 2007.
Up Next: The Evangels will open up Sooner Athletic Conference action tomorrow afternoon (Dec. 4) at Texas Wesleyan University at 4 p.m. in Fort Worth, Texas. The game was previously scheduled for Thursday night (Dec. 5) at 8 p.m., but was moved up due to the potential of a significant winter storm approaching the area.
