The Lowdown: Oklahoma Christian University @ Mid-America Christian University
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Gaulke Activity Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
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The Dish on the Evangels: The season opener tonight will be the beginning of the end for legendary Mid-America Christian University head coach Willie Holley, as he has announced his retirement following this season. Holley is entering his 42nd season and after coming up one spot short in their quest for their first NAIA National Tournament berth, the Evangels will attempt to make sure Holley goes out on top in Kansas City. The return of NAIA All-American Semar Farris will certainly bolster that cause, as well as the return of three other senior starters in Jarius Wilson, Josh Smith and Reggie Davis.
Farris, also the Sooner Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year, led the Evangels with 19.4 points per game last year along with team-highs in assists (173), steals (109) and threes (79). Wilson was third in scoring with 13.3 ppg and also hit 60 threes. Davis also reached double-figures with 12.4 ppg and Smith swatted away a team-high 26 shots on the season.
The Dish on the Eagles: The Oklahoma Christian University Eagles, an NCAA D-II squad out of the Heartland Conference, will feature a new look this season. The Eagles will sport eight new players, including seven freshmen and one sophomore. OC's lone returning starter is sophomore center Zach Moon.
The Coaches:
Willie Holley is in his 42nd season as head coach at Mid-America Christian University and his 788 career victories rank first in school history and second all-time in the NAIA.
Entering the 2014-15 season, Holley has announced that this year will be his last of a legendary tenure. He coached the Evangels to a tie for second place in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 12-8 league record, their highest-finish as an NAIA school.
He also led MACU to its first-ever SAC Tournament victory last season and had the program within one spot of qualifying for their initial NAIA National Tournament berth.
After coming up just short for the NAIA Tournament, the Evangels qualified for their 23rd National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament appearance.
The 2013-14 campaign also featured Holley coaching an NAIA All-America performer for the fourth straight season, as guard Semar Farris earned second-team NAIA All-America honors.
Holley has helped the Evangels become competitive in a short period of time in the Sooner Athletic Conference and broke through in 2012-13. Holley guided the Evangels to a 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 18 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.
Dan Hays is entering his 32nd season at the helm of Oklahoma Christian University and is the school's all-time leader in wins. He has over 700 career victories spanning 36 years, as he began his head coaching career at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Hays is 640-361 at OC and is first in wins by a men's basketball coach at a four-year college in the state of Oklahoma.
One More Epic Showdown: Tonight's matchup could very likely represent the final battle between legendary coaches Willie Holley of MACU and Dan Hays of Oklahoma Christian. The two titans of coaching have a combined 77 years of head coaching experience and have together accounted for an astonishing 1,499 victories. The only scenario in which the two could meet again is at the National Christian College Athletic Central Regional or National Tournament.
