The Lowdown: No. 16 Southwestern Assemblies of God University @ No. 9 Mid-America Christian University
Time: Jan. 21 @ 8 p.m.
Location: Gaulke Activity Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Live Video:
Live Stats:
The Dish on the Evangels: The Mid-America Christian University Evangels soared to the ninth spot in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches' poll. The ranking is the Evangels' highest since joining the NAIA.
The Evangels achieved this ranking by running their winning streak to six games with victories over Oklahoma City University and at St. Gregory's University. Nick Tate fueled both wins on the way to being named the Sooner Athletic Conference, NCCAA and OklahomaSports.Net Player of the Week. Tate had a double-double of 18 points and career-best 14 rebounds in the 92-78 win over OCU and then a career-high 27 points and nine boards to lead a 105-96 win at SGU. The Evangels are now 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the SAC.
Tate currently leads the Evangels in both points (17.8 ppg) and rebounds (7.4 rpg), with Devonse Reed following closely at 16.9 ppg. Jerrick Massenburge is scoring 12.6 ppg, while Bryon Miller averages 12.5 ppg along with a team-high 39 threes on the season. Chris Runnels is also averaging double-figure scoring with 10.4 ppg and leads the team with 39 blocks. Malcolm Mann has dished out a team-best 91 assists this year.
Also, Runnels ranks fifth in the NAIA in blocks per game (2.4 bpg) and Mann is sixth in assists per game (5.6 apg).
As a team, the Evangels are fifth in the NAIA in blocks per game (4.5 bpg), sixth in scoring offense (93.3 ppg), eighth in turnover margin (4.2), ninth in assists per game (17.7 apg) and 10th in threes per game (9.6).
The Dish on the Lions: The No. 16-ranked Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions have won three straight, most recently a 78-75 win at Oklahoma City University last Saturday (Jan. 16). Overall, the Lions have nine of their last 11 games and are 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the SAC.
Keyunta Watkins leads SAGU in scoring (14.6 ppg), while Rishaad Alexander is second in scoring with 12.3 ppg and has a team-high 73 assists on the season. The Lions are also getting double-digit scoring from Jason Gentry (10.8 ppg) and Isaak Rowe (10.7 ppg), with Emmanuel Adoyi has a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game.
In the NAIA, the Lions are second in steals per game (10.9 spg) and are fifth in threes per game (10.4). SAGU is also seventh in field-goal percentage defense (.388), eighth in offensive rebounds per game (15.2) and ninth in both total rebounds per game (44) and three-point percentage defense (.295).
Individually, Watkins ranks ninth in the NAIA in threes per game (3.1).
The Series: Despite this being SAGU's third season in the SAC, the two programs are quite familiar with each other as both are NCCAA schools. In the last seven years, the Evangels are 6-5 against SAGU after winning two of three meetings last season. Each squad won at home in the regular season before the Evangels bested SAGU 98-92 in an overtime classic in the SAC semifinals. The Evangels have won two of three over SAGU inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
Fact of the Century: Under first-year head coach Josh Gamblin, the Evangels have scored 100 or more points on nine occasions this year, already more than any other season since joining the NAIA. In fact, the Evangels had only reached the century mark 11 times in the eight combined prior seasons as an NAIA school. MACU is 8-1 thus far when scoring at least 100 points this season. On the flip side, the Evangels are 0-2 when allowing the opposition to score 100 points.
The Coaches:
Josh Gamblin is in his first season as the head coach of the Mid-America Christian University men's basketball program and has the Evangels off to a 14-3 start. Gamblin replaced Willie Holley, who retired after 42 years and 813 career victories at the helm.
Gamblin comes to MACU from the University of Oklahoma, where he was a Graduate Assistant Coach under Head Coach Lon Kruger. There he assisted in all practices and logged scout games. Gamblin also worked with coaches on opponent scouting reports for a squad that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season.
"We really appreciate all of Josh's assistance during his time with the Sooners and I know he'll do a fantastic job," Kruger said. "MACU is lucky to have him."
Prior to arriving at OU, Gamblin served two-years at Southwestern Christian University (SCU) as lead Assistant Coach on Head Coach Quinn Wooldridge's staff. Gamblin's duties at SCU involved recruiting, leading film sessions and analyzing opponent's scouting reports.
During the 2011-12 basketball season, Gamblin worked in the NBA as the Intern Video Coordinator for the Los Angeles Clippers under then-Head Coach Vinny Del Negro. Gamblin helped prepare pre-game scouting reports for the Clippers, as well as logging all opponent games and being involved in coaches meetings. His efforts with the Clippers led to the best winning percentage in team history.
"Josh has worked at the highest level and continually strives to learn and become a better coach each day," Del Negro said. "He is constantly working to improve his craft and striving for excellence is everything he does."
Off the court, Gamblin has served as Clippers' All-Star Forward Blake Griffin's Summer Basketball Trainer for the past three seasons. Gamblin helped Griffin prepare for upcoming basketball seasons by working on a number of offensive and defensive drills—specifically pick and roll coverages, low post moves and ball handling drills.
Gamblin's collegiate-athlete experience includes, but not limited to: competed at SCU on the Men's Basketball team from 2007-11; Varsity Captain (twice); named SCU Male Newcomer of the Year in 2008; and selected as Team MVP for the 2011 season. Additional honors include: Association of Christian College Athletics (ACCA) Honorable-Mention All-America honors in 2010; a Midlands Collegiate Athletic All-Conference selection in 2011; and named "Mr. Southwestern" in 2011, (awarded to the student who exemplifies the values, traditions and spirit of SCU). After the 2011 season, Gamblin received the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete award.
He graduated from SCU in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and is currently enrolled in the IAA Master's program at the University of Oklahoma.
Gamblin and his wife Jennifer live in Oklahoma City with their infant son Miles.
Donnie Bostwick is in his fifth season at the helm of SAGU and made an immediate impact with the Lions by guiding them to the NAIA National Championship game in his second year and following that up with a SAC regular season championship in the 2013-14 season. Bostwick again guided the Lions to an NAIA National Championship tournament appearance last season.
Up Next: The Evangels will face Southwestern Christian University Saturday evening (Jan. 23) at 5 p.m. in Bethany, Okla.
