OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU men's basketball team will look to close out the first half of Sooner Athletic Conference play on a high note as the Evangels will host John Brown for a 7:45 p.m. tip-off inside the Gaulke Activity Center before heading to Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla. on Saturday to take on Oklahoma City at 3:45 p.m.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 6-9 (3-6 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost at SW Assemblies of God (Texas) – 72-61 – Jan. 7, 2023 – Waxahachie, Texas
• Stat Leaders:
  • Points: DaRaun Clark (226, 17.4 ppg), Eylan Goodwyn (173, 11.5 ppg), Seth Hurd (136, 9.1 ppg)
  • FG% (Min. 3 FGM/G): Seth Hurd (57-108, 52.8%), Eylan Goodwyn (57-110, 51.8%), DaRaun Clark (69-166, 41.6%)
  • 3FG% (Min. 1 3FGM/G): Conner Calavan (28-71, 39.4%), Jonathan Alexandre (15-48, 31.3%), DaRaun Clark (14-58, 24.1%)
  • FT% (Min. 2 FTM/G): DaRaun Clark (74-94, 78.7%), Eylan Goodwyn (49-64, 76.6%)
  • Reb: Tarrence Gaines (105, 7.0 rpg), Seth Hurd (59, 3.9 rpg), Eylan Goodwyn (55, 3.7 rpg)
  • Assists: Jaylon Barnett (50, 3.3 apg), Seth Hurd (21, 1.4 apg), Trevonte Doolittle (20, 1.5 apg)
  • Steals: Jaylon Barnett (20, 1.3 spg), DaRaun Clark (16, 1.2 spg), Tarrence Gaines (11, 0.7 spg)
  • Blocks: Tarrence Gaines (11, 0.7 bpg), Seth Hurd (7, 0.5 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • After putting together a three-game win streak going into last weekend, Mid-America Christian suffered a setback on Saturday as the Evangels fell at SW Assemblies of God 72-61.
  • Shooting 44 percent or better from the field during the win streak, MACU struggled against the Lions defense that held the Evangels to just 21-of-55 (38.2 percent) shooting, including 5-for-15 (33.3 percent) from three-point range.
  • MACU was challenged to find a scoring threat outside of DaRaun Clark in the contest. While Clark finished with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting and 3-for-6 from three, the rest of the team scored just 38 points on 13-for-40 (32.5 percent) from the field and 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) from three.
  • While MACU has played better on the defensive end, holding opponents to just 69.8 points per game in the last four contests, the Evangels have also been grinding out close games in the stretch with just a 72.7 ppg scoring rate.

SCOUTING REPORT
John Brown

• Record: 4-11 (2-7 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at Oklahoma Panhandle State – 78-73 (OT) – Jan. 7, 2023 – Goodwell, Okla.
• Series vs. MACU: JBU leads 18-13
• Last Game vs. JBU: JBU won 76-56 – Feb. 12, 2022 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Players to Watch:
  • DJ Ellis – SR – G
    • 162 Points (11.6 ppg), 59-142 FG (41.5%), 26-78 3FG (33.3%), 18-25 FT (72.0%), 44 Reb (3.1 rpg), 62 Assists (4.4 apg)
  • Tyren Collins – SR – F
    • 137 Points (9.1 ppg), 53-95 FG (55.8%), 30-35 FT (85.7%), 91 Reb (6.1 rpg)
  • Malachi Reeves – FR – G
    • 112 Points (7.5 ppg), 42-107 FG (39.3%), 19-65 3FG (29.2%), 68 Reb (4.5 rpg), 32 Assists (2.1 apg), 13 Steals (0.8 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • After suffering a 78-54 loss at No. 22 Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Jan. 5, John Brown bounced back with a 78-73 overtime road win at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Jan. 7.
  • With JBU's top player Payton Guiot suffering a potential season-ending injury eight games into the season, the Golden Eagles have struggled on the offensive end, ranking dead last in the SAC in scoring offense at 68.4 ppg. However, JBU has been able to make up for it on the defensive end, ranking as the league's second-best scoring defense at 69.1 ppg.
  • Outside of Guiot, senior guard DJ Ellis is the lone Golden Eagles player averaging in double-figures, scoring 11.6 ppg while shooting 41.5 percent from the field.
  • Mid-America Christian has struggled in the recent series against John Brown as the Golden Eagles have won five of the last six meetings since the 2018-19 season. The last time the two teams met inside the Gaulke Activity Center, MACU rallied back from an eight-point halftime deficit as Terrance Jones completed a three-point play to tie it up at 77 with 13 seconds left before blocking a Luke Harper layup on the final possession to send it to overtime. However, MACU struggled in the final stretch of overtime as the Evangels were held scoreless over the final 2:20 as the Golden Eagles pulled out the 87-83 win.

Oklahoma City

• Record: 7-8 (5-4 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at No. 22 Wayland Baptist (Texas) – 88-82 – Jan. 7, 2023 – Plainview, Texas
• Series vs. MACU (2003-): OCU leads 19-16
• Last Game vs. MACU: MACU won 87-78 – Feb. 10, 2022 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Players to Watch:
  • Avery Jackson – FR – G
    • 260 Points (17.3 ppg), 88-171 FG (51.5%), 22-50 3FG (44.0%), 62-88 FT (70.5%), 70 Reb (4.7 rpg), 26 Assists (1.7 apg), 19 Steals (1.3 spg)
  • Kori Guest – SR – F
    • 237 Points (15.8 ppg), 76-159 FG (47.8%), 42-96 3FG (43.8%), 43-53 FT (81.1%), 88 Reb (5.9 rpg), 21 Assists (1.4 apg), 13 Steals (0.9 spg)
  • Brandon Jackson – JR – F
    • 199 Points (13.3 ppg), 68-161 FG (42.2%), 31-89 3FG (34.8%), 32-39 FT (82.1%), 111 Reb (7.4 rpg), 23 Assists (1.5 apg), 19 Steals (1.3 spg), 13 Blocks (0.9 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • After suffering a heartbreaking 98-97 loss at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Jan. 5, Oklahoma City bounced back with their biggest win of the season as the Stars pulled out an 88-82 victory at No. 22 Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Jan. 7.
  • Mid-America Christian will need to contend with the Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week in Kori Guest, who averaged 28.0 ppg on an incredible 66.7 percent shooting percentage, including going 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) from three and 92.3 percent from the charity stripe.
  • While Guest is coming off a hot week, the Evangels will also need to focus on freshman guard Avery Jackson, the team's leading scorer on the season. The 6-3 wing is averaging 17.3 ppg on 51.5 percent shooting, including going 44.0 percent from three and has also converted the fourth-most foul shots in the SAC at 62-for-88 (70.5 percent).
  • MACU has fared well in the recent series as the Evangels have won six straight meetings dating back to the 2018-19 season. In their last meeting inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Feb. 10, 2022, Caleb Riggs led four Evangels in double-figures with 22 points to guide MACU to an 87-78 win.