OKLAHOMA CITY – Coming off one of its best campaigns in the last five years, the MACU Men's Basketball team will be looking to open the 2024-25 season on a high note as the Evangels will welcome Kansas Christian for a 7 p.m. tip-off inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Thursday night.
 
SEASON REPORT

• 2023-24 Record: 24-9 (17-5 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost vs. No. 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan – 76-58 – Mar. 16, 2024 – Wichita, Kan. (NAIA Tournament – 2^nd Round)
• Top Returners:
  • Magok Manyang – SR – F
    • 289 Points (9.0 ppg), 88-191 FG (46.1%), 35-105 3FG (33.3%), 78-99 FT (78.8%), 195 Reb (6.1 rpg), 28 Assists (0.9 apg), 21 Steals (0.7 spg), 49 Blocks (1.5 bpg)
  • Quentin Woodson – SR – F
    • 166 Points (5.0 ppg), 62-87 FG (71.3%), 42-71 FT (59.2%), 83 Reb (2.5 rpg), 22 Steals (0.7 spg)
  • Tarrence Gaines – R-SR – G/F
    • 89 Points (3.9 ppg), 34-67 FG (50.7%), 8-22 3FG (36.4%), 13-25 FT (52.0%), 94 Reb (4.1 rpg), 19 Assists (0.8 apg), 14 Blocks (0.6 bpg)
• Top Newcomers:
  • Josiah Fulcher – SR – G
    • NCAA D-I North Alabama transfer, previous NCAA D-I Bowling Green
    • Career Stats: 83 GP, 428 Points (5.2 ppg), 165-338 FG (42.5%), 36-125 3FG (28.8%), 61-103 FT (60.2%), 257 Reb (3.1 rpg), 87 Assists (1.0 apg)
  • Keeshawn Mason – SR – F
    • NCAA D-II Southern Nazarene transfer, previous NCAA D-I New Jersey Institute of Technology
    • 2023-24 Stats: 22 GP, 120 Points (5.5 ppg), 45-85 FG (52.9%), 30-54 FT (55.6%), 74 Reb (3.4 rpg), 17 Blocks (0.8 bpg)
  • Shannon Strickland – SR – G
    • NCAA D-II Texas A&M-International transfer
    • 2023-24 Stats: 29 GP, 22 GS, 199 Points (6.9 ppg), 65-202 FG (32.2%), 37-105 3FG (27.4%), 32-35 FT (91.4%), 44 Reb (1.5 rpg), 23 Assists (0.8 apg), 17 Steals (0.6 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off one of its best seasons since the 2019-20 campaign as the Evangels wrapped up the 2023-24 year with a 24-9 overall record while finishing second in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with a 17-5 league mark. Moving into his 10^th season at the helm, it is the sixth time in the previous nine years that the Evangels notched 20 or more wins under head coach Josh Gamblin.
  • MACU was also able to advance all the way to the SAC Tournament Championship game after picking up a 79-56 win over No. 7 seed Texas Wesleyan in the quarterfinal on Feb. 29 and a 78-62 win over No. 6 seed John Brown in the semifinal round on Mar. 4. Facing eventual NAIA National Runner-Up and nationally second-ranked Langston in the championship game, the Evangels put up a very tough fight against the Lions, holding a first half lead and only trailing by a few possessions for most of the contest before LU eventually pulled away late with the 55-44 win.
  • Mid-America Christian received an automatic berth to the NAIA Tournament and was able to come away with a hard-fought 68-67 victory over Hastings in the first round in Wichita, Kansas on Mar. 15 before eventually falling to No. 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the second round.
  • Despite graduating most of its roster from last season, MACU does return some key pieces from last year's squad, including starting senior forward Magok Manyang who was instrumental both offensively and defensively during its run last year. Not only was Manyang a sensational shooter from all parts of the court, but he was a resilient shot blocker as his 49 rejections were tied for the third-most for a MACU player in the NAIA Era (2007-present). Quentin Woodson and Tarrence Gaines are also two strong, highly-experienced that are both entering their fourth seasons of competition at MACU.
  • Even though MACU did lost most of its roster from last year, Gamblin brings in a well-spring of high-end talent that is highly experienced at the NCAA D-I and D-II levels, including senior guard Josiah Fulcher, senior forward Keeshawn Mason, senior guard Shannon Strickland, senior guard Juwan White (NCAA D-II Texas A&M-International), junior guard Marque Williams (NJCAA Eastern Oklahoma State), junior forward Morris Williams (NJCAA Paris JC) and redshirt freshman guard Zander Baker (NCAA D-II Southern Nazarene).
  • Mid-America Christian will start off its season with three-straight home games against Kansas Christian (Oct. 24), Randall (Oct. 28) and Ozark Christian (Nov. 2) before hitting the road for another exhibition contest at NCAA D-I Omaha on Nov. 4. The Evangels will officially open SAC play at home against UNT Dallas inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Thursday, Nov. 14.

SCOUTING REPORT
Kansas Christian

• 2023-24 Record: 19-11
• Last Game: Lost vs. Bob Jones (S.C.) – 84-50 – Mar. 16, 2024 – Minneapolis, Minn. (NCCAA D-II National Tournament – 5^th Place Game)
• Series vs MACU (2016-): MACU leads 3-0
• Last Game vs MACU: MACU won 105-71 – Dec. 16, 2023 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Series Streak: MACU won 3
• Players to Watch:
  • Damon Werts – JR – G/F
    • 450 Points (15.0 ppg), 196-345 FG (56.8%), 49-94 FT (52.1%), 161 Reb (5.4 rpg), 52 Assists (1.7 apg), 48 Steals (1.6 spg), 15 Blocks (0.5 bpg)
  • Kaiden Hunter – SR – G
    • 345 Points (11.5 ppg), 124-289 FG (42.9%), 61-149 3FG (40.9%), 36-51 FT (70.6%), 86 Reb (2.9 rpg), 74 Assists (2.5 apg), 36 Steals (1.2 spg)
  • Isaac Lane – SR – F
    • 106 Points (9.6 ppg), 39-84 FG (46.4%), 22-33 (66.7%), 53 Reb (4.8 rpg), 13 Assists (1.2 apg), 7 Blocks (0.6 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • Coming off back-to-back appearances in the NCCAA Division II National Tournament appearances, Kansas Christian is coming off a 19-11 campaign, ending its season with an 84-50 loss to Bob Jones (S.C.) in the fifth-place game.
  • Even though Kansas Christian lost its top-scorer Malik Martin to graduation, the Falcons do return their second and third top scorers from a year ago in Damon Werts and Kaiden Hunter, who were each averaging 15.0 ppg and 11.5 ppg for the team that ranked third at the NCCAA D-II level in scoring at 86.2 ppg.
  • After missing most of the season due to injury, senior forward Isaac Lane returned for KCC in late February last season, scoring in double-figures for the Falcons in three of their last five games.
  • Mid-America Christian and Kansas Christian will be going head-to-head for the third-straight year with the only other previous meeting between the two coming back in 2016. In last year's meeting inside the Gaulke Activity Center, the Evangels cruised to a 105-71 victory. Seth Hurd led the MACU scoring efforts with 23 points while Magok Manyang pitched in 14 points and seven boards in the victory.