OKLAHOMA CITY – After seeing its 10-game win streak come to a tough end, the MACU men's basketball team will be looking to start anew against one of the top teams in the NAIA as the Evangels head to Langston tonight to take on the second-ranked Lions for a 7:45 p.m. tip-off inside C.F. Gayles Field House. MACU will wrap-up its week at Central Christian on Saturday as the Evangels will tip-off against the Tigers at 3:45 p.m. inside Jerry Alexander Arena.
 
SEASON REPORT

• Record: 16-6 (12-4 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost at Science & Arts (Okla.) – 104-89 – Feb. 3, 2024 – Chickasha, Okla.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Points: Eddie Smith (250, 11.9 ppg), Seth Hurd (246, 11.7 ppg), Mikel Henderson (248, 11.3 ppg)
  • Field Goal Percentage (%, M-A): Seth Hurd (56.8, 108-190), Magok Manyang (48.5, 65-134), DeAngelo Adkins (45.8, 70-153)
  • 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (%, M-A): Conner Calavan (39.7, 23-58), Eddie Smith (39.1, 36-92), Mikel Henderson (35.5, 49-138)
  • Free Throw Percentage (%, M-A): Mikel Henderson (82.2, 37-45), Magok Manyang (76.7, 46-60), Eddie Smith (73.1, 38-52)
  • Rebounds: DeAngelo Adkins (148, 6.7 rpg), Magok Manyang (132, 6.0 rpg), Seth Hurd (94, 4.5 rpg)
  • Assists: Jasiah Lewis (96, 4.4 apg), Eddie Smith (57, 2.7 apg), Mikel Henderson (57, 2.6 apg)
  • Steals: DeAngelo Adkins (40, 1.8 spg), Jasiah Lewis (28, 1.3 spg), Eddie Smith (27, 1.3 spg)
  • Blocks: Magok Manyang (31, 1.4 bpg), DeAngelo Adkins (18, 0.8 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian ran into a buzz saw at Science & Arts on Saturday as the Evangels were unable to slow down a red-hot Drovers team that shot 55.7 percent from the field, which included going an incredible 18-for-28 (64.3 percent) from three-point range to pull away with the 104-89 result inside the Drover Fieldhouse.
  • Despite the result, the Evangels performed at a high level on the offensive end, shooting 35-for-63 (55.6 percent) and went 12-of-31 (38.7 percent) from three. Overall, five Evangels finished in double-figures with Mikel Henderson (20), Jasiah Lewis (19), DeAngelo Adkins (18), Seth Hurd (15) and Magok Manyang (11).
  • Not only did Henderson tie his MACU career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 4-for-7 from three, but the senior guard was the primary catalyst for the Evangels' offense by dishing out a career-best seven assists.
  • With six games left in the conference season, the next three weeks will be crucial for MACU as the Evangels currently sit in a tie for second in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with Southwestern Assemblies of God. Aside from Langston, the top of the league table is tightly contested with five teams within two games of each other.

SCOUTING REPORT
Langston (Okla.)

• Record: 20-1 (14-1 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at UNT Dallas – 72-51 – Feb. 3, 2024 – Dallas
• Series vs MACU (2013-): MACU leads 12-4
• Last Game vs MACU: LU won 79-60 – Jan. 4, 2024 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Series Streak: LU won 3
• Players to Watch:
  • Anthony Roy – JR – G
    • 374 Points (18.7 ppg), 113-244 FG (46.3%), 58-134 3FG (43.3%), 90-111 FT (81.1%), 105 Reb (5.3 rpg), 25 Assists (1.3 apg)
  • Cortez Mosley – SR – G/F
    • 218 Points (10.9 ppg), 70-145 FG (48.3%), 69-86 FT (80.2%), 112 Reb (5.6 rpg), 43 Assists (2.1 apg)
  • Toru Dean – SR – G
    • 202 Points (9.6 ppg), 68-156 FG (43.6%), 50-70 FT (71.4%), 96 Reb (4.6 rpg), 88 Assists (4.2 apg), 50 Steals (2.4 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • After suffering its first loss of the season in a 72-58 defeat at Southwestern Assemblies of God on Feb. 1, Langston managed to bounce back with a big 72-51 win at UNT Dallas on Saturday.
  • The Lions are a team that pride themselves on strong defense as LU leads the conference in scoring defense (58.0 ppg) while holding its opposition to the lowest field goal percentage (38.9) as well as three-point percentage (30.7) in the SAC. Langston is also incredibly strong on the offensive end, ranking third in the league in scoring offense (81.1 ppg) while making the second-most threes in the conference at 199-of-542 (36.7 percent).
  • Langston is led by one of the best all-around scorers in the SAC in junior guard Anthony Roy, who ranks third in the league at 18.7 ppg on a strong 46.3 percent shooting clip while also sitting in third in the SAC in three-point percentage (43.3). Roy is also a prolific free throw shooter, ranking second in made free throws (90) and fifth in free throw percentage (81.1).
  • Despite falling 79-60 to the Lions back on Jan. 4, MACU gave Langston a tough test inside the Gaulke Activity Center. The Evangels trailed by just four 38-34 on Jasiah Lewis' jumper on the opening score of the second half, but the Lions managed to slowly pull away over the course of the second half with the 79-60 win.

Central Christian (Kan.)

• Record: 10-11 (7-8 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost at (RV) Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) – 92-69 – Feb. 3, 2024 – Waxahachie, Texas
• Series vs MACU (2003-): MACU leads 17-2
• Last Game vs MACU: MACU won 76-75 – Jan. 6, 2024 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Series Streak: MACU won 2
• Players to Watch:
  • Chris Whitten – SO – G
    • 430 Points (20.5 ppg), 142-343 FG (41.4%), 64-169 3FG (37.9%), 82-109 FT (75.2%), 65 Reb (3.1 rpg), 26 Assists (1.2 apg)
  • Omari Maulana – JR – G
    • 301 Points (15.1 ppg), 102-251 FG (40.6%), 22-81 3FG (27.2%), 75-100 FT (75.0%), 74 Reb (3.7 rpg), 45 Assists (2.3 apg)
  • Jevarrick Butler – JR – G
    • 254 Points (12.1 ppg), 87-193 FG (45.1%), 29-73 3FG (39.7%), 51-63 FT (81.0%), 113 Reb (5.4 rpg), 29 Steals (1.4 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • After winning a 103-98 overtime thriller at UNT Dallas on Feb. 1, Central Christian had a tough result against a red-hot Southwestern Assemblies of God squad on Saturday as the Tigers fell 92-69 inside the Sheaffer Center.
  • CCCK has been a strong team on the offensive end this season, ranking fifth in the SAC in scoring offense (78.1 ppg), but have been prone to giving up the seventh-most points per game on defense (76.9). One area the Tigers have struggled has been in the rebounding department as CCCK ranks last in the league in rebounding margin (-6.3).
  • Central is led offensively by one of the top scorers in the conference in sophomore guard Chris Whitten. This season, Whitten ranks second in the SAC at 20.5 ppg while shooting a solid 41.4 percent from the field and is a dangerous three-point threat at 37.9 percent. Whitten has also been able to see success at the foul line, converting on 82-of-109 (75.2 percent of his free throw attempts.
  • Mid-America Christian got its 10-game win streak started in dramatic fashion against Central Christian in their last meeting. After the Evangels grabbed 63-50 lead midway through the second half, the Tigers came storming back, taking the lead on an Andre Shelby three-pointer with 42 seconds remaining. However, MACU was able to persevere when Seth Hurd finished strong on the other end before getting a huge defensive stop when Magok Manyang rejected Jevarrick Butler's potential go-ahead layup with 12 seconds left. MACU managed to hold off the Tigers with two clutch Hurd foul shots with 10 seconds to go to ultimately secure the 76-75 victory.