Men’s Basketball Faces Randall to Wrap-Up Four-Game Home Stand

OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU Men's Basketball team will close out its four-game home stand to open the season on Thursday night as the Evangels host crosstown foe Randall at 7 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.

SEASON REPORT

Record: 3-0
Last Game: Won vs. Arlington Baptist (Texas) – 97-60 – Nov. 1, 2025 – Gaulke Activity Center
Stat Leaders:
- Points: Morris Williams (61, 20.3 ppg), Shannon Strickland (40, 13.3 ppg), James Locke (35, 11.7 ppg)
- FG Percentage (%, M-A, Min 3 FGM/G): Morris Williams (58.3, 21-36), Shannon Strickland (56.5, 13-23), James Locke (56.5, 13-23)
- 3FG Percentage (%, M-A, Min 1 3FGM/G): Shannon Strickland (58.3, 7-12), Morris Williams (50.0, 9-18), Corey Skillman (44.4, 8-18)
- FT Percentage (%, M-A, Min 2 FTM/G): Clay Baldwin (100, 8-8), Shannon Strickland (100, 7-7), Demerius Shakur (100, 7-7)
- Rebounds: Morris Williams (20, 6.7 rpg), Clance Crosby (19, 6.3 rpg), James Locke (14, 4.7 rpg)
- Assists: Demerius Shakur (9, 3.0 apg), Morris Williams (8, 2.7 apg), Zander Baker (8, 2.7 apg)
- Steals: Zander Baker (4, 1.3 spg), Shannon Strickland (4, 1.3 spg), James Locke (3, 1.0 spg)
- Blocks: Clance Crosby (6, 2.0 bpg), Morris Williams (3, 1.0 bpg)
Team Notes:
- In its Homecoming game against Arlington Baptist on Saturday, Mid-America Christian once again overcame a somewhat sluggish start through the first few minutes, utilizing a monstrous 16-2 run over a five-minute stretch after giving up the first four points before eventually cruising to a dominant 97-60 victory.
- Despite a tough performance from their leading scorer coming into the game, the Evangels showed their offensive might and complete offensive balance as four finished in double-figures while seven players scored six or more points.
- Shannon Strickland was the star of the show on both ends of the floor for MACU in the win, netting 19 points on a blazing 6-of-7 shooting, going 2-for-3 from three and 5-of-5 from the free throw line to go with four boards and a team-high three steals.
- Through the first few games of the season, Mid-America Christian is only one of two teams in the SAC that rank in the top four of the league in shooting percentage, three-point shooting, free throw shooting, scoring offense, and scoring defense as John Brown is the only other team that can lay the same claim as MACU.

SCOUTING REPORT
Randall (Okla.)

Record: 0-3
Last Game: Lost at Southwestern – 110-56 – Nov. 3, 2025 – Winfield, Kan. (Exhibition)
Series vs MACU (2004-): MACU leads 19-4
Last Game vs MACU: MACU won 95-81 – Oct. 28, 2025 – Gaulke Activity Center
Series Streak: MACU won 10
Players to Watch:
- Kainan Ryan – SR – G
  - 56 Points (18.7 ppg), 21-44 FG (47.7%), 8-20 3FG (40.0%), 6-9 FT (66.7%), 14 Reb (4.7 rpg), 9 Assists (3.0 apg)
- Blestin Miller – JR – G
  - 36 Points (12.0 ppg), 11-25 FG (44.0%), 4-13 3FG (30.8%), 10-12 FT (83.3%), 13 Reb (4.3 rpg), 9 Assists (3.0 apg), 4 Steals (1.3 spg)
- Carson Thomas – SO – G/F
  - 33 Points (11.0 ppg), 11-35 FG (31.4%), 3-18 3FG (16.7%), 8-12 FT (66.7%), 16 Reb (5.3 rpg), 9 Assists (3.0 apg), 3 Steals (1.0 spg)
Team Notes:
- Randall is coming off an exhibition contest at Southwestern (Kan.) on Monday as the Saints suffered a tough 110-56 defeat.
- Aside from their 119-70 exhibition loss at Oklahoma City on Oct. 24 and their exhibition defeat to the Moundbuilders on Monday, the Saints have been competitive in their three countable games as RU fell 90-83 against No. 24 Friends on Oct. 27, 70-67 to Southwestern Christian on Oct. 31, and 76-72 to Kansas Christian on Nov. 1. Thursday night's game against MACU will be the team's first countable road game of the season.
- In those three countable games, Randall is averaging 74.0 ppg, but shooting only 37.0 percent from the field and 27.6 percent from three-point range while the defense is allowing 78.7 ppg.
- Four-year Saint Kainan Ryan has been spearheading the Randall offensive attack, averaging 18.7 ppg on a solid 47.7 percent shooting clip while going 40 percent from downtown.
- Mid-America Christian is currently in the midst of a 10-game win streak and own a 19-4 overall record against Randall since the 2003-04 season. However, the last time the two sides met up inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Oct. 28, 2024, the Saints hung in there with the Evangels as MACU held on for the 95-81 win. Josiah Fulcher led the MACU scoring efforts with 24 points while Tarrence Gaines sparked a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards in the victory.