OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU Men's Basketball team will start off the 2026 slate of its season on Saturday afternoon inside the Gaulke Activity Center as the Evangels prepare to host Hesston in non-conference action for a 1 p.m. tip-off.
 
SEASON REPORT

• Record: 9-3 (4-3 SAC)
• Last Game: Won vs. Science & Arts (Okla.) – 76-59 – Dec. 16, 2025 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Stat Leaders:
  • Points: Morris Williams (212, 17.7 ppg), Shannon Strickland (143, 11.9 ppg)
  • FG Percentage (%, M-A; Min 3 FGM/G): Morris Williams (51.5, 69-134), Shannon Strickland (50.5, 48-95)
  • 3FG Percentage (%, M-A; Min 1 3FGM/G): Shannon Strickland (51.3, 20-39), Morris Williams (45.3, 24-53)
  • FT Percentage (%, M-A; Min 2 FTM/G): Shannon Strickland (87.1, 27-31), Morris Williams (82.0, 50-61)
  • Rebounds: Morris Williams (69, 5.8 rpg), Clance Crosby (59, 4.9 rpg)
  • Assists: Demerius Shakur (23, 1.9 apg), Three Tied (20)
  • Steals: Zander Baker (21, 1.8 spg), Morris Williams (15, 1.3 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian had been playing some strong basketball heading into the holiday break, winning four of its last five games during the month of December after picking up a 76-59 victory over a Science & Arts squad on Dec. 16 that entered that contest as the top scoring team in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
  • A big reason for MACU's success in December has been its league-leading defense that is posting the lowest opponent field goal percentage in the SAC at 39.8, ranking 17^th overall in the entire NAIA.
  • During the recent five-game stretch, one change MACU has made is moving junior guard Corey Skillman to the starting five. During the first seven games, Skillman averaged 8.1 points per game on 41.2 percent, but since the start of December, he is averaging 10.6 ppg while shooting 50 percent from the floor.
  • Entering into 2026, MACU has the only player in the conference that ranks in the top five in both three-point shooting and free throw shooting as Shannon Strickland enters the new year leading the SAC in three-point percentage (51.3) and second from the free throw line (87.1).

SCOUTING REPORT
Hesston (Kan.)

• Record: 0-18
• Last Game: Lost at Midland – 94-75 – Dec. 30, 2025 – Fremont, Neb.
• Series vs MACU: MACU leads 1-0
• Last Game vs MACU: MACU won 87-81 (OT) – Nov. 17, 2025 – Hesston, Kan.
• Series Streak: MACU won 1
• Players to Watch:
  • Brennon Dodge – SO – G
    • 217 Points (12.1 ppg), 87-189 FG (46.0%), 16-55 3FG (29.1%), 27-39 FT (69.2%), 43 Reb (2.4 rpg), 48 Assists (2.7 apg), 21 Steals (2.1 spg)
  • Trent Thompson – SO – G
    • 197 Points (11.6 ppg), 60-125 FG (48.0%), 67-98 FT (68.4%), 97 Reb (5.7 rpg), 50 Assists (2.9 apg), 29 Steals (1.7 spg)
  • Antonio Odum – JR – G/F
    • 169 Points (9.4 ppg), 58-161 FG (36.0%), 17-60 3FG (28.3%), 36-63 FT (57.1%), 66 Reb (3.7 rpg), 48 Assists (2.7 apg), 19 Steals (1.1 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • In its first year as an NAIA institution, Hesston has had a tough first half of the season, going 0-18 through the month of December with its most recent loss coming in a 94-75 defeat at Midland on Dec. 30.
  • One of the biggest challenges for the Larks has come on the defensive end as HC ranks second-to-last in the NAIA in scoring defense, allowing 94.1 ppg while the opposition is posting the second-highest field goal percentage in the NAIA against them at 52.3. Hesston has also had a tough go on the offensive side, only averaging 71.7 ppg on 41.1 percent shooting and 33.1 percent from the three-point arc.
  • The sophomore guard duo of Brennon Dodge and Trent Thompson have led the Larks on the offensive end, averaging 12.1 and 11.6 ppg with both players shooting 46 percent or better from the field. Thompson also leads the Larks on the glass, averaging 5.7 rpg.
  • Despite Hesston's struggles, the Larks gave MACU a major scare in their first ever meeting at Hesston on Nov. 17. In that contest, HC posted one of its best three-point shooting performances of the season, going 18-for-38 (47.4 percent) from downtown and even owned a seven-point lead with 1:59 left in the second half. However, the Evangels battled back to force overtime before outscoring the Larks 9-3 in the overtime period to pull out the hard-fought 87-81 win.