The Oklahoma Baptist University Bison picked up home wins against Sooner Athletic Conference foes Lubbock Christian and Wayland Baptist last week to go 21-1 on the season and 13-1 in SAC play. Three league games are on tap this week with St. Gregory's and Rogers State at home and John Brown on the road.

 

 

OBU 85, LCU 71

 

The Bison trailed the Chaparrals, 40-36, at halftime-only the second time OBU has been behind at intermission this season-but out-scored LCU, 49-31, in the second half. The Bison shot its lowest field goal percentage of the year (45.6 percent), marking only the second time they have shot below 50 percent.

 

Nate Brumfield, who scored only 5 points in the first half, finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Kevin Swinton had 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. Garrett Steinmetz added 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. A.J. Hawkins scored 10 points and Tim Bowman, 8.

 

The Bison shot well from the charity stripe, hitting 29 of 36, 80.6 percent.

 

 

OBU 64, WBU 55

 

The Bison trailed the Pioneers through much of the first half but pulled ahead by five at halftime. OBU led the rest of the way, but the Bison could never really pull away. The biggest lead was at 67-48.

 

Brumfield contributed 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists; Bowman had 17 points and 4 rebounds; and Swinton had 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. The Bison shot 53.8 percent (21 of 39) from the field.

 

 

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS

 

Tuesday, Feb. 9, OBU is home versus the St. Gregory's University Cavaliers. OBU holds a 25-3 series lead. The Bison have won 10 in a row, including a 100-63 victory at SGU in December. OBU is 11-1 at home, 11-2 at SGU, and 3-0 on neutral floors. Coach Doug Tolin's teams are 19-1 against the Cavs: 9-0 at home, 9-1 away, and 1-0 on neutral courts.

 

Thursday, Feb. 11, the Bison are home versus Rogers State. The three-year series against the Hillcats is tied, 3-3. OBU is 2-0 at home, 1-2 in Claremore, and 0-1 on neutral floors. The Bison won in Claremore for the first time in January by a score of 86-83.

 

Saturday, Feb. 13, OBU will be in Siloam Springs to face John Brown. OBU leads the series against the Golden Eagles, 34-13: 21-4 at home, 13-8 on the road, and 0-1 on neutral floors. Coach Tolin's teams are 14-6 against JBU: 9-2 at home and 5-4 away. The Bison have won 8 in a row, including an 82-76 match-up in Shawnee in January.

 

 

SAC LEADERS

 

(1) Southern Nazarene, 14-1; (2) OBU, 13-1; (3) Oklahoma City, 9-5; (4) Oklahoma Christian, 9-6; (5) John Brown, 9-7; (6) Rogers State, 8-7; (7T) Lubbock Christian, 8-8; (7T) Mid-America Christian, 8-8

 

 

COLLEGE COACHING ALUMNI

 

NCAA D-1

 

A growing number of former OBU basketball players are in the college coaching ranks. The only NCAA Division 1 head coach is Bob Hoffman, who played for the Bison from 1975-79 and who coached the Bison, 1990-99. Hoffman is in his second year as the head man at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. He also was head coach at the University of Texas-Pan American and was an assistant at the University of Oklahoma.

 

One of Hoffman's assistants at Mercer is Spencer Wright, who played for Hoffman at OBU in 1994-95. Wright was an assistant for Hoffman at Pan American.

 

Jason Eaker, who played for OBU in 1999-2000 for interim coach Marcello Gomes, is an assistant at Liberty University. Eaker spent time working at Pan American and at OU.

 

NCAA D-2

 

Vince Alexander, who played for OBU from 1987-89 for Darrel Johnson, is in his fifth year as head coach at University of South Carolina-Aiken. He was head coach at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania for six years.

 

NAIA

 

Robert Davenport, who played for Johnson in 1986-87, is in his fourth season as head coach at Wayland Baptist University of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC). Davenport was an assistant with Hoffman at OBU and at Pan American. He has been head coach at LeTourneau University, Missouri Baptist University, and Pan American.

 

Kevin Morrissey, who played for Hoffman at OBU from 1995-97, is in his second season as head coach at Oklahoma City University, of the SAC. He previously was head coach at St. Gregory's University.

 

Quinn Wooldridge, who played for Hoffman at OBU from 1994-97 and 1998-99, is one of Morrissey's assistants at OCU. Last year, Wooldridge was head coach at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M. Prior to that he was an assistant at Wayland Baptist with Davenport.

 

Vinson Metcalf played for Darrel Johnson at OBU in 1988-89 and is in his eleventh season as assistant coach at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma of the SAC.

 

Kyle Tolin, played for his father, Doug Tolin, at OBU from 2000-2004. Kyle was a graduate assistant at OBU from 2004-06 and is in his fourth season as a full-time assistant at OBU.

 

NJCAA

 

Kourtney Smith, who played for Doug Tolin at OBU from 2005-07, is in his first year as an assistant at Grayson County Community College in Texas after two years as a graduate assistant at OBU.