ALVA, Okla.- The Northwestern Men's Basketball team will host their final game of the season Saturday afternoon as they will be coming off of a 75-72 victory Thursday night against Southeastern. Parrish Hewitt and Deon Barrett led the way with 31 and 24 points respectively in the win. The Red-and-Black enter Saturday with a 3-10 record overall on the season and a 1-10 record in conference play. East Central will enter Saturday 8-8 on the season and in conference as they are coming off a 78-69 loss to Oklahoma Baptist. 
 

The Saturday afternoon matchup will be a battle between which will prevail more: the Ranger defense or the Tiger offense. East Central comes into Saturday's game with the number two scoring offense in the Great American Conference averaging 76.8 points per game with the best field goal percentage per game at 47.6%. The Rangers though are one of the better defensive teams in conference. The Rangers are holding opponents to just 31% shooting from three which is the best in the GAC. Northwestern leads the Great American Conference in blocked shots per game with 4.5 tied for tenth in the nation. The Red-and-Black also average 39.6 rebounds per game on the season for the GAC lead and tied for 25 in Division II. 
 

Parrish Hewitt leads the Rangers in scoring with 15 points per game. He will be coming off one of his best games after tying his career high of 31 points this past Thursday. The 15 points is fifteenth in the GAC in scoring shooting 43% on the year and 39.5 from three. Deon Barrett is the other Rangers player in double figures averaging 13.3 points a night. Bubba Furlong averages just under a double double with 9.1 points per game alongside 9.6 rebounds. The 9.6 rebounds are first in the Great American Conference. Furlong has been a force on the defensive end as well leading the Great American Conference in blocks with 2.4 blocks per game for third in the nation as well. Arturro Bingham has elevated his game as of late averaging 13 points in his last three games including going 7-9 from three. He is currently shooting 47.8% from beyond the arc. 

The Tigers of East Central come into the game Saturday looking to rebound following their 78-69 loss to Oklahoma Baptist. Matt Garriga led the charge for the Tigers finishing the game with 18 points. East Central is 2-3 in their last five games. Overall on the season the TIgers are 8-8 and in conference play. 

East Central is led by head coach Chris Crutchfield who is in the middle of his first season with Tigers after serving as an associate coach for Arkansas last season.

Jalen Crutchfield leads the Tigers in scoring with 14.9 points per game as one of three double figure scorers. He is joined by Tylor Arnold (13.4), Josh Apple (12.9), and Jakeem Acres (10.8). Apple is shooting 61.7% from the field which is a GAC best, also good for 22nd in the nation. Apple leads the Tigers in rebounding with 7.2 rebounds a game. Romello Wilbert is averaging three assists per game. 

The Red-and-Black will look to even the season series against the Tigers after losing the first meeting on a final second shot to win 67-65. Jakeem Acres led the way for the Tigers with 19 points in the afternoon. He was one of three double figure scores joined by Tylor Arnold and Jalen Crutchfield. Hewitt finished with a Ranger high of 15 joined by two others in double figures Justin Blunt and Bubba Furlong each with 13. 
 

Northwestern is 1-4 in the last five meetings against East Central. The latest win coming back in last season February of 2020 with an 84-76 win to split last season's series. East Central leads the history between these two teams 20-25. Rangers lead the series in Percefull Fieldhouse at 14-9 in games played in Alva. 

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