ALVA, OKLA - Northwestern Oklahoma Men's Basketball team is set for one last home game during the 2021-2022 season playing host to Southern Nazarene Thursday evening with tip-off set for 7:30 following the conclusion of the Lady Rangers game. The Rangers will take in a 11-3 home record this season as they look for their sixth straight win at home and fourth overall victory.
The Red-and-Black (19-7 overall and 14-6 GAC) enter play on a three game win streak with wins over Harding, Arkansas Tech, and Southwestern. The Rangers have also won nine of their last ten games on the season with the loss being on a buzzer beater to Henderson State.
Northwestern has had a balanced attack this season offensively and defensively this season but overall led by a high powered offense. The offense ranks second in scoring at 77 points per game for the Rangers led by four players averaging double figures. Those included Larry White at 13.3, and Malik Parsons at 13.3 points per game. Parsons will look to continue his stretch of double figures in 10 of his last 11 games including 20+ points in four of his last five games.
Brian Free at 12.1 and Bubba Furlong at 12.0 are the Rangers other two double figure scorers. Northwestern is second as a team in field-goal percentage at 48.1% and is first in free throws made on the year. Rangers are third in the league in assists per game at 13.9. Brian Free leads the team with 76 assists on the season. He also leads the team in three point shooting with 72 made on the season with a 43.4% from behind the arc.
The Rangers defense ranks fifth in points allowed at 68.5 points per season holding their opponents to 42.5% shooting ranks second in field-goal percentage defense.The Rangers force 15.19 turnovers per game as a team as they rank first in total blocks and first in total steals on the season. Larry White leads the team in steals at 52 on the season ranking first in the GAC while Furlong averages 2.58 blocks per game ranking first in the GAC and top 10 in all of Division II. Northwestern ranks second in rebounding margin in large part on the offensive glass ranking fourth in the conference in offensive rebounds at 10.5 per game. Furlong brings down the third most offensive rebounds in the conference.
Scouting the Crimson Storm:
Southern Nazarene (18-8 overall and 13-7 GAC) enters Thursday evening winners in their last game over Arkansas Monticello and have won four of their last six games. They dropped their last game on the road to Oklahoma Baptist but entered Thursday with an 8-3 road record away from Bethany.
The Crimson Storm are second in the conference in points allowed at 64.2 points per game holding their opponents to 44.6% ranking ninth in the conference. They force the eighth most turnovers in the league ranking sixth in blocks and fifth in total steals on the season. Xavier Bryant leads the team in steals with 46 on the season while Nick Davis leads in blocks at 27 for the season.
Southern Nazarene is led in scoring by Tyler Mcghie at 17.5 points per game along with Adokiye Iyaye at 14.0 as the only two players averaging double figures. McGhie leads the team with 55 made three pointers on the season on 40.4% shooting from the field.
History:
Overall the Crimson Storm leads the series history 25-11 over the Rangers dating back to the 2006 season. Northwestern won the first meeting this season back in December snapping a seven game losing against Southern Nazarene. The Rangers will look for their first win in Alva since the 2018 season.
The Rangers won the December meeting 88-63 led by Malik Parsons with 22 points as one of four double figure scorers that day for the Rangers.He was joined by Furlong finishing with a double-double, White with 17 and Free with 16 points in the win for Northwestern.
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