THE AGENDA
This week the OUAZ men's basketball team makes its fourth trip to California this season as they look to snap a four-game losing streak with a pair of Golden State Athletic Conference games. The Spirit begin the trip on Thursday at Westmont in Santa Barbara, California at 8:30 p.m. MST. They will then head to Santa Clarita, California to face No. 5 The Master's on Saturday at 4 p.m. MST.
 
Both games of the road trip will broadcast both games live on the NAIA Network and through the host school's Game Central portal. The NAIA Network is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices by searching NAIA. Live stats will also be available during each game. Links for all live coverage is available at OUAZSpirit.com/live.
 
ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ will set out with a 3-14 overall record after dropping a pair of games at home last week. They are 1-7 in GSAC games to currently sit 10th in the league standings. The Spirit are 1-5 on the road this season and they have gone 0-3 against ranked opponents.
 
The team is averaging 75.2 points per game and they shoot 41.6 percent from the floor. The Spirit make 7.1 threes per game by making 30.3 percent from deep and they hit on 67.6 percent at the foul line. They record 11.9 assists per game with a 0.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
OUAZ opponents are scoring 86.2 points per game by shooting 45.0 percent overall and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc. Along with allowing 8.3 3-pointers per game, OUAZ gives up 44.4 rebounds while grabbing 37.6 themselves. The Spirit force 14.8 turnovers per game and average 6.9 steals and 1.6 blocked shots.
 
Brian King Jr. leads the team in scoring at 16.9 points per game. He ranks seventh in the GSAC in scoring and is one of two players in the league with three 30-point performances. King has scored in double figures 13 times and has one double-double. He is second on the club with 105 rebounds while adding 31 assists and 22 steals.
 
Tanner Riley scores 14.8 points per game and he has scored in double figures 12 times. He has 90 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles. Riley leads the Spirit with 28 steals and his 1.75 steals per game is sixth in the GSAC. OUAZ's all-time leading scorer, Riley enters the week with 632 career points for the Spirt and is on track to finish his career with close to 800 points in two seasons.
 
Dimetres Moore adds 14.0 points per game by shooting 60.1 percent from the field. He is third in the GSAC in field goal percentage and he leads the Spirit by making 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Moore has scored in double figures 12 times this season with four games of 20-plus.
 
Marcus Williams adds 12.3 points per game with a team-leading 36 makes from beyond the arc. He is three 3-pointers shy of tying the school record for made 3-pointers in a season and his 2.4 threes per game ranks sixth in the conference. Williams is sixth in the GSAC with 65 assists and ranks third in the league at 4.33 assists per game.
 
ABOUT WESTMONT
Westmont enters Thursday's game holding a 10-6 overall record and they are 4-4 in GSAC game to sit sixth in the conference. The Warriors are 6-0 at home this season and they snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over San Diego Christian last Saturday.
 
In the first-ever meeting between the two teams on December 1 in Surprise, Westmont's Jordan Spaschak hit a three at the buzzer to cap a 14-point rally and give the Warriors a 77-74 win.
 
ABOUT THE MASTER'S
The Master's will start the week with a 17-3 overall record and carrying a No. 5 national ranking. The NAIA preseason No. 1 team is 6-2 in GSAC play to sit tied for second. They are 11-0 at home this season and have won 33 straight home games dating back to the 2016-17 season.
 
The two teams met for the first time ever on November 29 in Surprise with the Mustangs coming out with a 99-72 win.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Spirit will begin a straight with five of six games at home next week with a pair of GSAC games at Willow Canyon High School. They welcome San Diego Christian to Surprise on January 31 before hosting Vanguard on February 2.