THE AGENDA
This week the OUAZ men's basketball team will return to their home court to host a pair of Golden State Athletic Conference games. The home week begins a span where the Spirit will play five of six at home. It begins on Thursday when they welcome San Diego Christian to Willow Canyon High School at 7 p.m. The week concludes on Saturday at 2 p.m. against No. 4 Vanguard.
 
Both games are the second of a doubleheader with the women's game tipping two hours prior to the start of the men's game. Admission is free to all OUAZ home basketball games this season. Fans attending the games are encouraged to park on the south side of the gymnasium and enter the building through the west doors.
 
OUAZ will broadcast both games live on the NAIA Network and through the Spirit 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 starts the week with a 3-16 overall record and looking to snap a six-game losing streak. They are 1-9 in GSAC games to currently rank 10th in the conference standings. The Spirit are 2-5 at home this season and 5-5 in their last 10 home games dating back to last season.
 
As play begins this week the Spirit are averaging 75.2 points per game as they shoot 41.3 percent from the field. They are making 7.2 3-pointers per night at a .305 percent clip while also converting .686 percent at the foul line. The team averages 12.0 assists per game with a 0.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
OUAZ opponents are scoring 87.1 points per game and shooting 45.8 percent overall. The opposition hits 8.4 threes per game by shooting 34.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Spirit are grabbing 37.1 rebounds per game and allowing 44.4. They force their opponents into 14.8 turnovers per outing with 6.9 steals to go with 1.6 blocks per game.
 
At 15.9 points per game, Brian King Jr. leads OUAZ in scoring and ranks eighth in the GSAC. He has scored in double figures 14 times and is one of two players in the league with three 30-point performances.  King is second on the team in grabbing 114 rebounds and he has added 32 assists and 22 steals.
 
Tanner Riley is scoring 14.5 points per game where he ranks 14th in the GSAC. His 14 games in double figures is tied for the team lead and he leads the team with a pair of double-doubles. Riley has 102 rebounds, 33 assists, and 32 steals this season. He begins the week with 657 career points at OUAZ and needs to average 15.9 per game to reach 800.
 
Dimetres Moore provides the Spirit with 13.9 points per game and he is ninth in the conference by shooting 58.2 percent from the field. Moore has also scored in double figures 14 times with four 20-point outings. He has added 61 rebounds and 19 steals as well.
 
Marcus Williams is up to 12.5 points per game and he leads the team with 42 made 3-pointers. His 2.5 makes from deep per game ranks fourth in the GSAC and he holds the school record for threes in a season and for a career with his 76 makes over the past two years.
 
ABOUT SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN
San Diego Christian will make the trip to Surprise at 6-12 overall this season and on a two-game slide. The Hawks are eighth in the GSAC with their 2-7 conference record and they have gone 2-7 on the road this season. They are led by GSAC leading scorer Derek Novsek and his 21.3 points per game.
 
OUAZ won the previous meetings with the Hawks this season, 84-79, on January 5. That brought the all-time series even at a win apiece after the Hawks defeated the Spirit 86-75 last season.
 
ABOUT VANGUARD
Vanguard begins the week at 20-1 overall with a No. 4 national ranking and riding a four-game winning streak. They are atop the GSAC standings with an 8-1 mark in conference play and have gone 5-1 on the road. The Lions are led by Malachi Hoosein and his 14.7 points per game average.
 
In the previous meeting this season, Vanguard defeated the Spirit 79-63. That is the only meeting between the two programs in OUAZ's brief history.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Spirit will remain in Arizona next week for two games. After hosting SAGU American Indian College at Willow Canyon High School on February 6, the Spirit will face Arizona Christian on February 9 in Phoenix.