THE AGENDA
This week the OUAZ men's basketball team plays a pair of games in Phoenix this week and they get started on Wednesday with a non-conference game at SAGU American Indian College at 7 p.m. The Spirit will then play at No. 24 Arizona Christian on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
 
Saturday's game will have live video available on the NAIA Network and the ACU 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 be available for both games. Links for all live coverage is available at OUAZSpirit.com/live.
 
ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ will begin the week with a 3-18 overall record and looking to snap an 8-game losing streak. They are 1-11 in GSAC games where they sit 10th in the conference. The Spirit are 1-7 in road games this season and have dropped four straight road games.
 
As play begins this week the Spirit are averaging 75.4 points per game as they shoot 41.8 percent from the field. They are making 7.2 3-pointers per night at a .307 percent clip while also converting .687 percent at the foul line. The team averages 12.2 assists per game with a 0.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
OUAZ opponents are scoring 87.0 points per game and shooting 45.5 percent overall. The opposition hits 8.3 threes per game by shooting 34.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Spirit are grabbing 36.9 rebounds per game and allowing 44.3. They force their opponents into 14.7 turnovers per outing with 6.9 steals to go with 1.8 blocks per game.
 
Brian King Jr. leads the Spirit and ranks ninth in the conference by scoring 16.0 points per game. He has scored in double figures 16 times and is one of two players in the GSAC with three 30-point performances.  King is second on the team in grabbing 123 rebounds and he has added 38 assists and 24 steals.
 
Tanner Riley is scoring 14.4 points per game where he ranks 13th in the GSAC. His 16 games in double figures is tied for the team lead and he leads the team with a pair of double-doubles. Riley has 113 rebounds, 38 assists, and 36 steals this season. He begins the week with 684 career points at OUAZ and needs to average 16.6 per game to reach 800.
 
Dimetres Moore provides the Spirit with 14.1 points per game and he is ninth in the conference by shooting 56.9 percent from the field. Moore has also scored in double figures 16 times with four 20-point outings. He has added 70 rebounds and 19 steals as well.
 
Marcus Williams is up to 13.0 points per game and he leads the team with 48 made 3-pointers. His 2.5 makes from deep per game is tied for third in the GSAC and he holds the school record for threes in a season and for a career with his 82 makes over the past two years.
 
ABOUT SAGU AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE
SAGU enters Wednesday's game at 4-9 this season after sweeping a pair of games over Westcliff last weekend. The Warriors average 83.0 points per game while allowing 93.3.
 
The two teams met twice last season with OUAZ coming away with a victory each time. That included a 100-78 win last February on the SAGU home floor.
 
ABOUT ARIZONA CHRISTIAN
Arizona Christian enters the week at 19-5 overall and with a No. 24 national rankings. The Firestorm are 7-5 in GSAC games to sit fifth in the conference standings. They have a 14-1 record at home this season. Callum Lawson leads ACU and the GSAC in scoring at 21.5 points per game and he is this week's NAIA National Player of the Week.
 
ACU leads the all-time series with the Spirit 1-0 after a 97-86 home win last season. The teams will meet again on February 28 at Willow Canyon High School in the final game of the season.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
OUAZ returns to Willow Canyon High School next week to host a pair of GSAC games. The Spirit welcome Life Pacific to Surprise on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. They will then host Hope International on February 16 at 2 p.m.