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Men's Basketball

Spirit Set to Host SAGU in Home Opener on Thursday

SAGU AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE WARRIORS (0-2) at OUAZ SPIRIT (2-0)
Game Details Thursday, December 10 • 7 p.m. (Arizona) • Surprise, Ariz. • Faith Arena
Video Stream ouazspirit.com/digital
OTT App NAIA Network (Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku)
Live Stats ouazspirit.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Game Notes OUAZ (PDF) • SAGU

SPIRIT NOTES
•    After securing a pair of victories during Halloween weekend at the ACU Fultz Classic, the OUAZ men's basketball team will return to action after a 39-day break on Thursday night when they host SAGU American Indian College in Faith Arena at 7 p.m.

•    Fans will not be allowed to attend the game as the city of Surprise has put restrictions on gatherings of 50-plus people. OUAZ is working on getting approval from the city to allow fans at future games.

•    The Spirit home opener will be broadcast live on the OUAZ Digital Network. Fans can view the game online at OUAZSpirit.com/network or on the NAIA Network app on Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku devices.

•    Live stats will also be available during the game with a link will be available on the men's basketball schedule on the OUAZ website or at OUAZSpirit.com/live.

•    OUAZ enters the home opener with a 2-0 record for the first time in program history. Both of the wins came at a neutral site during the season's first weekend.

•    The two wins in October extended the team's current winning streak to four straight dating back to last season. That is the second-longest winning streak in program history. OUAZ is 6-4 in its last 10 games dating back to the close of the 2019-20 season.

•    In the program's history, OUAZ has a 16-17 record when playing at home. The Spirit moved into Faith Arena last season and recorded an 8-6 record, including wins in three of the final four home games of the season.

•    OUAZ got off to a fast start offensively at the Fultz Classic, scoring 97 and 94 points in the two wins. They currently are 10th in the NAIA by scoring 95.5 points per game.

• A solid shooting effort in each game ignited the scoring output as the team shot 57.9 percent in the two games. That has the Spirit leading the NAIA at this point of the season. They are one of only three teams that are currently shooting above 56 percent.

•    The 58.3 percent shooting in the season opener against Park Gilbert is the second-best shooting night in program history. That was followed by 57.6 percent against Randall, including 71.9 percent in the second half.

• OUAZ added the long ball into its repertoire during the first weekend with 23 made threes in shooting 43.4 percent from beyond the arc. The team made 10-plus threes in consecutive games for the first time since the final two games of the 2017-18 season.

•    With that 3-point performance, OUAZ is fourth in the NAIA in 3-point field goal percentage and 12th in 3-pointers made per game.

•    Josiah De'laCerda was the leading scorer for the Spirit in each of the two wins. The junior transfer opened with 26 points against Park Gilbert before dropping 21 points against Randall.

• De'laCerda is 17th in the NAIA with his .704 field goal percentage and 18th in scoring average at 23.5 points per game. He has gone a perfect 8 for 8 at the foul line and ranks tied for second in the country in made free throws without a miss.

•    Fellow newcomer Kolten Hitt scored 17 and 14 points in the two games respectively. His 15.5 points per game average is second on the team and he shot 62.5 percent from three with a team-best six offensive rebounds.

•    Marcus Williams made his return to the court and averaged 15 points per game at the Fultz Classic. Williams led the Spirit with eight made 3-pointers and a 53.3 percent rate.

•    According to the poll of the league's coaches released on October 17, OUAZ was projected to finish eighth in the league this season. The team received 26 points from the coaches 

•    The GSAC released an updated 2020-21 schedule of conference games last week with the league playing a 10-game GSAC schedule starting on January 15. 

•    The new schedule has been adjusted to the conference playing in two pods with six schools – Arizona Christian, Life Pacific, OUAZ, San Diego Christian, The Master's, and William Jessup – playing in one pod. The second pod will consist of Hope International, Menlo, Vanguard, and Westmont. The two pods will not play any crossover contests.

•    The 2020-21 NAIA basketball season marks a return to one division for the first time since the end of 1990-91. That also changes the NAIA National Championship from a 32-team field to a 64-team field.

•    With the change, 16 schools will host a four-team Opening Round bracket with those winners advancing to the final site at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

 
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Players Mentioned

Marcus Williams

#0 Marcus Williams

G
6' 0"
Senior
Josiah De

#35 Josiah De'laCerda

F
6' 8"
Junior
Kolten Hitt

#14 Kolten Hitt

G
6' 3"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Marcus Williams

#0 Marcus Williams

6' 0"
Senior
G
Josiah De

#35 Josiah De'laCerda

6' 8"
Junior
F
Kolten Hitt

#14 Kolten Hitt

6' 3"
Junior
G