OUAZ Returns from Break to Host Benedictine Mesa on Saturday

BENEDICTINE MESA REDHAWKS (0-4) at OUAZ SPIRIT (3-0)
Game Details	Saturday, January 9 • 2 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)

SPIRIT NOTES
•   It's been another long layoff, including a break for the holidays, but the OUAZ men's basketball team will return to the court for what they hope will be a 15-game sprint to the end of the regular season on Saturday afternoon when they host Benedictine Mesa in Faith Arena at 2 p.m.

•   Due to the ordinance by the City of Surprise limiting public gatherings to less than 50 people, fans will not be allowed to attend the game.

•   Saturday's game 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.

•   The Spirit will bring a 3-0 record into Saturday's matinee. The best start in program history includes a pair of neutral-court wins and a 1-0 record at Faith Arena.

•   OUAZ has won five straight games dating back to the end of last season. That is the second-longest winning streak in program history and four off the record of nine set during the 2017-18 season. The Spirit are 6-4 in the last 10 games they have played when including the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

•   In the program's history, OUAZ has a 17-17 record when playing at home. Since moving into Faith Arena at the start of last season, the Spirit have gone 9-6 and won three straight and five of its last seven.

•   The "Play Fast" offense of the Spirit has been in full effect through the team's first three games of the season. They have scored at least 85 points in every game so far with two games in the 90s. OUAZ is currently 17th in the NAIA in scoring average at 92.00 points per game.

•   That high scoring attack has been anchored by the efficient shooting of the team. Three games into the season OUAZ is fourth in the nation by shooting 54.7 percent from the field. The Spirit began the year by shooting 58.3 and 57.6 percent in the two wins at the ACU Fultz Classic.

•   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 this season with at least 10 threes in every game to mark the longest such streak in program history. The team is 11th nationally by making 11.33 triples per game and they rank sixth in shooting 43.0 percent from beyond the arc.

•   For good measure, the Spirit are shooting 75.9 percent from the foul line which places them 25th in the country.

•   Josiah De'laCerda has led the team in scoring in two of the three games played and his 19.67 points per game average leads the team and ranks 46th in the country.

•    De'laCerda is shooting 70.6 percent from the field – 10th in the NAIA – and nine makes without a miss at the foul line are second-most in the NAIA at this time.

•   De'laCerda has a team-best 19 rebounds while adding six assists, three steals, and two blocked shots.

•   Kam Malbrough is coming off a 25-point outing against SAGU and is second on the team in scoring at 17.00 points per game. He set the program record with 14 made free throws in that game while tying the record with 16 attempts.

•   Malbrough has scored in double figures in all three games this season and he leads the Spirit with 12 assists and five steals.

•   Marcus Williams is averaging 14.67 points per game and he has gone 11 of 22 from beyond the arc on the year. His 3.67 made threes per game is 12th in the NAIA and he is 39th with that 50 percent shooting from deep.

•   Williams enters Saturday having made at least one 3-pointer in each of the past 17 games he has played to establish the longest such streak in program history. During that stretch, the OUAZ all-time leader with 131 made threes has averaged 3.6 makes from deep per game and shot 45.5 percent from long range. Williams has made multiple threes in a game 14 times during the 17 game span.

•   Kolten Hitt has also scored in double figures in every game this season and is currently averaging 14.00 points per game. Hitt has gone 8 of 12 from distance to currently rank ninth in the NAIA with that 66.7 percent clip.

•   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 month 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

#0 Marcus Williams: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#35 Josiah De'laCerda: F; 6' 8"; Junior

#14 Kolten Hitt: G; 6' 3"; Junior

#2 Kam Malbrough: G; 5' 9"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#0 Marcus Williams
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#35 Josiah De'laCerda
: 6' 8"; Junior
: F

#14 Kolten Hitt
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#2 Kam Malbrough
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G