Men's Basketball 11/2/2021 2:00:00 PM

Men's Basketball Notes -- Week 1

THIS WEEK
Coming off the most successful season in program history, the OUAZ men's basketball team will tip off the new season with a home game against Benedictine Mesa on Wednesday. Tipoff for the season opener is at 7 p.m. in Faith Arena.

The team's were scheduled to also play at Benedictine Mesa on Saturday, but that game will be rescheduled at a later date.

Tickets for Wednesday's opener are available now from the OUAZ digital office at OUAZSpirit.com/tickets or by downloading the HomeTown Ticketing Fan App and searching OUAZ. As a reminder, masks are required when inside Faith Arena, per OUAZ policies.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
OUAZ begins the new season after posting a 13-6 record and making a run to the title game of the NCCAA National Championship last season. That team set the program record for winning percentage (.684) while making the first postseason appearance.

Along the way, the Spirit would record a 6-3 record at home. That success moved the team's all-time record in Faith Arena to 14-9 since moving into their on-campus home in 2019.

This year's team returns eight players that appeared in a game for the Spirit last season, including all five starters and the top six – and seven of the top eight – scoring leaders from a season ago.

The group of returners accounted for nearly 86 percent of the team's total scoring output during the 2020-21 season. The eight returning players also played 79 percent of the minutes and totaled 80 percent of the assists and blocked shots.

Behind the "Play Fast" mentality in place by head coach Matt Keeley, the Spirit averaged 80.7 points per game last season, and they scored 80-plus points in a game nine times with a 7-2 record in those outings.

OUAZ was also a solid defensive team last season, where they allowed just 74.3 points per game. In the program's history, the Spirit are 29-8 when they hold the opposition to under 80 points, including an 11-0 record last season.

Another area the team has grown over the past two seasons is in games decided by one possession. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, OUAZ has a 6-1 record in games decided by three points or less. They are 8-3 during that period when the game ended within four points, including a 3-0 record last season.

ABOUT THE SPIRIT
Kam Malbrough is back for his senior season after leading the Spirit in scoring at 18.3 points per game last season. Malbrough scored in double figures in all but one game last season with six games with at least 20 points. He became the first player in program history to be named the GSAC All-Conference Team and an NCCAA Third Team All-American.

Malbrough also led the Spirit with 91 assists a season ago, and he finished 32nd in the NAIA by averaging 4.79 assists per game. He dished out at least five assists in a game nine times.

Josiah De'laCerda was second in scoring average last season by getting 17.0 points per game. He had five games of 20-plus points and was named to the NCCAA National Championship All-Tournament Team.

De'laCerda shot 60.0 percent from the field and grabbed 7.0 rebounds per game while leading the team with nine blocked shots.

Kolten Hitt averaged 11.8 points per game, and he scored in double figures 14 times. Hitt made 40.3 percent from beyond the arc and tallied a team-leading 25 steals.

Marcus Williams is back for a fifth season and starts the year third in program history with 743 career points scored. A career 41.5 percent shooter from three, Williams holds the OUAZ career record with 167 made triples.

ABOUT BENEDICTINE MESA
Benedictine Mesa will enter Wednesday's game with a 1-1 record this season and is coming off a 94-75 win at SAGU American Indian College on Thursday.

Maurice Walton leads the Redhawks in scoring at 16.0 points per game, with Tyler Fernstrom adding 15.5 points per contest.

SERIES HISTORY
OUAZ has a 3-5 record in eight all-time meetings against Benedictine Mesa. Last season, the teams split two meetings, with the Spirit's 76-63 win on January 13, snapping a three-game losing streak against the Redhawks.

LOOKING AHEAD
Next week, the Spirit will play a pair of games that includes a home affair with Park Gilbert on November 9 at 7 p.m. That will be followed by a trip to Denver to face the Pioneers of Denver University in an exhibition game on November 12 at 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

#3 Kolten Hitt: G; 6' 3"; Senior

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#3 Kolten Hitt
: 6' 3"; Senior
: G

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

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