The St. Edward's men's basketball team responded to its first bit of adversity with a win over Dallas Baptist to stop a two-game skid, ending its lone losing streak of the season.
St. Edward's sits atop the Lone Star Conference East Division with a 12-5, 6-2 record put together by the conference's second-highest scoring offense. Oklahoma Christian is 3-6 in conference play but has won three of its last four, racking up impressive wins over UT-Tyler, Dallas Baptist, and Texas A&M International before Texas A&M - Kingsville snapped its three-game win streak.
Oklahoma Christian is turnover prone (14.5 per game, 12th in the LSC) but efficient, ranking first in the conference in field-goal percentage at a 47.4 percent clip. The Eagles also attack the glass with the league's second-best rebound margin (4.8) and protect the rim with the second-most blocks per game (4.4).
The Eagles' top two scorers are shooting better than 50 percent for the season, led by 6-foot-5 guard Drew Tennial's 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on 55 percent shooting, including .385 from deep. Antonio Gordon, a 6-foot-9 junior forward, averages 14.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on 50.6 percent shooting.
Gordon is second in the LSC in defensive rebounds (5.4 per game) and blocks per game (1.93), making an exciting matchup for freshman center SEAN ELKINTON, who leads the LSC in total rebounds (136) and six double-doubles, averaging 11.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 56.0/27.8/80.6 shooting splits.
Elkinton has formed impressive chemistry with BLAKE NIELSEN since the latter joined the starting lineup, connecting on several interior passes each game. Nielsen has grown into one of the league's top playmakers in his sophomore season, ranking fourth in assists with 3.6 per game.
Arkansas Fort Smith is just under .500 in the conference at 4-5 but has won four of its last six with victories over Texas Permian Basin, Oklahoma Christian, UT-Tyler, and Texas A&M International.
The Lions are led by 6-foot-3 guard Payton Brown, who averages 18.7 points per game on .321/.279/.862 shooting splits, and steady playmakers Evan Anderson and Cameron Bush, who rank in the top 11 in the LSC in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio.
St. Edward's can counter with any one of three guards in JEFF GARY, GAVINO RAMOS, or UCHE DIBIAMAKA. Dibiamaka has ramped up his game since conference play started, reaching double digits for five consecutive games, including a season-high 24 points on 9-for-12 shooting with several clutch baskets in the win over Dallas Baptist.
