The men's basketball team returns five players from last season's 16-13 team and three starters. There are 13 newcomers to this season's varsity roster.
Returners:
Deondre Buggage,
AJ Hof,
CJ Brown,
Payton Kaiser, Jayden Hibbitt
Newcomers:
Braylon Wheeler,
PJ Twa,
Parker Williams,
Najee Jones,
Alex Riddick,
Trey Twa,
Cameron Shaw,
Tadas Gudonis,
Keith Robinson,
Sam Williams,
Landyn Tyler,
Sam Rollins*,
Micah Willis
*Players in bold are returning starters |
Sam Rollins was a member of the junior varsity team in 2023-24.
In 29 games last season, Ottawa averaged 81.1 points per game. The Braves shot 44.6 percent from the floor, 36 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 77.5 percent from the free throw line. OU averaged 39.8 rebounds and 13.6 assists per game.
Jayden Hibbitt led OU in scoring last season, averaging 20.4 points per game.
Deondre Buggage was right behind him, averaging 19.1 points per game. He also averaged 4.8 assists per game.
The Braves were selected to finish seventh this season in the KCAC by the conference coaches. The media picked OU to finish eighth. Oklahoma Wesleyan was selected, in both polls, to claim this season's KCAC Championship.
Friday night's game against Jarvis Christian University will be just the second time that the two teams have played against each other. The first time was last season on Nov. 9 in Hawkins, Texas. Jarvis Christian won the game 94-89.
One of this season's top newcomers is
Najee Jones. He is a transfer from Texas College where he averaged 14.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Jones shot 42.5 percent from the floor, 35.1 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 79.5 percent from the free throw line. He was a Third Team NAIA All-American, a First Team All-Red River selection and was named Red River Newcomer of the Year.
Jarvis Christian University finished the 2023-24 season with an overall record of 11-16 and a Red River Athletic Conference mark of 9-13, finishing eighth. The 11 wins were the most by a Bulldog men's basketball team since the JCU had 13 wins during the 2016-17 season.
The Bulldogs were selected to finish sixth in the Red River Athletic Conference by the conference coaches, receiving 77 points.
Erin Wright is Jarvis Christian's returning leading scorer. He averaged 10.6 points per game last season, shooting 44.3 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 74.7 percent from the free throw line.
Jarvis Christian finished the 2023-24 season ranked 40th in the NAIA in opponent field goal total-attempts (727-1579), 23rd in opponent 3-pt field goal total-attempts (176-539).
Through 27 games last season, the Bulldogs averaged 72.1 points, 33.3 rebounds, and 13 assists per game. JCU shot 43.5 percent from the floor, 33 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 69.1 percent from the free throw line.
