EDMOND, Okla. - Oklahoma Christian, after closing 2024 with back-to-back conference wins, returns to the Payne Athletic Center for 2025 action with UT Tyler Friday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and then No. 10 DBU Sunday, Jan. 5 at 3 p.m. 

EAGLE OUTLOOK (5-5, 2-3 LSC)
Oklahoma Christian went into Christmas break with its second consecutive Lone Star Conference victory after defeating Cameron, 90-82. Keyondre Young (32) and Miles Gibson (22) combined for 54 points as the Eagles, who never trailed against the Aggies, scored their most points in a league game since Feb. 2, 2023. Adding to the scoring barrage was OC's best three-point field-goal percentage (62.5%) in a win since Feb. 17, 2018, making 10-of-16 attempts.

Young's 32 points earned him the conference's Offensive Player of the Week award, marking the most points scored by an Eagle men's basketball player since Aubrey Johnson's 35-point performance on Jan. 23, 2020. The Del City, Okla., (Del City HS) native hit a sizzling 6-of-7 three-pointers as he is now fourth in NCAA Division II with a 55.6 three-point percentage. As a team, OC is tied for 13th in DII at 39.66 percent from long range. On Friday, that three-point threat will be pitted against UT Tyler's eighth-ranked three-point field-goal defense in the country (27.8 percent).

With Cameron being in the Lone Star Conference's East Division along with OC, the Eagles are one of three east teams heading into the first weekend of the new year who are undefeated against division competition while sitting at 2-3 overall in league play. Oklahoma Christian's next six games are against LSC east teams, with four of those games being in The Nest, where the maroon-and-gold are 5-1.

Oklahoma Christian has won the last two meetings against UT Tyler and has not lost to the Patriots at home since the 2021-22 season. The Eagles have won the last two matchups in Edmond by double-digits, including last year's 77-67 victory behind current-Eagle Nickolas Traylor's 20 points. For Sunday's contest, the maroon-and-gold have dropped three straight against No. 10 DBU, but the last two meetings in the Sooner State have been decided by one possession, with the Patriots getting the edge last season, 74-72, while OC took the win back on Jan. 1, 2023, 70-67. 

SCOUTING UT TYLER (5-6, 2-3 LSC)
Similar to Oklahoma Christian, UT Tyler comes into the new year riding a two-game conference winning streak, both of which came on the road. This season, UTT is 2-0 in true road games, with one of those wins coming by five against 2-9 Western New Mexico in the final game of 2024. After starting out the season 0-3, the Patriots have won five of their last eight games.

The Patriots come to the Sooner State with their previously-mentioned eighth-ranked three-point field-goal defense in the Division II at 27.8 percent. On the year, when opponents have shot 30 percent or better from deep, Tyler is 0-4. Oklahoma Christian has shot 30 percent or better from long range in three of its last four games. Offensively for the Patriots, senior guard Mareng Gatkuoth, having only played in UTT's last two games, is averaging 15 points per game while shooting 50 percent (6-of-12) from three-point range and 5.5 rebounds per contest. 

SCOUTING No. 10 DBU (12-2, 4-1 LSC)
DBU enters the 2025 portion of the season ranked No. 10 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Poll after having won 11 of its last 12 games. While being 5-1 at home, the Patriots have been even more dominant on the road, standing a perfect 4-0 in true road games with an average margin of victory of 15.3 points. 

While coming into the 2024-25 campaign led by LSC Preseason Player of the Year Cameron Kahn (15.5 ppg), who has scored in double figures in all but one game this season, the Patriots also boast 2023-24 Second Team All-LSC guard Ricky Lujan, who is leading the team with 16.3 points per game and has recorded five 20-point games. With the help of Kahn and Lujan, DBU is averaging an LSC-third most 84.3 points per outing while holding teams 69.9 points.