SAGU hosts Saturday afternoon games

Lady Lions at 2:00pm, Lions at 4:00pm

Jarvis Christian College visits for RRAC twinbill

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  Southwestern Assemblies of God University will play host to a pair of Saturday matinee college basketball games against Jarvis Christian College.

In recent years, all games were played at 5:30pm and 7:30pm (CST). This season the Red River Athletic Conference has scheduled a handful of afternoon games on Saturday, much like the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

The move provides varied access to some fans while freeing up Saturday night for other activities. It is the only home matinee slated at SAGU this month. There are four others in January and February.

The Lady Lions, 3-4 overall and 0-1 in RRAC play, will take on the Lady Bulldogs (0-3, 0-2 in RRAC). The tip-off is set for 2:00pm in the Sheaffer Center.

The Lady Bulldogs have been a sort of nemesis to Southwestern, winning six of the past eight meetings, including the last three.

Men’s action begins at approximately 4:00pm between SAGU, 6-1 and 1-0, and Jarvis (2-4, 1-1 in RRAC).

SAGU swept both games last winter including the past three encounters. The Lions hold a 6-1 series edge in recent seasons.

Jarvis Christian College is located in Hawkins, Texas, 125 miles from Waxahachie. The campus is north of Tyler, near highway 80.

Women's Basketball Preview

The Lady Bulldogs dropped their first two games by four and seven points before losing to Wiley College on Thursday, 78-66.

They are scoring 53 points per game and permit just 62. They have struggled from beyond the arc, making nine in three games, though they're holding their own on the boards, averaging and yielding 43 rebounds.

Ivory Russell, a 6’2 senior center from Chicago, anchors the Canine Cagers. She scores 11.7 ppg and yanks down 9.3 boards per contest. Junior Jasamine Beard, at 5’10, pulls down another 8.3 caroms. Senior Dinilesizwe "Dee" Love is second in scoring. The guard totes an 8.3 ppg average.

The Purple Pride had won 3-of-4 games before a last second 56-55 defeat at the hands of Huston-Tillotson University on Thursday.

Saturday’s game will be their fourth in six days. SAGU is scoring 63 ppg and surrendering 60.

Nia Winston (Garland, Tx / Panola JC, Lakeview Centennial HS) leads three players who average in double-figures. She sports a 17.3 norm. That is fourth best in the Red River.

Newcomer Jessica Sodich (Arlington, Tx / Ovilla Christian) and sophomore Keevie Bratchett (Center, Tx / Tenaha HS) average 11.5 and 11.0 points.

The rise in guard play has been the early season story for Team Lioness. Winston and Bratchett have stepped up their efficiency after scoring 13.8 and 3.4 ppg last year. SAGU has also seen their points increase from 50 to 62.

Frosh guard Taylor Hill (Waxahachie, Tx / Waxahachie HS), junior post Sierra Hankins (Welch, Ok / Welch HS) and sophomore forward Cordia Harvatin (San Antonio, Tx / Stacey HS) account for 9.0, 7.5 and 5.2 ppg.

Sophomore center Kassy Cox (Lufkin, Tx / Lufkin HS) has been a force inside, ripping down 14.0 boards per game. That figure would lead the RRAC had she played more than two games.

Turnovers have been the tale for both clubs. Jarvis makes 26 per game, third most in the RRAC, while SAGU coughs it up 19 times per game. The Bulldogs counter their total by forcing 24, with the Lady Lions coaxing just 16 from opponents.

Bottom line, each team is a negative two turnovers per game.

SAGU is making almost 40% of their shots, ranking sixth in the league, with the Lady Bulldogs in last at 32%. When it comes to triples, SAGU averages five and Jarvis three, ranking fourth and ninth respectively.

Men's Basketball Preview

On Thursday the Lions defeated Huston-Tillotson University on the road, 76-60, in their first league game. Meanwhile, Jarvis won a thriller at home against their rivals from Wiley College, 84-83.

The teams appear even offensively, where Jarvis holds a 77-75 ppg advantage. Defensively, however, SAGU gives up just 62.5 ppg, which ranks #14 in the NAIA. Jarvis allows 80.8, which rates 87th of 102 teams.

Neither team has yet to light things up from long distance. SAGU is making 7.7 three-pointers per game to 5.3 by JCC. A year ago both squads ranked in the NAIA’s Top 20; SAGU at 9.8 (3rd), Jarvis at 7.4 (16th).

The Dawgs are led by 6’5 senior forward Marcus O’Key. He scores a dozen points per outing and his 5.6 caroms per game also tops the team. Roman Walker, 11.6 ppg, is their main three-point threat, having made 11 through six games.

Junior Dominique Rambo (Dallas, Tx / Oklahoma Wesleyan Univ., Trinity Christian) and senior James Ford (Victoria, Tx / Faith Academy) spearhead the SAGU offense, averaging 16.5 and 13.4 ppg.

SAGU’s leading rebounders are Mike Nwelue (Lewisville, Tx / Lewisville HS), Emmanuel Adoyi (Little Rock, Ark / Parkview HS) and Jonathan Walter (Garland, Tx / Garland HS) who snatch 7.0, 6.5 and 5.0 missed shots (per game) off the boards.

National Polls

SAGU slid from fourth to eighth in the National Christian College Athletic Associaton's (NCCAA) Top 10 poll this week. The overtime setback to Westmont College (Cal), 69-65, was the culprit.

The Warriors entered the game ranked #8 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). SAGU was #26 in the most recent NAIA Coaches Poll.

The next NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll will be announced early in the week, while the NCCAA rankings are released on Wednesday.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.