Arkansas Tech University’s basketball return from the holiday break will be highlighted by one of the top point guard match-ups of the NCAA Division II regular season.
ATU’s Czar Perry and Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Adam Dworsky rank inside the top eight in the nation in assists per game during 2021-22.
Perry is averaging 6.8 assists per contest, including a school-record 15 assists against Henderson State University on Dec. 11.
Dworsky is averaging 7.2 assists per game this season and he continues to add to a school-record total of 750 career assists — 253 more than any other player in Southeastern history.
The Wonder Boys (5-5 overall, 2-2 Great American Conference) and the Savage Storm (9-1, 4-0) will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville. ATU’s men lead the GAC in field goal percentage defense (.406), while Southeastern Oklahoma State’s men lead the league in scoring offense (87.4 points per game).
Game one of Thursday’s doubleheader will pit the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (5-2, 2-1) against Southeastern Oklahoma State’s women (3-7, 1-3).
It will be the Golden Suns’ first game since Dec. 11. They hope Kaley Shipman picks up right where she left off. The sophomore guard from Mountain View averaged 25 point per game in ATU’s final three games before the break and her 19.4 points per game average this season is third-best in the GAC.
Southeastern Oklahoma State lost three of its final four games before the holidays. The Savage Storm reached the GAC Tournament women’s final in 2020 and 2021 (winning the championship in 2020) but has struggled to score in 2021-22. Southeastern ranks 11th in the GAC in scoring offense (64.3 points per game).
The Golden Suns and the Wonder Boys will return to Tucker Coliseum to host East Central University for a 1 and 3 p.m. GAC doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 1.
Live coverage of all four ATU games this week will be provided by KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com.
Talk to you on the radio.
Tech Tidbits is a column written by Sam Strasner, ATU director of university relations and radio play-by-play voice for ATU football and basketball.
