NAIA Schedule & Links, Games of the Day, Five Players to Watch: Feb. 1st

Friday, January 15th NAIA Games

Games of the Day:

RV Xavier vs 24 Dillard 5pm CT Live Video

This game will be interesting. Xavier was rated 3rd in the conference while Dillard at just 3-0 was rated 1st. With just three games under their belt, Dillard has a big week in the GCAC Pod to prove that they are worth that ranking. XULA, who has to feel disrespected, should have a lot of motivation in this game. You can expect a physical game with a lot of built up emotions. We also get a battle between possible GCAC Player of the Year candidates in Malik Amost (Dillard) and RayShawn Mart (XULA).

Clarke @ 3 William Penn 6pm CT Live Video

Clarke is the last team to beat William Penn on their home court and played their last matchup without stud scorer Keith Johnson. No one has been within 20pts of WPU at home this season and a win tonight would give us our 1st regular season champion in NAIA this year. WPU is deep and super talented and have won 3 straight conference games by 35 or more. Clarke is well coached though and they won’t back down from the challenge in this one. Expect Clarke to use most of the shot clock to slow the tempo of the game wayyy down.

Southwestern @ Avila 8pm CT Live Video

The KCAC has a middle tier logjam right now and both Southwestern and Avila are in it. Sitting at 5th and 6th in the KCAC, both teams could use a big win tonight. Southwestern is led by the two youngsters in Sophomore Zhahini Robinson and Freshman Steele Gaston-Golden. Their youth is a bit of cause for weary heading down the home stretch, but the experience they are about to get is going to be huge for this Builder team. Hunter Hoggatt is the lead guy for Avila. The Big guard will look to lead the Eagles to a big KCAC win.

Five Players To Watch

– 4th in the NAIA in FT % at 94.2%

– 17th in the Crossroads League in scoring at 14.87

– 12th in the Crossroads League in APG with 3.2

Christian just joined the 1k career points club this past weekend. Was named a 2nd team All-Crossroads League performer last season. Christian has had a good career and won’t get as many minutes tonight as Marian should roll big, but he makes the list nonetheless.

Zhahidi is on quite the 4 game stretch here that has seen the Sophomore go for 25, 33, 36 and 20pts. He has absolutely balled out over the past 2 weeks and the Builders will need him to show up big again on the road tonight.

– 9th in the NAIA in SPG at 2.67

-19th in the NAIA in Scoring at 22ppg

The All-American is one of the three best players in the GCAC and will have a big chance to prove he is the GCAC POY this week as he goes up against the other two guys. He is an elite scorer who can light it up from all over the court.

– 4th in the SAC in Scoring at 17.7ppg

Dickson is a certified scorer! There is not a shot he doesn’t like but he has a knack for making big shots. If he could get the 3-ball to drop more consistently he would be a nightmare to guard. With his size and length on the perimeter he gets shots off and can take defenders off the bounce.

-5th in the Heart in RPG with 7.4

– 4th in the Heart in BPG with 1.13

Just became the All-Time winningest player in the history of William Penn Basketball with 98 wins in his career. Oddly enough Daily usually comes off the bench for this talented and deep Statesmen squad. He was an All-Conference performer last season and at 9.93ppg and 7.4rpg this season, he should be on his way to another All-Conference year.