CANYON, Texas – The sixth-ranked Buffs of West Texas A&M host Oklahoma Baptist and Southwestern State Oklahoma this weekend for the annual Pak-A-Sak Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 26-27.  Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. both days of the tournament at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.  
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live stats and broadcasts will be provided by the WT athletic communications department with the tournament aired on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network.  Broadcasts to all games and live stats can be found at GoBuffsGo.com. 
 
The LSC Digital Network will offer basketball season passes, giving fans access to all regular-season contests for that sport. In addition, viewers will continue to have the option to purchase a $10 day pass that provides access to all broadcasts aired that day and access to all archived content for 24 hours.   
 
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
The Bison come to Canyon with a 3-1 start to the 2021-22 season with victories over Wayne State College, Minnesota State Moorhead and Washburn at the GAC/NSIC Conference Challenge.  OBU's only defeat came from a 74-71 loss to Missouri Western State. 
 
OBU was selected to finish second in the Western Division of the Great American Conference (GAC) Preseason Poll after finishing 22-9 last season.  The Bison are led by fourth-year head coach Jason Eaker who took over in April 2018.  Under Eaker, OBU is 57-30 (.655). 
 
OBU averages 76 points a game with four players scoring in the double figures led by Burke Putnam.  The Tulsa, Okla. native compiles 24.3 points a game along with 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals. 
 
Brantly Thompson also sees double figure scoring with 15.8 ppg followed by Jacquan Simms (10.5) and Harrison Stoddart (10.0).  Nigel Wilcox leads the Bison with 8.0 rebounds per game including a team-high 17 offensive rebounds. 
 
SCOUTING SWOSU
Southwestern Oklahoma State enters weekend play 0-2 after falling to Emporia State and Fort Hays State at the GAC/MIAA Conference Challenge.  The Bulldogs were picked to finish 10^th in the GAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after a 7-11 finish last year.  
 
Terry Evans leads the Bulldogs for the fourth year as the men's head coach after spending 13 seasons at Central Oklahoma. Under Evans, SWOSU is 25-51 (.329).   
 
The Bulldogs have been outscored 71.5-61.5 while SWOSU is shooting .384 from the field, .295 from the deep and .706 at the charity stripe.  Chris Braggs Jr. who averages 13.5 ppg to go along with 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and .5 assists. 
 
Tanner Meraz, Kamden Gipson and Ben Smith are also leading scorers for the with Meraz leading with 9.5 ppg.  Gipson has brought down 11 total rebounds to post 5.5 a game followed by Jamaal Smith with 4.5. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
In their last outing, WT moved to 6-1 overall with the Buffs 94-74 victory over Midwestern State to head back into the winning column.  Five Buffs reach double figures led by Zach Toussaint who posted a career-high 27 points as the sophomore shot 11-for-19 from the floor including five 3-points. Newcomers Dalin Williams and Addison Wallace brought down six rebounds for a WT roster that totaled 40. 
 
A LOOK INSIDE THE NUMBERS
WT is outscoring opponents 79.6 to 68.0 with a 11.2 scoring margin as the Buffs are shooting 42.1 percent from the floor including 32.7 percent from the deep and 77.6 percent from the free throw line.  As a team, the Buffs average 40.1 rebounds per game alongside 9.7 assists, 7.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks.
 
Three Buffs average double-figure scoring led by Larry Wise with 16.3 points per game after the sophomore has totaled 114 points in the preseason to lead the conference followed by Julius Brown (15.1) and Zach Toussaint (14.7).  
 
Brown has collected a team-high 15 steals this season while Toussaint continues to be a threat from the deep with 17 total 3-pointers which ranks first in the LSC.  
 
Hayden Blankley leads WT with 41 total rebounds, averaging a 5.9 per game while Wise and Kavon Booker each bring down 5.6.  
 
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Six schools from the Lone Star Conference remain undefeated with Lubbock Christian leading with a five-game wins streak.  UT Tyler averages 100 points a game to lead the league with a 45.3 margin through three games. 
 
WT HEAD COACH TOM BROWN
Tom Brown is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Buffs, registering an overall record of 187-44 (.809) with four NCAA Tournament Appearances including the programs first appearance in the National Championship game last season.  The two-time LSC Coach of the Year led the Buffs to their fourth consecutive conference tournament championship title.
 
NABC TOP 25 POLL
The Buffs moved to sixth in the first edition of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 Poll on Monday afternoon following a 6-1 season start.  Lubbock Christian ranks first in the national poll following their upset for WT.  Truman State stands second followed by Northwest Missouri State, Mercyhurst, and Queens.  Two other members of the Lone Star Conference are ranked with Angelo State in 18^th and DBU 25^th while St. Edward's is receiving votes. 
 
COMING UP
Following the weekend tournament, WT will head to Portales, N.M. to face off against Eastern New Mexico for nonconference action on Dec. 2 with tipoff set for 8:30 p.m. CT.  Thursday's game will be the first meeting between the two programs since Jan. 4, 2020 where the Buffs left Portales with a 76-71 victory.