Men's Basketball | 11/10/2022 10:38:00 AM
Games #1-2
MIAA-GAC Challenge
Emporia State Hornets (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
vs. Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Friday, November 11, 2022 • 7:00 p.m. • Weatherford, Okla. • Pioneer Cellular Event Center
Series Record: ATU leads 3-2
Last Meeting: ATU 77, ESU 61 (Nov. 14, 2021)
Radio: KVOE 96.9FM/1400AM
Internet Audio:
kvoe.com
Television: None
Internet Video:
https://wright.media/six/
at Southwestern Oklahoma Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Saturday, November 12, 2022 • 7:30 p.m. • Weatherford, Okla. • Pioneer Cellular Event Center
Series Record: ESU leads 4-2
Last Meeting: ESU 73, SWOSU 69 (Nov. 13, 2021)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM
Internet Audio:
kvoe.com
Television: None
Internet Video:
https://wright.media/six/
Live Stats •
Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: Rockhurst • Wednesday, November 16, 2022 • 6:00 p.m.
Emporia, Kan. • WL White Auditorium
LET'S GET IT STARTED
Emporia State will begin its 120th season of intercollegiate basketball with a trip to Weatherford, Okla. for the MIAA-GAC Challenge against Southwestern Oklahoma and Arkansas Tech.
LAST YEAR RECAP
The Hornets went 20-9 last season with a 15-7 record in MIAA play. Tray Buchanan led the nation in scoring at 25.6 points per game. He led the MIAA in scoring and made free throws, ranked second in made three-pointers and total field goals, third in three-point percentage, fifth in free throw percentage, ninth in assists, and tenth in steals. It was the first 20 win season by Emporia State since 2007 and a school record for wins in MIAA action.
THE COACHES
Craig Doty is 55-55 in his fifth season at Emporia State. In his tenth season as a head coach at the D2, NAIA, and NJCAA level he is 217-105 with three national championships. He was 49-22 in two seasons at Graceland, and won the 2018 NAIA National Championship. Doty spent four years at Rock Valley College winning two NJCAA Division III national championships to finish with a 113-28 record. He is 0-2 against Arkansas Tech and 1-1 against Southwestern Oklahoma.
Mark Downey is 35-67 in his seventh year at Arkansas Tech and 211-158 in his 14th season as a head coach. He is 2-0 against Emporia State at ATU went 4-3 against the Hornets while at Northeastern State.
Terry Evans is 39-66 in his fifth year at Southwestern Oklahoma and 302-190 in his 19th season as a head coach. He is 1-1 against Emporia State at SWOSU went 7-4 against the Hornets while at Central Oklahoma.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State was picked fifth by both the coaches and media in the MIAA Preseason Polls. The Hornets went 20-9 last season with a 15-7 record in MIAA play. The Hornets return five of their top nine scorers and six of their top nine rebounders from last season.
ABOUT THE WONDER BOYS
Arkansas Tech was slated for seventh in the GAC Preseason Poll. They return two part-time starters from last year's 10-18 squad.
SERIES HISTORY
Arkansas Tech leads the all-time series 3-2.
LAST TIME VS ARKANSAS TECH
Emporia State could not overcome an early shooting slump in a 77-61 loss to Arkansas Tech on the second day of the MIAA-GAC Challenge in Hays, Kan. Tray Buchanan had 29 points for the Hornets.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
Southwestern Oklahoma was tabbed for sixth in the GAC Preseason Poll. They return three starters from last year's 14-17 team that won the GAC Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State leads the all-time series 4-2 with only two meetings since the 1984-85 season.
LAST TIME VS SWOSU
Emporia State built a 19 point first half lead on the way to a 73-69 season opening win over Southwestern Oklahoma in Hays, Kan. Tray Buchanan led all scorers with 31 points.
UP NEXT
Emporia State makes their White Auditorium debut on Wednesday, November 16 against Rockhurst. Tip-off from Slaymaker Court is set for 6:00 p.m.
DOTY MAGIC
Three-time National Champion head coach
Craig Doty is in his fifth season as head coach at Emporia State. He is 216-105 in his ninth year at the NCAA D2, NAIA and NJCAA levels, including an 109-75 mark in conference play. Doty is 103-77 as a head coach at four year schools with a 55-55 record since taking over for the Hornets.
He is 74-33 (.692) in games played in February and March with a 29-7 (.806) record in the post-season. Three of those six post season losses were to the eventual national champion.
Doty led Rock Valley College and Graceland University to national prominence earlier in his career. In just two seasons at Graceland, Doty's program had a 49-22 record and won the 2018 NAIA Division I National Championship in the school's first trip to the national tournament at Kansas City's historic Municipal Auditorium. The Yellowjackets started the 2017-18 season 10-8 and ended the year winning 19 of their final 21 games. Along the way Doty earned NAIA National Coach of the Year, HoopDirt.com NAIA National Coach of the Year, and the 2018 Don Meyer Award.
Doty's programs at Rock Valley College won NJCAA Division III National titles in 2014 and 2016 while his 2015 squad came up just short finishing National Runner-up.
GIVE ME 20
Emporia State won 20 games for the first time since the 2007 season when they finished the year 21-8 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Last year was the third time the Hornets have won 20 games as a member of the NCAA and the 11th time in school history. ESU won at least 20 games in five out of six seasons from 1985-90.
The Hornets 15-5 start was their best record after 20 games since opening the 2006-07 season 18-2.
Emporia State has won at least ten games in conference play ten times over the last 32 seasons.
CENTURY MARK
Emporia State's 112-54 win over Tabor marked the 102nd time the Hornets have cracked the century mark in their history. They have reached 100 points six times in 110 games under Coach Doty, matching their total for the previous eight seasons combined.
The Hornets scored at least 100 points 60 times under coach Ron Slaymaker (827 total games in 28 seasons), 26 times under coach David Moe (288 games in 10 seasons), five times under Shaun Vandiver (199 games in seven seasons), three times under coach Gus Fish (602 games in 25 seasons) and once under coach Marc Comstock (82 games in three seasons).
TOUGH ENOUGH
The NCAA Central Region is made up of teams in the MIAA, Northern Sun and Great American Conferences. Last year the MIAA is 19-18 against the rest of the region with a 9-6 record against the GAC and a 10-12 record against the NSIC.
IN THE RANKINGS
Emporia State received votes in the NABC National Poll for five straight weeks last year. It was the second straight year the Hornets have received votes in the NABC poll.
HORNETS RANK IN NATION IN ATTENDANCE
Emporia State men's basketball fans helped the Hornets rank in the top ten in attendance among the over 300 NCAA Division II basketball playing schools last season. The #7 national ranking continued a string of 19 straight years, not counting COVID, ranking in the top 25 in attendance for Emporia State.
The Hornets drew 19,627 total fans for an average of 1,402 fans to their 14 home games at Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium during the 2021-22 season to rank seventh nationally. Emporia State had a season high 2,865 for their game against Washburn on February 26 on Senior Day. Emporia State outdrew 123 NCAA Division I schools in total attendance during the 2021-22 school year including eight teams that made the NCAA Tournament. Within the Division II ranks, the Hornets outdrew 60 of the 64 teams that were selected for the NCAA Tournament, including six of the eight #1 seeds and six of the teams that made the Elite Eight.
The Hornets were among six MIAA teams in the top 15 nationally. As a conference the MIAA drew 210,078 fans to 203 games to lead all Division II conference in average attendance at 1,035 fans per game. It is the 13th straight year the MIAA has led the nation in average attendance. The MIAA's total attendance was better than eight NCAA Division I conferences. The Central Region had a total of eight teams ranked in the top 25 as two teams from the NSIC were on the list as well. All three conferences within the Central Region were ranked in the top ten nationally.
FRIENDLY CONFINES
The Hornets are 412-195 (.680) since 1979 in White Auditorium. Emporia State has won 196 of their last 286 games (.688) in White Auditorium dating back to the 2002-03 season. In the last 35 years, they have twice had home court winning streaks of at least 20 games. The first was 23 games from 1985-87 followed by a school record 25 game streak from February 12, 2003-January 1, 2005. They have posted home winning seasons in 18 of the last 20 seasons.
TOP SCORERS
The duo of Tray Buchanan and
Jumah'Ri Turner was the top scoring back court in the nation last year. Turner led the nation in scoring at 25.6 points per game while Turner is averaging 19.8 to rank third in the MIAA. Their combined 45.4 points per game was the top average in NCAA Division II for a pair of guards.
ON THE COURT
The court at William L. White Auditorium was formally named Ron Slaymaker Court at half-time of the Hornets win over Washburn on Feb. 28, 2014 after the City of Emporia approved a proclamation at their Feb. 20, 2014 city commission meeting.
AND IN THE RAFTERS
Dale Cushinberry (1966-69) - Cushinberry was an All-American for Emporia State and became the first Hornet with 1,000 points and 700 rebounds.
•Wilbur Reeser (1944-48) - Reeser was named an NAIB All-American and was the Hornets leading scorer as the won a conference championship in 1948.
•Ron Slaymaker (Player 1954-60, Coach 1970-98) - As a player Slaymaker was named All-Conference and All-American during the 1957-58 season. As a coach he won an ESU leading 462 games from 1970-98.
•Jim Fraley (1956-60) - Fraley was the school's all-time leading scorer (1,509) until Brian Robinson broke his record in 1985. He was named Second-team NAIA All-American.
•Doug Glaysher (1960-64) - Glaysher was named an All-American after leading the Hornets to the NAIA National Semi-finals in 1964. He graduated as the second leading scorer in ESU history.
•Brian Robinson (1984-86) - Robinson was named a first team All-American in both his junior and senior season. He is the ESU all-time leading scorer with 2,533 career points.
LISTEN & WATCH LIVE
Video webcasts for all of Emporia State's regular season home games are available on a pay per view basis from the MIAA Network. Content is available live and is immediately archived for on-demand viewing after each event at www.themiaanetwork.com. Audio of all Emporia State games are available on KFFX 104.9FM and at www.kvoe.com with Greg Rahe on the call. KFFX is in their 35th straight year as the radio home of Hornet Athletics, the longest active streak between a commercial station and an MIAA school. All games will also be available on the internet at www.kvoe.com.
TURNING PRO
Emporia State's Tray Buchanan and
Brenden Van Dyke both signed professional contracts following last season, giving the Hornets six professional players in the last four seasons. Buchanan signed with AEL-Limassol in Limassol, Cyprus while Van Dyke signed with CD Agulia San Miguel in El Salvador
Julius Jackson became the fourth Hornet men's basketball player to sign professionally following the 2018-19 season when he signed a professional contract with Raiders Basket Jarvenpaa in Finland. Hassan Thomas signed with Sampaense Basket of Portugal Proliga while Malik Hluchoweckyj signed with KK Bratunac of the Bosnia BiH Liga also signed pro contracts overseas while Kooper Glick played with the Washington Generals - the regular opponent of the Harlem Globetrotters. It is the first time in school history the Hornets had four players from the same class sign to play professionally in the same year.
