Game Details:
Date: March 13, 2008
Opponent: Evangel University
Tip-off: 7:15 pm (PST)
Round: First
Venue: Keeter Gymnasium
City, State: Point Lookout, Missouri
Live Stats: Click here

This Week: The Oaks drew Evangel University in the first round of the NAIA Division II National Championship Tournament, hosted by College of the Ozarks. The first round begins on Wednesday and Menlo-Evangel match-up is on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. (PST).

Scouting the Crusaders: Evangel (27-6) defeated William Jewell University 82-67 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship game last weekend to earn an automatic bid to the national tournament. Junior Jackson Capel (21.5 ppg. 4.6 rpg.) is ranked 6th in the NAIA DII in 3-point field goals made (3.8) and 8th in 3-point field goal percentage (.472). Junior Shane Nicholson is leading the Crusaders in assists with 5.6 per game and is ranked No. 9 in the NAIA.

Scouting the Oaks: Menlo finished the regular season with an 18-9 record, setting a record for the most wins in a season since 1990. This year’s squad also racked up the most conference wins (13) since joining the Cal Pac in 1998. The Oaks are currently on a nine-game winning streak, the longest in the past 15 years. Senior Bryon Wesley is the team leader in points (12.96), rebounds (6.67) and steals (1.82) per game. Junior Chris Cobb is the playmaker of the team and leads the team in assists (2.37).

Last Time Out: This will be the first meeting between the Crusaders and the Oaks.

Previous Meeting: The No. 2 seeded Menlo College men’s basketball claimed the 2007 California Pacific Conference Tournament Championship on February 23rd with a 61-49 win over No. 4 seeded William Jessup University. Menlo maintained their balance offense with six players scoring eight or more points. Junior forward Brandon Cochran led the Oaks with 13 points and 9 rebounds. California Pacific Conference Defender of the Year Bryon Wesley finished the night with 11 points.

National Appearances: Menlo will be making their third appearance in the national tournament. The Oaks’ first appearance was in 1999-2000 where they dropped a 91-64 decision to Mount Vernon Nazarene (OH). In their more recent appearance, Menlo lost to Robert Morris 80-66 in the first round in the 2001-02 season. Robert Morris was National Tournament runner-up, losing to Evangel in the championship game 84-61. Assistant Coach Justin Trott and volunteer coach Trevor Mates were both members of the 2001-02 team.

Get To Know Evangel University: The College was founded in 1955 and was built on land that used to be O’Reilly Hospital. This hospital tended to wounded soldiers during WWII and was recently recognized for having among the best Army hospital staff. The college changed its name to Evangel University in 1998 and has approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Live Webcast: The Menlo College Athletic Department in conjunction with Student Affairs will be hosting a Men's Basketball Fan Party. There will be a BBQ starting at 6:30 outside the Student Union. The game will be shown on the large flat screen TV in the Oak Tavern.

About The Coaches: Now in his second year as head coach of the Menlo Oaks men’s basketball team, this will be Brandon Laird’s second trip to the Cal Pac Tournament semifinals. Laird has led his squad to a 31-21 record since stepping into the head coach position. Having spent the past five seasons on the Oaks staff, this 2007-08 season marks Laird’s most successful to date.

The 2007-08 season is Steve Jenkins’ 26th as the head coach of the Evangel Crusaders. Jenkins, a 1974 Evangel graduate, has a 443-347 record in his 25 years at the helm. The 2001-02 Crusaders won the NAIA II national championship and Jenkins was named the national coach of the year. The team was ranked No. 1 in the nation all year and finished the season with a 35-1 record.

Laird’s Corner: “Evangel is a great opponent, who has had an outstanding year. They have been ranked in the Top 10 throughout the season and have a strong basketball tradition. We look at this as a huge challenge and will be well-prepared to play our best game.”