ROLLA, Mo. — The Ouachita men's basketball team rose to No. 16 in Tuesday's National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II poll. The latest rise in the top 25 poll matches the highest national ranking in Ouachita's NCAA era.
At 18-4 overall, the Tigers thrive on relentless defensive pressure that often dictates the game flow. Ouachita allows the third-fewest total points among Division II teams that have played at least 20 games. The Tigers hold opponents to the sixth-lowest field goal percentage (38.7%) and 3-point percentage (27.6%) in the nation.
Graduate senior Devon Hancock continues to deliver in critical moments and sits third in the league in scoring, averaging 17.6 points through 22 contests. The sharpshooter out of Dallas ranks third in the Great American Conference with 48 made threes and an 86% free throw percentage, while his 39% clip from 3-point range is tied for fourth.
Junior forward Christian Parks earned his third GAC Defensive Player of the Week honor on Monday, continuing a debut season defined by effective rim protection. Parks averages 8.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. The Meridian, Mississippi native ranks third in the GAC with 150 total rebounds and his 70% shooting percentage is second-best in the league, highlighting his impact on both ends of the floor.
Ouachita's defensive pressure extends to its underclassmen backcourt, which has emerged as one of the most disruptive duos in the conference as both guards rank inside the GAC's top 10 in steals. Freshman Jaxon Conley leads the league outright with 51 steals through 22 games, setting the tone by forcing turnovers to ignite the fast break and turn defensive stops into instant points.
After Ouachita's six-game conference win streak was snapped in Searcy on Monday night, the Tigers face a challenging closing stretch that will test their depth and resilience on the road. The No. 16 Tigers visits cross-street rival Henderson State on Thursday, before returning home to host Arkansas Tech on Saturday, Feb. 14.
