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2019-2020 TIGER TOUGH Sports Information Policy Any questions concerning teams, players or coaches should be directed to the Sports Information Department of Olivet Nazarene University. The Sports Information Department can be found in the Student Life and Recreation Cen. Team and Individual statistics will be available after the game. Standard NAIA statistical form will be used. http://portal.stretchinternet.com/olivet/ for live streaming of athletic events www.onutigers.com for more information about athletics at Olivet. Follow us on Twitter: @ONUAthletics and @ONUHoops 1 The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference The NAIA is proud to be home to nearly 300 institutions, (CCAC) is one of the largest and strongest confer- each dedi- cated to displaying character and respect in ences in the NAIA. www.ccacsports.com academics and athletics. www.naia.org Table of Contents Olivet At-A-Glance 3-4 Season Preview 5-6 Coaching Staff 7-8 2019 Schedule 9 2018 Results 10 Varsity Roster 11 Varsity Player Profiles 12-14 JV Roster & Schedule 15 JV Player Profiles 16 Off-the-Court 17 2019 Tournament photos 18 Conference Map 19-20 CCAC Awards 21 NAIA Scholar Athletes 21 Program History & Records 22 Season-by-Season Records 23 NAIA Championship Appearances 24 NAIA Hall of Fame 25 ONU Retired Jerseys 25 NAIA All-Americans 25-26 All-Time Stats 27-30 1,000 Point Club 30 Quick Reference Olivet Nazarene University is located in Bourbonnais, Ill. Founded: 1907 Enrollment: 4,986 Nickname: Tigers School Colors: Purple and Gold Affiliation: NAIA Conference: CCAC University President: Dr. John C. Bowling Director of Athletics: Gary Newsome Sports Information: Nathan Brown Head Athletic Trainer: Alicia Mikulski Athletics Administrative Assistant: Renee Gerstenberger Athletics Office Fax: 815-939-7933 Photographs: Image Group Photography Media Guide Layout and Design: Brenten Couch 2 Olivet-At-A-Glance 600+ intercollegiate athletes 3.26 average athlete GPA 20 varsity teams 275 acres of land 35 buildings 17:1 student to faculty ratio 140+ areas of study 3 4 MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW: 2019-20 Entering the 2019-20 season, expectations and goals are as lofty as they’ve been in the last 20 seasons of Tiger Basketball. This year’s Ti- gers return five seniors, among six others, who helped lead ONU to 23 wins and a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) regular season title a season ago. Second-year head coach, Nick Birkey, has his squad aiming at a trifecta of accomplishments; the CCAC regular season and CCAC Tournament titles and at least one win at the NAIA Division II National Championships in March. If they do so, it would be the first time since 2000 a Tiger team has achieved all three. Birkey says, “Our team is primed and ready to do special things this season. There is a prevailing hunger and excitement to achieve more and be at our best each day. We have the players and staff to reach the goals we have set individually and collectively. The 2019-20 season should be filled with many memorable moments as we strive to be Tiger Tough every opportunity we have.” Back for his fourth and final season is the returning (unanimous) CCAC Player of the Year, Nic Reed (New Albany, Ind.). As one of the Tigers’ leaders, Reed returns as one of the top 10 players in all of NAIA Division II, earning First Team All-America honors a year ago. Reed is a three-time CCAC First Team All-Conference selection, two-time NAIA Division II Honorable Mention honoree, 2019 CoSI- DA First Team Academic All-America, and 15-time CCAC Player of the Week. He also holds four program records, single-game points (51), single-season scoring average (27.3), single-season total free-throws made and attempted in a season (243-290). In 2018-19, Reed led the Tigers in 10 different categories including scoring (875, 27.3), rebounds (297, 9.3) and minutes (1190, 37.2). Among NAIA leaders, he finished fourth in points per game and 17th in rebound per game. In his first three season, Reed has etched his name in the Tiger record books. He is third in career points scored (2,307), eighth in rebounds (827), 16th in three-pointers made (148), fifth in field-goals made (786), fifth in field goal attempts (1,468), second in free throws made (587) and third in free throw attempts (696). He is on pace to become the all-time scorer (462 points away) and finish with 1,000 career rebounds (173 away), making him only the second player ever to reach that mark. The Tigers’ leader in the backcourt is senior point guard, Dane Schlafley (Peoria, Ill.). He has played in 87 games, started 83, and logged over 2,500 minutes. He provides a wealth of experience and toughness to a team full of it. Schlafley earned CCAC Honorable Mention All-Conference honors a year ago. He finished with 153 assists, good for second in the CCAC and 14th in NAIA Division II. He has 408 career assists, good for 12th all-time among ONU leaders. Last year, Dane also contributed 242 points, 87 rebounds, a team-high 52 steals and finished with a conference-best 2.7 assist to turnover ratio (153:56). Possibly the best news from the offseason is the health of Schlafley. He has missed six games in his career due to severe tendinitis. Following the 2018-19 season he had arthroscopic knee surgery. A few months later he is now 100% and ready to take on his senior season. Joining Schlafley in the Tigers’ outstanding backcourt is 2019 CCAC Second Team All-Conference selection, John Contant (Hickory Hills, Ill.). Contant was arguably the most improved player in the league from his freshman season to how he finished year two. He is also debatably the most versatile guard in the CCAC. His combination of offensive production and defensive ability help him make that claim. Contant made huge strides in production his sophomore season. He started all 32 games and finished second on the team in minutes (1,117, 34.9), points (481, 15.0), assists (98) and led the team in three-pointers made (68). After two seasons, Contant is on pace this year to reach 1,000 career points and should crack the top 20 in career three-pointers made. Adding more experience and size to the perimeter is senior, Luke Tuttle (Hampshire, Ill.). One of five seniors, Tuttle has played in 90 games during his career, starting 30 last season. He was fourth on the team in minutes (24.1) and averaged 7.3 points per game, while making 45 three-pointers (third on the team). Tuttle also led the team with only 19 turnovers in 31 games played. He is well on track to make over 100 three-pointers in his career. The combination of juniors, C.J. Smith (Cumming, Ga.) and Gavin Griggs (Middletown, Ind.), a year ago was the much needed depth at the guard position. Both now in their junior seasons, primed to provide that again in 2019-20, strengthening a very competitive set of reserves that stack up against most . Smith and Griggs both played in all 32 games, but bring something unique to the floor. Griggs is one the strongest and most athletic perimeter players in the CCAC and uses it to give himself an advantage in the paint. He enters this season an improved shooter and someone who can definitely help on the glass. Smith is a sharpshooter who has the ability to stretch defenses and make defenders worry where he is at all times. He finished with the third-most three-point attempts (41-120) a season ago and only missed one free-throw. Griggs and Smith will play major roles on a Tiger team with tremendous depth. 5 One individual who will see an increase in roles will be sophomore point guard, Christian Straw (Bour- bonnais, Ill.). Notably, Straw is the one local player on the Tiger roster. He will be asked to play the ECCELESIATES 4:9-10,12 ISAIAH 40:31 backup role to Schlafley. In his second season, Straw ONLY AS STRONG AS THE is ready to make an impact after leading the junior varsity team a year ago. He brings along with him the ability to knock down the three-point shot with consistency. Also returning is 6-foot, 6-inch sophomore James Owen (Chicago, Ill.). Owen has the versatility to play inside and out, while using his size and length at each position. Strive to glorify God in all things; deriving our strength, energy and wisdom from Him while aiming to honor ONU’s inside game is headlined by Nic Reed, but Christ with all of our mind, body, and heart. is solidified with 6-foot, 10-inch sophomore, Alex Gross (Hope, Ind.). Gross enters his second season Enjoy and celebrate relationships with our Team, family with the anticipation of being an all-conference type player. He started all 32 games, averaged 9.0 points, and others grounded in love and Respect; placing the good for third-best on the team and 5.6 rebounds, needs of others and success of the team ahead of our good for second on the Tigers. He led the team with own. a 59.3% field goal percentage and 54 blocks, good enough for eighth among NAIA leaders. Gross has Excel and experience growth and development in all the goal of averaging a double-double this year and has the capability to do so. He has improved areas of our personal lives; spiritually, socially, his body, worked on his conditioning, and is more academically, and athletically; with passion, Aspire to do explosive.

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