DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Christian College basketball teams wrap up the final home games of the 2021 fall term on Friday, December 10. Women's basketball tips at 12 p.m. and the men's team will follow at 2 p.m. Each squad takes on National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association Southwest Regional opponent Ozark Christian College.
 
These games will be featured as part of Hoops Hysteria 2021.
 
The DCC women's basketball team is playing its ninth countable game at home and will be looking to add to its double-digit win total, which is arguably the best start in program history. Head Coach Larry Tidwell in one year has taken a roster of six to a roster that was runners-up in the NCCAA Southwest Regional by the end of 2020. That team won 15 games, with 14 coming in the year 2021. His team's success has carried over into the first portion of this season with a 10-2 record.
 
The Crusaders checked in fourth in this week's NCCAA Top 10 Rankings after being announced fifth in the first release two weeks ago. Friday's opponent, Ozark Christian, ranks seventh and is 3-2 after receiving votes in the first release of the top 10 rankings. It will be the third time the Crusaders have played a nationally ranked team this season, with one of their two season losses to number one Champion Christian College a week ago on the road. The other matchup was a double overtime victory to Randall University during the DCC Thanksgiving Classic. Another notable win was a come-from-behind thriller at Texas A&M-Texarkana.
 
Keiarra Rivers leads the Crusaders in points (161), free throws (39), made field goals (58), and steals (33). She is third in rebounds with 78 and third on the offensive glass with 31. Rivers was named NCCAA Division II Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week on November 23.
 
Rivers headlines a quartet of Crusaders that have eclipsed triple-digits in points with Amber Covington (112), Mckayla Washington (107), and River Romine (121). Romine has chimed in the most made three-pointers with 24. Leia Twine is second with 11, followed by Washington with 10. Covington is the leader on the boards with 95. This includes 44 offensive. The forward is tied with Washington for the team-lead in assists with 30.
 
The Crusaders have outscored their opposition, 914-711.
 
On the men's basketball side, there are not quite as many notables. Mainly due to this being the first home contest all season for the Crusaders. They also did not play a countable game until a little over a week ago with road games at Manhattan Christian College and Champion Christian College. Both regional matchups were setbacks, as DCC hopes having a home crowd for the first time all year gets the team in the win column.
 
Head Coach Dwight Coleman has had his squad busy with several exhibition games against high-level competition. The Crusaders have played 11 games that did not count toward the overall record, but they prevailed in one game. That was in overtime against York College at the SAGU Classic. Meanwhile, DCC has had to face several NAIA teams including two with a nationally ranked SAGU in its gym. The Crusaders have also played three straight games in as many days against NCAA Division II foes, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Angelo State University, and University of Texas at Tyler.
 
Perhaps the biggest challenge and most exciting game to date was earlier this week at NCAA Division I Tarleton State University. That game was featured on ESPN+, and DCC held its own playing against the DI program. The Crusaders have another on-tap this Saturday at Northwestern State University, and then the following week at McNeese State University.
 
DCC was 5-2 at home last season in countable games, as Coach Coleman followed a similar format of having higher level opponents play as exhibitions. The Crusaders clicked the last week of the 2020-21 season with a 3-1 record in the Association of Christian College Athletics (ACCA) Tournament.
 
Eight players return from last year's team: Jordan Harris, Royce Mendez, Micah Tucker, Jason Makayabo, Jalen Perez, Tyjuan Battles, Tilyr Hobson, and Nick Erves.
 
Erves is the leader in scoring in the pair of games last week with 32 points. Perez had 19, while Jairus Allen and Hobson each enter with 15. Perez has the team-lead with seven steals, while Erves has five thefts. That duo is tied for five assists for the most on the team.
 
Both games will be available for live stream and on-demand on the Dallas Christian College Network.
 
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