They’ve been preparing for weeks. Practicing layups, free throws, defense, three-point shots.
“The team was anxious to play after practicing for quite a few weeks,” Nelson Haggerty, head coach, said.
The men’s basketball players were ready to play against the Oklahoma City University Stars on Monday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. Even though it was only an exhibition game, the players felt excited — until they didn’t.
Officials postponed the men’s basketball game against OCU due to a basketball goal issue. Yellow caution tape lined the area surrounding the goal and maintenance began trying to fix the problem.
There was an email sent out to all student emails, as well as Twitter posts informing the student body of the change. A basketball goal issue caused the game to be postponed.
“We didn’t exactly know what the problem was and couldn’t reach the company that manufactures the goal until this morning [Oct. 30]. Through FaceTime and visiting with their engineer, we now think we have a solution,” Kyle Williams, interim athletic director, said. “At the same time, this [other] team was coming from three hours away and we certainly didn’t want them to get on the road if we didn’t have the goal fixed. The other team certainly understood.”
Although this was an exhibition, Haggerty said it would have been as game-like as possible.
Team officials are in the process of rescheduling the game for a date within the next few weeks.
The men’s basketball team will be away for the next four games, playing Arkansas Fort-Smith, Rogers State, Colorado Mesa and Western State. The next home game will be on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. against Southwestern Assemblies of God in D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
