CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State men's basketball is set to open the 2025-26 campaign this weekend at the GAC/MIAA Regional Challenge in Skiatook, hosted at Skiatook High School. They will face Ouachita Baptist on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Harding on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
 
"From day one, since this group has arrived in August, I have enjoyed coaching them day in and day out," commented head coach Justin Barkley, who enters his 16^th season as the leader of the program. "We are not trying to drink the Kool-Aid that a lot of the coaches are thinking heading into the season and will work to be the best program we can on and off the court."

HOSTING THE GAC/MIAA REGIONAL CHALLENGE
The Hillcats will kick off the season right down the road in Skiatook for the GAC/MIAA Regional Challenge on Nov. 14 and 15.
 
"It is nice to start closer to home with cutting down travel and wear that we experienced last year playing five games in eight days on the road," Barkley commented on the regional challenge. "I thought that the non-conference schedule that we put together should help battle test us to get where we need to be before getting into conference play. We are excited to start the season on the 14^th and are really looking forward to competing against some good teams, but don't want to skip any steps in the process."
 
Rogers State will open its season against Ouachita Baptist on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Last season, OBU finished second in the Great American Conference (GAC) with a 22-8 overall record, including a 16-6 mark in conference play. In the GAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, they were picked to finish seventh, receiving 64 points.
 
Rogers State holds a 3-0 advantage in the series against Ouachita Baptist. In their last matchup, RSU defeated OBU 85-70 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Anthony Marshall Jr. led the Hillcats with 18 points, while Caden Fry added 15 points and nine rebounds and Andrew Mason contributed 12 points and five rebounds.
 
The Hillcats will conclude the invitation on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against Harding. The Bison finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 22-10 (15-7 GAC) and were predicted to finish third in the GAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning 95 points and one first-place vote.
 
In their inaugural meeting last season, Harding edged Rogers State 79-78 in Little Rock. Fry scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds, while teammate Hamilton also contributed 15 points and four rebounds. Jabryn Anderson recorded 11 points, five assists, and five rebounds and Sam Davidson added 10 points.
 
SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 14
4:00 p.m. – Harding vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith
6:30 p.m. – Rogers State vs. Ouachita Baptist

 
Saturday, Nov. 15
2:00 p.m. – Ouachita Baptist vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith
4:30 p.m. – Rogers State vs. Harding
 
For more information, visit Regional Challenge.
 
REMAINING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
The Hillcats' official home opener is scheduled for Nov. 17 at noon, featuring a matchup against the University of the Ozarks as part of the annual Claremont Day. Students from Claremont Elementary will fill the Expo for a day of fun activities, giveaways, and, of course, Hillcat Basketball.
 
RSU will host additional non-conference games at the Claremore Expo Center, including a contest against Southern Arkansas on Nov. 22 and Haskell on Dec. 13. The Hillcats will look to avenge a tough 71-68 loss to the Muleriders last season in Magnolia, Arkansas.
 
Additionally, the Hillcats will compete in the SNU Conference Challenge in Bethany, Oklahoma, facing Southeastern Oklahoma State on Nov. 28 and Southern Nazarene on Nov. 29. This marks RSU's first encounter with these in-state opponents from the Great American Conference since the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
 
The team's 2025 schedule will conclude in San Antonio, Texas, at the River City Holiday Classic. They will face Dallas Baptist on Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. and Texas A&M-Kingsville on Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. This will be RSU's first matchup with DBU since 2019, with the all-time series tied at 6-6 between the programs. They will face Kingsville for the first time.
 
"I think playing in this classic in Texas is a great opportunity for us before break," Barkley said about the River City Holiday Classic. "We don't want to lose sight of who we are; we want to find out things that we need to get better at, and year-in-year and year-in-year out, we have done that with trips like this in the non-conference schedule. Playing Texas A&M-Kingsville and Dallas Baptist, who are a preseason top-three team and made the national semifinal, will be a good test for the guys, and we hope they can embrace the challenge."

MIAA AT A GLANCE
In the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, RSU achieved its highest ranking since joining the conference in 2019. The Hillcats garnered 141 points and received one first-place vote, placing them second behind defending champions Washburn, which topped the poll with 163 points and 13 first-place votes.
 
"One thing that makes this league challenging and unique is that there is not a game that you feel comfortable about," Barkley remarked on the MIAA. "Our approach is going to have to be consistent and mature, because if you have a two-week stretch where you are not right, you can find yourself trying to find momentum in some tough spots." He added, "The coaching in this league is top-notch. The development from these programs that produce high-caliber athletes is some of the best that I have seen in my 16 years of coaching."
 
The Hillcats will kick off MIAA play on the road, facing Missouri Southern on Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Pittsburg State on Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. They will return home to host Central Oklahoma on Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
 
On New Year's Day, RSU will travel to Wichita, Kansas, to take on Newman. Other road games include matchups against Fort Hays State on Jan. 22, Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 24, Missouri Western on Feb. 5, Northwest Missouri State on Feb. 7, Central Oklahoma on Feb. 14, Northeastern State on Feb. 25 and Arkansas-Fort Smith on Feb. 28.
 
Remaining home MIAA contests feature games against Arkansas-Fort Smith on Jan. 7, Northeastern State on Jan. 10, Pittsburg State on Jan. 14, Missouri Southern on Jan. 17, Emporia State on Jan. 29, and Newman on Jan. 31. February home games include matchups against Central Missouri on Feb. 19 and Washburn on Feb. 21, which will be Senior Day.
 
The MIAA Tournament is set for March 4-8 at the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. Last season, RSU reached the semifinals after a buzzer-beater victory over Missouri Western but was eliminated by eventual champions Fort Hays State. Hays would go on to beat UCO, who shocked the conference with an upset over top-seeded Washburn in the first round.
 
MEET THE HILLCATS
The 2025-26 season roster features nine returners, including All-MIAA performers Fry and Mason. The Hillcats will welcome four newcomers, including three transfers and one incoming freshman.
 
"Just like any new season, it's important not to look in the rearview and to make sure we are looking ahead," Barkley commented on the returners heading into the new season. "We are hoping that with the number of returners that we have within the program, first and foremost, they are ready to take the next step in their roles." Barkley added, "We lost some heavy lifting from some very important pieces from a year ago. They need to set the tone, standard and consistency that we look for in our program. If they do that, we'll be in a good spot."
 
"Our new guys are learning day in and day out," Barkley said of the newcomers. "They played for other coaches in the past, and there are a lot of different ways to play the game; it's just how fast can we get all 13 guys on the same page."
 
THE SENIORS
Fry returns for his final season on the Hill. The Owasso, Oklahoma, native had a standout junior season in 2024-25, earning All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors as a key contributor at the forward position. He played 33 games, making 32 starts and averaged 11 points per game while logging 28.6 minutes of playing time. Fry led the team with an average of 7.2 rebounds per game and recorded 1.8 assists, 17 steals and four blocks. One of his notable performances came during a 92-73 victory against Missouri Southern State, where he scored 24 points, shooting 10-for-17 from the field.
 
Mason will wrap up his college basketball career with the Red and Navy this season. The guard from Bardstown, Kentucky, native earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors during his first season at RSU. He played 33 games, starting 32 and averaged 10.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists while logging 28.9 minutes per game. He also recorded 45 steals and a team-high 27 blocks. His best performance came in a thrilling 102-92 victory against rival Central Oklahoma, where he scored 22 points.
 
"We return two all-league guys in Caden Fry and Andrew Mason, who had a great season for us last year," Barkley said about the seniors. "Those guys are such a treat to be around, and I enjoy coaching and being around them on a daily basis."
 
Anderson returns for his senior season with the Hillcats. The guard from Decatur, Illinois, native played in 33 games, making 29 starts last season. He averaged 9.4 points in a team-high 33.2 minutes per game, along with five rebounds, 2.6 assists, a team-high 47 steals and 22 blocks. His best performance of the season came when he scored 20 points in an 88-84 overtime win against Nebraska-Kearney, during which he played 44 minutes.
 
"One young man who I saw being on the verge of being an all-league player is Jabryn Anderson," Barkley commented on the guard. "He is kind of our Swiss Army knife, and I see big things happening for him this season."
 
Benard Omooria returns for his senior season after an impressive junior campaign, where he made the all-tournament team at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic. The guard from Minneapolis, Minnesota, native played in 33 games, making two starts. He averaged 8.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and three steals in 24.1 minutes per game. His season-best performance occurred in a game against Newman, where he scored 25 points, shooting 8-for-12 from the field, including six 3-pointers and recorded five rebounds and a block.
 
"Benard Omooria showed what he was capable of doing for the program last season," Barkley mentioned about the guard. "He made the all-tournament in Billings, Montana, last season and I can see him taking that next step for us."
 
Angus Ole will play his second and final season in Claremore for the Hillcats. The Sydney, Australia, native has appeared in 33 games, averaging 4.1 points in 12.5 minutes per game during the 2024-25 season. He has contributed 2.3 rebounds and recorded 14 steals. Ole's best performance of the season came during an 82-80 victory against Northeastern State, where he scored 15 points, shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and 6-for-8 from the field.
 
"Angus Ole was a young man who played a significant role for us last season," Barkley said about the forward. "I could see him making an impact for us again this season."
 
Tulsa native Marlo Fox is set to play his fifth and final season for the Hillcats this winter. The Charles Page High School standout has appeared in 20 games over four seasons with the Hillcats. In the 2024-25 season, he participated in three games, averaging 1.7 minutes per game. His best performance this season came against Washburn, where he recorded one rebound.
 
THE JUNIORS
Claremore native Kaleb Bickel is the only junior returning from last year's roster. During his first season on the Hill, the forward participated in eight games, averaging 3.1 minutes on the court per game, along with a recorded steal. His standout performance of the season was against Washburn.
 
Guard Damondre McKnight joins RSU after playing at Niagara during the 2024-25 season, where he appeared in 28 games and made three starts. The native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, averaged 2.3 points in 8.7 minutes per game, shooting 39.7% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range. Prior to his time at Niagara, McKnight was a standout at Paris Junior College. As a freshman, he played 31 games, averaging 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He shot 44.9% from the field, 37.9% from three-point range, and 75.2% from the free-throw line.
 
Forward Tim Jordan Jr. is no stranger to the MIAA, having begun his career at Central Missouri. In the 2024-25 season, the Saginaw, Michigan, native played 25 games, starting seven, and averaged 7.8 points per game while shooting 37 percent from the field. He excelled at the free-throw line, converting 77 percent of his attempts (43 of 56). Jordan also recorded 69 rebounds, 20 assists, five blocks and five steals. In his freshman season, he earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors, playing in 26 games with 22 starts and averaging 11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.
 
Guard Stephon Thomas joins the team from Northeast Mississippi Community College. Last season, the Jackson, Mississippi, native appeared in 32 games with 11 starts, averaging 20.3 minutes per game. He recorded 9.3 points on 109-of-240 shooting (45 percent) and added 84 rebounds, 78 assists, 72 steals, and four blocks. Prior to Northeast Mississippi, he played at Hinds Community College.

The SOPHOMORE
Forward Aydan Perdue returns for his third season on the Hill after playing his first full season last year. During the 2024-25 campaign, the Katy, Texas, native appeared in 23 games, averaging 2.1 points in 4.7 minutes per game, along with 1.2 rebounds, one block, and one steal. His best performance of the season came when he scored 18 points, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line, while also grabbing seven rebounds and recording a block in an 85-56 win over Haskell.
 
THE REDSHIRT FRESHMEN
Jackson Welch redshirted in his first season with the Hillcats. The 6-foot-6 forward from Inola High School was a two-time MVP of the 5 Lakes Conference. He helped lead the Longhorns to a regional championship in 2024 and secured three district championships in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
 
THE FRESHMEN
Bromo Dorn joins the team from Seabury Hall High School in Maui, Hawaii. The 6-foot-6 guard was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and the MaxPreps Player of the Year in Hawaii. He is a two-time First Team All-State selection, averaging 27.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Dorn played a key role in leading the Spartans to a state championship.
 
FINAL WORDS FROM COACH BARKLEY
"We have a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time, but this is a team that can play hard nightly, together and will represent our program with class." Barkley added, "I am excited to get this thing started, and we need all of the support that we can get to make our home games as challenging an environment as we can."
 
For more information and updates on the men's basketball program, visit Men's Basketball - Rogers State University Athletics.