KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team heads to Texas A&M-Commerce Wednesday to open Lone Star Conference action at 8 p.m. The Javelinas return home on Saturday to host Tarleton State at 3 p.m.

With wins in their final two non-Lone Star Conference game before an almost three-week Christmas break, the Javelinas open LSC play with a 5-7 mark. Commerce enters the contest with an 11-2 record but is 0-1 after dropping its league opener Midwestern State last week.

Under head coach Pete Peterson, the Javelinas are 9-7 in LSC opening games with two wins in a row. The Hoggies have faced the Lions more than any other team to start league play with Peterson at the helm. The two sides met in the opener the first seven years, but have not met in a conference opener since 2003-04. Commerce holds a slim 4-3 advantage in those games.

Led by Rashad Basey, who is second in the Lone Star Conference in scoring with 19.1 points a game, Kingsville has five players averaging double digits and six with tallying at least 8.4 a game. Ta'Quan McDew is second with 11.5 points a game followed by Dwight Taylor, who scored 22 in his first two games since coming active. Jordan Jahr, who leads the way with 6.5 rebounds, is scoring 10.7 points a game. Ronald Scott leads the team with 51 assists and is averaging 10.4 a contest.

The Lions had 11 wins in non-LSC action with only one loss before falling in its league opener to Midwestern State, 84-73. Commerce is second in the conference in scoring with 86.4 a game and first in rebounding with 42.6 a contest.

The Lions are led in scoring by LaDon Carnegie, who has hit 48.4% of his 3-point baskets, with 15.4 points a game, while Tyrie Wooten is second at 12.6. Kameron Price and Christian Macauley are at just over 11 points apiece. Macauley leads the team with 8.1 rebounds a game and is tops in the Lone State with 2.8 blocks a game.

Live stats will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/tamuc/mbball/ with audio at http://ketr.org/.