KINGSVILLE, Texas (Men's Basketball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (4-0) will host the Emerald Beach Thanksgiving Classic as the Lone Star Conference and the Great American Conference clash over the weekend at the Gil E. Steinke Physical Education Center-Kingsville Hampton Inn Court. The Javelinas will take the court on Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Ouachita Baptist University (2-1, 1-1 GAC) and conclude the classic Saturday at 6 p.m. against Southeastern Oklahoma State University (2-3, 0-2 GAC).

Other games played this weekend will feature the University of the Permian Basin (6-0) against Southeastern Oklahoma State Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Ouachita Baptist vs. UT Permian Basin on Saturday at 4 p.m. Live stats and stream will be available for all games via javelinaathletics.com and Kevin Piel will call both of the Javelinas games this weekend.  

Defense has been the staple for Texas A&M-Kingsville's 4-0 start to the 2016-17 season. They have given up only 58.8 points per contest which ranks ninth in the nation and second in the Lone Star Conference. The Hogs defensive efforts makes it easier for them to score as they average 68 points per game (PPG) and shoots 41% from the floor and 69% at the charity stripe. Early in the season, the Hogs have thrived in the second half and have outscored their opponents 161-127. Trey Sumpter is the teams leading scorer with 12.3 PPG and also leads the team with six rebounds per game. He is followed closely by Duan Wright who has dropped 11.8 PPG and pulled down 5.8 rebounds per game. The guard play has also been strong for TAMUK starting with Derrick Byrd who leads with 14 assists to add to his 6.5 points per game and Caelan Neal who averages 7.8 PPG, has 11 assists and leads the team with eight steals.

Ouachita Baptist will play their first road game of the season after falling to Great American Conference foe Southern Nazarene at home 61-58. The Tigers average 69.7 PPG and shoot 38.8% from the floor, 33.8% from three-point range and 72.5% from the free throw line. OUA has been strong in the second half this season, outscoring their opponents 106-92. The purple and gold team is led by a two-headed monster in Lakee Westbrook and Justin McCleary who each average 13 PPG and lead the team with five steals. Aitor Lopez-Breton and Carven Holcombe are the paint protectors leading with five rebounds and two blocks apiece.

TAMUK is 2-0 all-time against OUA.

A 113-45 win over Dallas Christian snapped a three-game losing streak for Southeastern Oklahoma State, including two conference losses against Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas. The Storm averages 72.4 PPG and their scoring defense leads the GAC as they give up only 63.4 points. SOSU also leads the conference in rebound margin at +8.8 and average 42.8 boards per game. Tyler Lonzie averages 15 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game and has five blocks, all which leads the team. Anton Cook follows with 14.2 PPG and Nathan Jackson rounds out the top scorers with 12.4 PPG, grabs 5.6 rebounds per game and leads the team with nine steals. 

The Storm trail in the all-time series against the Hogs 6-9 and will play against UT Permian Basin on Friday before facing the host on Saturday. 

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