KINGSVILLE, Texas (Men's Basketball) – With the campus filled again with students after the holiday break, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (8-7, 1-5 LSC) returns to the confines of the Gil E Steinke Physical Education Center this weekend to take on Eastern New Mexico University (7-10, 1-6 LSC) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Western New Mexico University (2-13, 0-7 LSC) Saturday at 2 p.m.

Live stats and stream will be available at javelinaathletics.com for both games featuring the Real Deal Kevin Piel on the call.

Texas A&M-Kingsville is coming off of a tough road trip where they fell 83-76 to UT Permian Basin and 80-65 against #12 West Texas A&M, but now they have made their way back home where they post a 6-3 record. This season the Javelinas lead the Lone Star Conference in holding their opponents to a 28.8% field goal percentage from three-point territory and they rank second in scoring defense (68.6 PPG). The Javelinas are 4-0 overall this season when their opponents fail to score over 60 points and are 4-0 at home when they have the lead at halftime.

Trey Sumpter leads the team in scoring this season with 12.9 PPG after recording his second career double-double against #12 West Texas A&M where he put up 19 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. Behind him is Duan Wright who averages 11.1 points per game but leads the team in scoring at home with a 13.4 scoring average. Both Sumpter and Wright are tied on the glass with a team best 5.1 rebounds per game. Caelan Neal is the last Hog that averages in double figures with 10.3 PPG and adds 34 dimes, 18 steals and six blocks in his first season wearing the blue and gold. Justin Jones has also been a standout player recently as he has a .419 clip from three over the last four games. Jones registered a season-high 14 points against UT Permian Basin. 

Eastern New Mexico will head into South Texas on a two-game skid including a tight 108-104 OT loss against Midwestern State. The Greyhounds single conference win this season is against Western New Mexico and are 1-3 overall as the visiting team. Although all opponents combined has averaged 80 points against the club, in conference play, ENMU leads the LSC with 9.14 steals per game and scores 80.7 points per game. The Hounds are paced by Cornell Neal and Marquise Harris who both average 15 PPG. Neal also leads with 63 assists and 30 steals in the 2016-17 season. Joe Clarke rounds out the key contributors with 11 points per contest.  

This will be the 70th meeting between the two teams with TAMUK holding a comfortable 43-26 all-time series record. The Javelinas have won three of the last four meetings although the teams split in the 2015-16 season series, both winning on their home floors.

The weekend will conclude with an early afternoon match on Saturday, January 21, against Western New Mexico. The Mustangs are 2-13 overall and although winless in conference, they take care of the ball on offense with the third fewest turnovers in the league (211). WNMU average 64.3 PPG and shoots 36% from the floor, 27% from long distance and 59% from the free throw line. Western New Mexico have wins against Oklahoma Panhandle (83-73) and Benedict-Mesa of Arizona (67-59) both at home. They are still seeking their first road win of the season (0-6). Jordan Enriquez leads the team with 12.6 PPG and Willie McCray is right behind him with 10.2 PPG. McCray leads the way with 36 assists, 16 steals and 49 turnovers. Latrell Spivey nearly averages a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds per game.

This will be the first meeting between the Javelinas and Mustangs in school history. WNMU will face RV Angelo State on Thursday in San Angelo, Texas before making the trip to the SPEC. 

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