KINGSVILLE, Texas – The 2017-18 campaign is ready to tip-off with Texas A&M University-Kingsville (0-0) hosting the Conference Crossover between the Lone Star Conference (LSC) and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) November 10-11. First on the docket will be South Dakota Mines (0-0) on Friday (7 p.m.), followed by a game against Chadron State College (0-0) on Saturday (2 p.m).

The conference crossover is when two or more conferences in the same region decide to play each other on opening week, increasing the team's schedule from 26 to 28 regular season contests.

Head coach Johnny Estelle returns to the helm for the Javelinas after bringing the club to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament and finishing with a winning record (19-12) for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

Last year, the Hogs played smothering defense and ranked amongst the highest in the country in three-point field goal defense percentage (2nd-.296), field goal defense (9th-.398), and total blocks (13th-148). TAMUK's 148 blocks set a new standard for most blocks in a single season and offensively, their 231 made three-point field goals and 718 three-point field goal attempts also set a new team season record.
 
Headlining the returners for the Hogs is senior Trey Sumpter and junior Robert Stevenson. Sumpter averaged 11.2 points per game last season and averaged a team-high 5.1 rebounds per game. He was selected to the South Central All-Tournament Team after dropping 17.5 points per game by shooting over 60 percent. Stevenson set the tone defensively, recording 53 blocks, a new single-season record. He also set a record of seven blocks in a single game against Western New Mexico (2/23/17). Other returners consist of Derrick Byrd, Caelan Neal, Will West, Elliot Taylor, and Christian Bambrook. Tim Singleton, Cris Bowleware, Brandon Etienne, Hector Ruiz, and Dominique Bradley all return after redshirting last season.
 
Estelle inserts four to the 2017-18 roster. Jacolby Harris and Johnnathan Lindsey come over from Butler Community College and Elton Dyer joins the Blue and Gold after two seasons at San Jacinto Community College. Kyren Block is the final addition who transfers from Houston Baptist as a redshirt sophomore.

The men are itching to get the regular season started after a successful pair of scrimmages. The Javelinas defeated the U.S. Navy All-Star Team at home 69-60 before upsetting Division I opponent Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in overtime, 82-80, at the American Bank Center.
 
TAMUK will open the season against South Dakota Mines Friday evening. This will be the second time the clubs have met in program history with the first being last season, resulting in a 72-62 win for the Hogs. Saturday afternoon, Chadron State will enter Hog Heaven and face the Javelinas for the first time.
 
Become a member of the 6th Man Pack that features great benefits such as reserved chairback seating for home games and access to the 6th Man Pack Lounge at LSC doubleheaders for the 2017-18 season. The 6th Man Pack Lounge will be catered by Fatman's Meat Market. For more information on joining the team, contact the ticket office at 361-593-4030.
     
Receive content for Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball by following @JavelinaMBB on Twitter and Instagram, like the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports), and subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube channel.