GOLDEN, Colo. (Men's Basketball) – Seventh seeded Texas A&M University-Kingsville (18-11) will take on the No. 17 nationally ranked and Lone Star Conference Champions, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (26-5), in the first round of the 2017 NCAA South Central Region Tournament hosted by Colorado School of Mines in Lockridge Arena on March 11 at 3:30 p.m. central time. 

With the bottom of the South Central Region bracket filled with Lone Star Conference members, Texas A&M-Kingsville has a familiar and favorable road towards the Elite Eight. However, before we get there, we must go through UT Permian Basin.

The Hogs and Falcons will square off for a third time this season. UTPB won both regular season meetings including an epic 87-81 three overtime dogfight last month in Kingsville, Texas. In the two regular season games, Caelan Neal led the team with 14 PPG, shooting a .500 clip from the floor including 7-of-12 from downtown. Will West played big off of the bench, averaging 12 PPG and knocked down six triples hisself. Duan Wright, who leads the team in scoring overall with 12.2 PPG, dropped ten points per contest and led the team on the glass with 5.5 rebounds per game.  

Last time out, the Javelinas fell in the semi-finals of the LSC Tournament to Angelo State 74-60 after knocking off the South Central No. 3 seed West Texas A&M in the quarter finals. Angelo State went on to face UT Permian Basin in the conference championship that resulted in a 93-85 victory and first LSC title for the Falcons in its inaugural year in the league. 

It will be another classic between A&M-Kingsville and UT Permian Basin in the first round with an intriguing battle of a top defense against a prolific offense. The Hogs lead the region in scoring defense (66.2 PPG), three-point field goal defense (.293- 2nd in the NCAA) and second in the region in forced turnovers per game (17.55). On the other hand, the Falcons have the second-best scoring offense in the region (88.8 PPG), leads the South Central in free throws made and attempted (676-of-904) and leads in total rebounds (1,363). 

The winner of this game will move on to face the winner between No. 3 West Texas A&M and No. 6 A&M-Commerce. In addition to the previous four LSC schools mentioned, Tarleton State also made the trip to Golden, Colo. as the No. 4 seed. They will face a tough #23 Fort Lewis club in the first round.  

Kevin Piel will call the action live and live stats as well as a live video stream of the tournament will all be provided at javelinaathletics.com.

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