KINGSVILLE, Texas – After capturing victories in each of their last two games, the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team will look to keep the good vibes flowing on Tuesday in San Angelo, Texas, the site for a clash with the Angelo State Rams at 7:30 p.m. inside Stephens Arena at The Junell Center.
When these two squads last saw each other, the Javelinas (11-8, 4-5) were undefeated and ranked at No. 20 in the nation and Angelo State (13-5, 5-4) was receiving votes in the national polls. The Hogs came out on top that day, winning 76-69, but then proceeded to lose eight of their next nine games while the Rams won five-in-a-row. Coach Johnny Estelle's team has regained a foothold recently, winning their last two games to move into sixth place in the Lone Star Conference. The Rams momentum has slowed down, with three losses in five games, and they're attempting to hold on to the fourth spot in the conference standings.
The Javelinas are in the midst of a five-game road swing that started successfully with victories over Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico. Estelle and his student-athletes continue to be a difficult task to handle when they're away from home, as evidenced by a mark of 5-3 in road contests. One of the most important factors in that success is a defense that has allowed the second fewest points-per-game in the LSC and has held opponents to shooting percentage of 31.4% from three-point range, the best mark in the conference.
The defense for the Hogs will be put to the test on Tuesday when they go up against one of the best shooting teams in their league. The Rams enter this matchup as the best three-point shooting team in the LSC and they're tied for 43rd in the country in that statistic. ASU's top threat from long range is forward Will Adler, who can lay claim to the conference's best three-point shooting percentage. Adler has hit as many as seven treys in one games and 48 of the 66 field goals he's hit this season have been triples.
Adler is not the only weapon coach Cinco Boone has at his disposal, however. Junior guard Ja'Michael Brown has five 20-point performances to his credit, including a 30-point night against St. Mary's on Nov. 21st. Brown's 17 points against the Javelinas a week later were good enough to lead all scorers. James Kirksey and Brandon Williams are also averaging double-digits in points-per-game.
Trey Sumpter continued to cement his status as TAMUK's top scorer, posting team-highs in points in both contests. The senior from Alabama has now hit double figures in four of his last five games. The Rams will also be looking to contain fellow senior Will West, who had his best game of the season against ASU in November putting up 15 points and hitting three-of-four from beyond the arc.
The Hogs and the Rams will meet for the 115th time on Tuesday in the latest chapter in a rivalry that dates back to 1969, Angelo State's first season in the Lone Star Conference. ASU had won seven straight in the series prior to last season, when TAMUK swept the season series, only to see the Rams get the last laugh, scoring an upset in the conference tournament semifinals. The overall series is led by ASU, 61-53.
Complete coverage of Tuesday's game can be found through Javelinaathletics.com, including a postgame recap. 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.
