KINGSVILLE, Texas – Following a rare weekend off and with Lone Star Conference play rapidly approaching, the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team is set to host its second consecutive home game. The Javelinas will welcome in the Texas A&M International Dustdevils on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. matchup at the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville, Texas.
The Hogs opened their home schedule on Wednesday, dropping a narrow, 60-55 decision to St. Mary's. The Javs forced 23 turnovers for the night and grabbed 13 steals, but the Rattlers broke a late, 51-51 tie with six straight points on their way to wrapping up a win.
Offensively, it's been a group effort for the Javelinas (1-2). No player has reached double figures in scoring in either of TAMUK's last two games but 12 different players have contributed points, with 11 Javelinas making multiple shots from the floor.
Junior John Mouton (Missouri City, Texas) stands as the team's leading scorer through three games and his 16 points in the squad's season opener against South Dakota Mines is the highest total by a Javelina to this point. His 10 rebounds are also second on the team, surpassed only by senior Robert Stevenson (Houston, Texas) and his 19. Stevenson's average of 6.3 rebounds per game has him in the top 10 in the LSC.
The defense has been on point for the Blue and Gold so far in this young season. The 66.3 points per game the Javelinas are allowing is the best mark in the LSC and TAMUK is second in the league in opponent shooting percentage. The opposition is connecting at a percentage of just 41.1 percent from the field and twice the Hogs have held their opponents under 40 percent shooting.
The Javelinas met the Dustdevils twice last season and defense was the hallmark of a pair of Hog victories. In the first matchup, they outrebounded their visitors, 33-25, and also blocked six shots in a 63-56 home win. When the programs clashed in Laredo, the Hogs held TAMIU to 38.9 percent from the floor, forced 19 turnovers and again tallied six rejections. Overall, the Blue and Gold hold a 20-5 edge in the all-time series.
For coach Joel Taylor, his tallest task entering the 2018-19 season was replacing three of the Dustdevils' top four scorers from a year ago. Taylor's top returner on offense, senior Xabier Gomez, leads the team with an average of 14.3 points per game and he's reach double-digits in points in all four games he's played in.
In five games, TAMIU has managed two wins, both at home, against three losses. Rebounding has been an accurate barometer of the squad's success to this point, as they've been outrebounded in all three defeats while winning the battle on the glass in each triumph. Turnovers have also been an issue for the Dustdevils in their losses, as they've piled up over 20 giveaways in their last two defeats.
The Javelinas will be taking donations for Toys for Tots, as well as for their Canned Food Drive on Tuesday night. Anyone bringing a new unopened toy or a non-perishable food item will receive free admission to the SPEC.
Fans can keep up with the game via live video and stats, which will be available through Javelinaathletics.com. A recap will also be online postgame. Fans can keep with Javelina basketball throughout the year by following @JavelinaMBB on Twitter, @Javelinasports on Instagram, liking Javelina Men's Basketball on Facebook and subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel.
