KINGSVILLE, Texas – With two more weeks remaining in the regular season and the Lone Star Conference Tournament in their sights, the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team is set to host the final two home games on their schedule, beginning on Thursday night, when the Javelinas will tangle with the UT Permian Basin Falcons at 7:30 p.m. at the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville, Texas.
The Hogs will then welcome in the Western New Mexico Mustangs on Saturday for a 4 p.m. matchup on Senior Day. That afternoon, the Javelinas will take the time to honor the four senior members of their team: Robert Stevenson (Houston, Texas), Jacolby Harris (Delray Fla.), Elton Dyer (Houston, Texas) and Alex Mills (Laurens, S.C.). The squad's four seniors have combined to play nearly 200 games in the Blue and Gold.
A six-game win streak for the Javs in January has given way to a five-game losing streak in February, during which the Javelinas have dropped each contest by less than 10 points. Despite their recent struggles, TAMUK is still holding on to one of the conference's postseason spots. A record of 6-8 in league play and 10-12 overall has the team in seventh and a win over UTPB would not only bump them into sixth, but also clinch a season sweep of the Falcons. More importantly, it would lock up a spot in the LSC Tournament.
Freshman Darius Mickens (Willis, Texas) has continued to thrive in the TAMUK offense and is coming off arguably the most impressive week any Javelina has had this season. In a Thursday night tussle against Eastern New Mexico, he posted 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and also led the team with three assists. He was even better on Saturday against No. 5 West Texas, going off in the second half for 17 points on his way to a 23-point afternoon, matching the team's highest scoring total of the season. Mickens is currently averaging 10.5 points per game, the best on the roster and has established himself as one the leading contenders for LSC Freshman of the Year.
On defense, the Javelinas have continued to lean on Stevenson, who collected six blocked shots over the weekend. His career total in that category now stands at 146, 77 more than any other player in program history. Stevenson has helped the Javelinas keep hold of the conference's top spot in field goal percentage defense, as opponents have only connected on 39.5 percent of field goal attempts this season.
The Javelinas have already encountered these teams once this season, defeating both the Falcons and Mustangs on the road. In Odessa, the Hogs rallied from a 12-point deficit to capture an 80-72 victory over UTPB.
That win came despite the best efforts of Jacob Ledoux, who logged 18 points. That total doesn't even represent one of Ledoux's 10 best scoring performances of the season. The junior guard has reached 20 points seven times this season and averages 18.1 points per game. That mark puts him at the top of the LSC. Ledoux enters Thursday's tilt off one of his most impressive performances of the year: a 34-point day against MSU Texas that helped UTPB capture their second straight win.
Ledoux is the most integral part of the conference's most explosive offense. The Falcons lead the conference in scoring and shooting, both overall and from beyond the arc. Their field goal percentage of 50.4 is the nation's 13th-best and they've hit at least 50 percent of their shots 14 times in 24 games. The Javelinas limited them to a mark of 40.4 percent in the teams' first meeting of the year, their fourth-lowest percentage of the year.
The Western New Mexico offense revolves around senior forward Jon-Reese Woodson and his average of 12.5 points per game. Woodson entered his team's initial clash with the Javelinas fresh from scoring 24 points against MSU Texas, but the Hogs shut him down to the tune of four points on 1-of-9 shooting. Woodson has scored in double figures in each of his last three games, including 21 points in a rematch against Midwestern State on Feb. 14th.
Woodson and his teammates are attempting to climb out of the Lone Star Conference basement. Their records of 5-16 and 2-12 in conference have not eliminated them from postseason contention, however. The Mustangs still remain within striking distance of the Cameron Aggies, who currently own the final spot in the LSC Tournament.
Live video and stats for each contest at the SPEC are available at Javelinaathletics.com, where you'll also be able to find a complete rundown of all the action postgame. To stay up-to-date with TAMUK men's basketball all season, follow @JavelinaMBB on Twitter, @Javelinasports on Instagram, like Javelina Men's Basketball on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel.
