KINGSVILLE, Texas – After dropping consecutive games in Lone Star Conference play, the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team will look to regain their stride when they travel to San Angelo, Texas for a 4 p.m. matchup with the Angelo State Rams on Saturday at Stephens Arena at the Junell Center.
Junior Rashon Thomas (Houston, Texas) enters this contest as TAMUK's (10-9, 6-5) hottest hand. He's scored in double figures in each of his team's last three games and that streak includes a 23-point night against A&M-Commerce on Thursday. That total stands as the most points by a Javelina in a game this season.
The Hogs have also continued to received contributions from freshman Darius Mickens (Willis, Texas) and senior Robert Stevenson (Houston, Texas). Mickens had his streak of consecutive games in double figures end at eight on Saturday night, but he remains the team's leading scorer with an average of 9.6 points per game. Stevenson continues to own spots in the LSC's top five in rebounds and blocked shots.
Stevenson remains one of the linchpins in a Javelina defense that can lay claim to being one of the best in the nation. In addition to leading the conference in scoring defense, shooting defense, three-point field goal percentage defense and blocked shots, the Javs are in the top 30 nationally in three of those four categories, three-point field goal percentage defense being the only exception. The 38.5 percent the Hogs have allowed their opponents to shoot is the nation's third best and TAMUK's opponents average just 65.5 points per game, 17th in Division II.
The Javelinas will be trying to slow down a red-hot Rams team that's won five of six, including victories over Tarleton and A&M-Commerce in their most recent weekend of action. That run of success has helped ASU moved up to third in the conference, just a half-game behind second-place Commerce.
Angelo State will be attempting to sweep the season series from the Javelinas for the first time since the 2015-16 season. When these teams met for the first time this season, the Rams left with a 10-point win thanks in large part to the play of Ronald Bell and Josh Boutte. Bell led all players with 14 points and eight rebounds while Boutte's 14 rebounds helped his team carve out a 49-33 advantage on the glass. The Javelinas did hold their opponents to 31 percent shooting from the floor.
Bell is one of four players averaging double figures in scoring for an ASU team that is fourth in the LSC in scoring at 79.8 points per game. The Rams have also established themselves as the best rebounding team in the conference, averaging 39.2 boards per night, which also ranks in the top 40 nationally. Offensively, they're led by senior forward Antonio Singleton, one of the LSC's top 10 scorers. Singleton's season has included a 30-point, 11-rebound night against West Texas A&M on Jan. 12th. He's logged two double-doubles so far this season.
Links to live video and stats of Wednesday's game are available through Javelinaathletics.com and you'll also be able to find a postgame recap at the same spot after the final buzzer. 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.
