KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team has begun its 2019-20 home schedule with eight consecutive wins, the first time they've accomplished that since 2006-07, but two of their sternest tests are right around the corner, as the Javelinas prepare to entertain the No. 4 West Texas A&M Buffaloes and the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds.
The Hogs will square off against WT on Thursday at the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville, Texas, the matchup between these two squads scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. The Greyhounds will tangle with the Javelinas on Saturday inside the SPEC at 4 p.m.
TAMUK has been averaging just a shade under 75 points per game in their eight contests at home and their scoring margin of 11.5 at the SPEC is more than seven points better than their overall mark for the season in that statistic. Western New Mexico is only one of the Hogs' eight home opponents to reach 70 points and the Javs have also been plus-seven in rebounding margin and plus-4.4 in turnover margin at home this season.
These numbers will all be put to the test during TAMUK's next two home games, when their tasks will include trying to slow down a red-hot West Texas team that's won eight-in-a-row behind one of the nation's most effective offenses, an attack led by a 1-2 punch that's established itself as one of the most difficult in the nation to contain.
WT enters Thursday's showdown averaging 95.6 points per game, which puts them sixth in the nation and they've reached triple digits five times in 2019-20. Sophomores Qua Grant and Joel Murray have accounted for more than 40 percent of the Buffs' scoring total during the current campaign and both players are among the top five scorers in the Lone Star Conference.
Grant's mark of 22.5 points per game is not only third in the LSC, but also tied for 18th in the nation. After winning the conference's Freshman of the Year award a season ago, he's avoided a sophomore slump with a year that's seen him score in double figures in every game and average close to 25 points each time out against LSC teams. He's been anything but one dimensional for the Buffs this season, however. Grant is tied for the fourth-most steals in the country with 49 and he's also 10th in the LSC in rebounding.
Murray has matched his teammate's feat of scoring at least 10 points in every game while also averaging 4.0 assists per game, good enough for eight in the LSC. Along with those numbers and a scoring average of 19.5, Murray is tops on the Buffs in made three-pointers and has shot better than 80 percent from the free throw line.
The Greyhounds' 2019-20 statistics might not be as flashy as the ones sported by WT, but what ENMU does have is one of the best three-point shooters in the LSC in junior Devin Pullum. The native of Little Elm, Texas is in his second consecutive season as the team's leading scorer and one of the reasons why is his 41.5 shooting percentage from beyond the arc. In a 100-97 Greyhound victory over UT Permian Basin on Jan. 11th, Pullum hit 6-of-11 from deep and racked up 26 points, which stands as his season-high. Pullum and his teammates will be aiming for their program's third win in Kingsville in their last four tries, a streak that was interrupted by 68-59 Javelina win over ENMU at the SPEC in 2019.
Thursday's game between TAMUK and WT will be Pack The House Night at the SPEC and all fans are encouraged to come out as the Javelinas try to fill up their home arena for their matchup against the Buffs. Fans who can't make it to the game can follow every minute of each contest live through Javelinaathletics.com, where links to live video and up-to-the-minute stats will be available and where a postgame recap will be published after the final buzzer. Stay current with TAMUK men's basketball throughout the 2019-20 season by following @JavelinaMBB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, liking Javelina Men's Basketball on Facebook and subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
