FRISCO, Texas – Texas A&M-Kingsville's men's basketball team fell tonight in the Lone Star Conference Semifinals at the hands of No. 3 seeded Angelo State, 61-57 on Saturday night. 

The Javelinas fought back from being down by as many as 14 points late in the second half to cut the deficit to two with two minutes remaining. 

"These guys have the hearts of champions, and I couldn't be more proud of them," said head coach Johnny Estelle. "These guys have fought all season long, and they showed who they were in how they played tonight. I think our best basketball is in front of us, and I'm excited about what's ahead of us." 

The Rams jumped out early with a 7-0 lead to start them game before Kendrick Washington got TAMUK out of the blocks with a three pointer. 

ASU kept the lead for for most of the first half, with the Javs keeping the deficit to single digits. The Javs shooting from beyond the arc kept TAMUK in the game, shooting 6-of-12 from three-point range in the first half, tying the game then took their first lead of the game via threes by Sammy Brooks and Isaiah Payne at the 3:15 mark at 21-20. 

Angelo State ended the half hot though hitting its last three field goal attempts to take a 28-24 lead into the break. 

The Hogs stayed within striking distance for a majority of the second half, but a 9-0 run by ASU saw the Rams extend their lead to 14 points with just over six minutes remaining in regulation. 

The Javelinas responded with a 12 point run of their own with five points coming via free throws and a layup in transition by Dillon Gooding and a three-pointer by Marcus Jones-Green who led the team in scoring on the night with 16 points. 

Following Gooding's layup to cut the deficit to two Angelo, Kavon Booker blocked an ASU layup before missing a layup at the other end forcing TAMUK to foul to extend the game. 

The Rams were a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line to close out the game and the win, 61-57. 

The Javelinas will now wait to find out their fate in the NCAA Tournament, with the Division II Selection Show airing on Sunday at 10 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. 
 

To keep up with the Javelinas all season long visit javelinaathletics.com to find links to live stats and streaming information as well as a recap at the end of each contest. Fans can learn more about the Javelina men's basketball team throughout the season by following @JavelinaMBB on Twitter and Instagram, liking Texas A&M University-Kingsville Men's Basketball on Facebook, subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube channel and visiting Javelinaathletics.com.        
        
Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network . Get the Official Javelina Athletics Mobile App today! Download on the App Store or Get It on Google Play to keep up with all the news, scores and updates of your favorite Javelinas.