SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State men's basketball team returns to action at 4 p.m. on Friday against McMurry University at Kimbrell Arena in ASU head coach Chris Beard's first game against his former team.

The Rams (6-0) are 31-19 all-time against the War Hawks (3-0), but Friday's game is the first time the two programs have met since the Rams took a 77-69 win in the 1996-97 season. The six wins by ASU to start this season are only one victory behind matching the 1981-82, 1993-94 and 2008-09 teams which started their seasons at 7-0. Two wins by the current Rams would establish a new program record for the most successful start a season.

"One of the positives with our team this early in the season has been our depth," ASU head coach Chris Beard said. "We have had contributions from everyone on our roster during different games. If this continues, our depth could be a real asset as the season continues."

Coach Beard led McMurry to a 19-10 record last season as its head coach along with assistant coach Cinco Boone in their first, and only season, in Abilene. The game also marks the return for ASU senior Kenny Williams and sophomore Thomas Brandsma. Williams averaged 20.1 points and 7.9 rebounds for the War Hawks in nine games before an injury ended his season, while Brandsma averaged 2.5 rebounds in 28 games as a freshman. Graduate assistant coach Brock Kimball and assistant strength coach Dominick Walker also came to ASU after playing at McMurry last season.

"I am not looking forward to playing McMurry," Beard said "As a coach, you do not enjoy playing against your former players and assistant coaches. But, the games are on the schedule so you prepare to compete. I know Clif (Carroll) and Phillipe (Lilavois) (McMurry coaches) will do the same. Cinco and I have a lot of respect for McMurry's team and follow their season closely, game by game. This week will be difficult from a personal standpoint and for our team."

Angelo State will host McMurry on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Junell Center before traveling to play Arkansas Fort Smith at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. The game against the Lions will be played in Plano at Collin College in an in-region, neutral court game at Cougar Hall on the Spring Creek Campus.  

Williams leads the Rams this season with 18.7 points, 7.8 rebounds per game and nine steals. The St. Louis, Mo. native has recorded three double-doubles with a 28/10 game against East Central, a 27/11 performance against York College and went for 12/10 last Saturday against Western New Mexico. He was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week following the opening weekend of play and is shooting 16 of 18 from the free-throw line and 59 percent from the field on 78 shots.

Daniel Skinner is second on the team with 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game through the first six contests of the year. Skinner, who is a junior from Dallas, leads the Rams with eight blocks and has also contributed 15 assists and six steals. He is shooting 63 percent from the field (22 of 41) and has one double-double with a 17/10 output against York College.

Bryan Hammond is coming off his second 19-point game of the season after leading the Rams in scoring last Saturday against WNMU. Hammond had 19 points and three assists against the Mustangs after also scoring 19 points against York College. Hammond made all seven of his free throws in the win over WNMU and is shooting 75 percent from the line on 24 attempts. He leads the Rams with 28 assists and is also averaging 2.2 rebounds per game.

Tommy Woolridge (8.5 points), Chantz Chambers (6.8) and Omari Gudul (5.5) are providing additional offensive options for the Rams in their first seasons at ASU. Gudul scored six points against WNMU after recording a double-double 13/12 against York College. The sophomore forward, who transferred from Ranger College, is third on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game. Chambers, a freshman from Shreveport, La., scored 10 points against Arlington Baptist in his collegiate debut and then 13 points against Northern New Mexico last Friday. Woolridge hit the game-winning shot in ASU's 67-65 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State and has scored in double-figures in three of the first six games of the season.  

Reggie Sutton is averaging 4.3 points per game after opening the season with an 11-point effort against East Central, while Brandsma is averaging 4.2 points. Fellow sophomore Nash Nelson has provided nine assists with seniors Ryan Marsh scoring 2.8 and securing 1.5 rebounds per game. Ice Asortse has 2.0/0.3 and Chris Talkington is at 1.8 points. Talkington had his strongest game of the season last Friday with six points against Northern New Mexico.

Fifteen Rams have played this season and the team is shooting 54 percent from the field, while limiting their opponents to 35 percent shooting. ASU has a 99-55 assist advantage and a plus-21 turnover advantage. They are averaging 78 points per game and have held the six opponents to 63.2 points per game.

"Every team in college basketball wants to continue to improve as the season goes on," Beard said. "We are no different. Our guys are working hard daily to eliminate mistakes, both individually and as a team."

McMurry (3-0) enters Friday's game with wins over Texas-San Antonio, Sul Ross State and Open Bible College in its first three games. The War Hawks are shooting 48 percent from the field and are limiting opponents to 43 percent. Their most impressive win came in a 73-71 win over UTSA in San Antonio when junior forward Will Adams hit a half-court buzzer beater for the win.

Kourtney Goff leads the War Hawks this season with 17.3 points per game and 17 assists. A senior guard, originally from New York who transferred from Southern Illinois, Goff scored 17 points against UTSA after his season-high 21 points effort against Sul Ross State.

Brandon Golden has started the season strong with 15.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, including scoring 20 points in the win over UTSA. Golden, a 6-foot-4 junior guard from Austin, is shooting 50 percent on 3-pointers (10-20) and also leads the War Hawks with five steals and four blocks. Thiago Randazzo (11.3) and Alfred Perez (11.7) join Goff and Golden in double figure scoring with Connor Robinson second on the team with 5.7 rebounds.  Adams is averaging 9.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.  

"McMurry is one of the most successful basketball programs in the state and has been for years," Beard said. "They have talented players and are well coached. There is a reason they are undefeated this season, including a win against a Division I school."