ALLEN – The No. 17-ranked Angelo State Rams and Cameron Aggies will meet at 2:30 p.m. on Friday in the Lone Star Conference Basketball Championships semifinals at the Allen Events Center.

The Rams (25-4) are making their second straight semifinal appearance and 13th all-time trip to the semis. ASU has not advanced to the finals since the 2001 tournament and will be eyeing its seventh finals appearance. The Rams, who are now 17-24 in 28 all-time tournament appearances, advanced to the semifinals last season before falling to Midwestern State. ASU and Cameron have met two times in the postseason, including last season where the Rams earned a 64-59 quarterfinal win. The only other postseason meeting came with the Aggies taking a 64-54 quarterfinal win in the 1991 tournament.

Angelo State advanced in the tournament with an 83-73 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Wednesday in the first quarterfinal game on the men's side, while the Aggies (13-14) rallied to take an 87-84 overtime victory over Midwestern State on Thursday. ASU and CU split their regular-season series this season against each other. The Rams took a 75-57 win on Jan. 24 at the Junell Center before the Aggies returned the favor with a 71-68 win over ASU on Feb. 21 in Lawton, Okla. in their final home game of the year.

The winner of the semifinal will advance to the finals which will be played at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Allen Events Center. ASU has advanced to six finals, but not since the 2001 tournament which was hosted in San Angelo. The Rams have won the LSC tournament three times with championship banners from the 1989, 1988 and 1984 tournaments. 
 
REGIONAL RANKINGS
The Rams remain ranked No. 4 in this week's NCAA Division II South Central rankings for the third straight week. ASU, which has a 22-4 in-region record, is behind No. 1 Tarleton State, No. 2 Metro State and No. 3 Colorado School of Mines. The NCAA Selection show will air at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday at ncaa.com where the bids will announced along with locations and matchups. The winners of this week's LSC, Heartland and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournaments will earn an automatic bid to next week's tournament, while the highest five ranked team will earn at-large bids. The tournament will be hosted by the top-ranked team. ASU is eyeing its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2009 and it fifth all-time trip.  ASU has made the NCAA tournament in 1988, 1989, 2001 and 2009.
 
NATIONAL/CONFERENCE REPORT
The Rams lead the nation with a 53.2 field-goal percentage and a 22.5 scoring margin advantage. ASU is sixth in Division II by limiting opponents to a 39.2 field-goal percentage and with 527 total assists, seventh in assists per game (18.2) and ninth with a 1.51 assist-to-turnover ratio and a 39.7 3-point field-goal percentage defense. ASU led the Lone Star Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio, assists per game, fewest turnovers (349), field-goal percentage, field-goal percentage defense, scoring margin, scoring offense (86.5 ppg.), steals per game (8.5), total assists, total steals (246), turnover margin (4.3) and turnovers per game (12.1). The Rams were second in the conference in rebound margin (7.5), scoring defense (63.7) and won-lost percentage..

ASU comes into the semifinals with 23 double-digit wins, including a 56-point win over McMurry at home and then 53-point wins over York College and McMurry on the road. The Rams won 11 games by 30 or more points this season and shot over 50 percent in 21 games. ASU also limited its opponents to under 40-percent shooting in 15 games.

 
ANGELO STATE ROSTER REPORT

Chris Jones earned LSC first-team honors along with being named to the LSC All-Defensive Team and leads the conference 139 assists, 69 steals and a 60.0 field-goal percentage. Jones, who is averaging 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 4.8 assists per game is coming off leading the Rams with 21 points in the win over Kingsville on Wednesday. Jones, who is 14th in the nation in steals, has four or more assists in 20 games this season and has scored in double digits in 27 of 29 games. He is second all-time in ASU history with his 69 steals and is only behind James Gray (2000-01) who had 81 steals which is the single-season program record. A senior from Dallas, Jones is a three-time LSC Defensive Player of the Week and has also earned one LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor. Jones scored a career-high with 25 points in a win over West Texas A&M and had 23 points. He established a career-high with 12 assists in a game against York College and has scored 20 or more points in six games this season. Jones is 186 of 310 (60.0 percent) from the field and owns a 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio which ranks 24th in the nation. Jones is a senior who transferred to ASU this season after playing his first three seasons at North Texas.

Demario Mayfield comes into the semifinals of the conference tournament leading the Rams with 15.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and has 11 double-doubles and one triple-double. He recorded his 11th double-double of the season on Wednesday after scoring 19 points and adding 14 rebounds. Mayfield, who was named to the LSC first team, is fourth in the LSC in scoring and is second in rebounding and assists (83). Mayfield, a senior from Royston, Georgia, has scored in double digits in 26 of 29 games and has 20 or more points in nine games this season. He recorded his triple-double with 14 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in a win over Arlington Baptist and went 5-for-5 on 3-pointers two weeks against MSU for a season-best. Mayfield is second in the conference – behind only Jones – with his 122 assists (4.2 per game) and is shooting 50.0 percent from the field this season. He also added four assists to his double-double on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Mayfield is a two-time LSC Offensive Player of the Week selection and also has one LSC Defensive Player of the Week honor on his season's resume. He is in his first season at ASU after playing his freshman season at Georgia and then two seasons at Charlotte.

Marsell Holden leads the Rams and is second in the conference with 88 3-pointers this season after hitting five 3-pointers and scoring 20 points against the Javelinas in the quarterfinals. Holden is shooting 43.8 percent from beyond the arc and established a new single-season record by passing Kenny Smith (84; 2004-05) on Wednesday. A senior from Farrell, Pennsylvania, Holden is third on the team with 14.3 points per game and has also added 36 assist and 30 steals. He is 23rd in the nation with his 88 3-pointers. Holden has three or more 3-pointers in 18 of the 29 games this season. He scored a season-high 26 points in a win over Eastern New Mexico. Holden, who was an LSC honorable mention selection, has scored in double digits in 25 games this season and has scored 20 or more points in five games. He is in his first season at ASU after playing two seasons at San Jacinto College and one year at Morehead State. Holden is averaging 3.03 3-pointers per game.

Raijon Kelly is averaging 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for the Rams in his senior season where he is shooting 54.2 percent from the field and leads ASU at the free-throw line by hitting 38 of 42 (90.5 percent) of his attempts. He led the Rams with six assists on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the LSC tournament. Kelly, who is a Minnesota native, has scored in double digits in 16 games this season including a season-high 22 points in a win over ENMU where he went 7-for-7 from the field and also went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. His free-throw percentage currently ranks second all-time in ASU history behind only Vernon Ragsdale (93.5; 1990-91) and ahead of LaMarshall Corbett (90.3; 2009-10). He currently has 99 assists which ranks eighth in the conference. Kelly is in his first season at Angelo State after playing his first three seasons at Samford University.

Tommy Woolridge is a senior who is in his second season with the Rams and is averaging 5.0 points per game. He has hit 27 3-pointers this season after going 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and scoring 15 points in the regular-season finale against Kingsville last Saturday. He had three points against Kingsville on Wednesday in the tournament. A Chicago native, Woolridge led ASU with 37 3-pointers last season and is hitting 43.5 percent of his 3-point attempts this year. Woolridge had previously scored a season-best 14 points earlier this year after hitting three 3-pointers at West Texas A&M and also had 11 points on three 3-pointers against South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Woolridge has also added 22 steals and 28 assists for the Rams this season.  

Omari Gudul is adding 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his junior season and has started the past seven games for the Rams. Gudul is coming off a quarterfinal where he scored 10 points and had seven rebounds for the Rams. The tallest player on ASU's roster at 6-foot-10, Gudul leads the Rams with 21 blocked shots this season and has pulled down five or more rebounds in 16 games this season. He now has 37 blocked shots in his career at ASU after transferring from Ranger College. He scored a career-high with 15 points at McMurry and is shooting 65.1 percent (95 of 146) from the field. 

Bilal Richardson and Brentine Taylor have been strong inside throughout the season along with Gudul in their junior seasons. Richardson has started 10 games this season and is averaging 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. An Atlanta native in his first season at ASU, Richardson has scored in double digits in five games this season including recording a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds against Arkansas-Monticello and is second on the team with 18 blocked shots. Taylor, who is also from Georgia and is also averaging 4.8 points per game, is adding 2.5 rebounds per game. Taylor scored a career-best with 13 points at McMurry. He is shooting 60.5 percent from the field.

DeQuavious Wagner is adding 3.3 points and 1.3 assists per game for the Rams in his junior season. Wagner, who was Mr. Louisiana Basketball in his high school days, transferred to ASU this season after playing two years at the University of Arkansas. He scored a career-high 10 points at Western New Mexico has three or more assists in five games this season. Thomas Brandsma is a junior in his second season at ASU after playing his first year at McMurry. A Colleyville native, Brandsma is averaging 2.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He has played in all 29 games this season and has 68 total rebounds for the Rams and is shooting 50.0 percent from the field. Brandsma earned LSC All-Academic honors.

Brandsma and Woolridge are the only two Rams who had prior Lone Star Conference Championship experience after playing in last year's tournament.

COACHING REPORT
The Rams are led by Chris Beard who is in his second season at Angelo State and was named the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year on Tuesday. Beard is 44-13 at ASU after leading the Rams to their 24-4 regular-season record this year and a 19-9 record in his first season. He is currently 2-1 in LSC tournament play after leading the Rams to the Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. A veteran coach with head coaching experience at McMurry, Seminole State and Fort Scott, Beard also worked as an assistant coach at Texas Tech under Bob Knight and Pat Knight. Beard and associate head coach Cinco Boone have led the Rams to a 28-2 record on their home court in their two seasons at ASU. The Rams are making their second trip to the conference tournament under Beard after going 1-1 in last year's tournament, including a quarterfinal win over Cameron which was the program's first postseason win since 2002.

Angelo State Postseason Awards
LSC First Team. . . . . . . . Demario Mayfield 
LSC First Team. . . . . . . . Chris Jones 
LSC Honorable Mention. . .Marsell Holden
LSC All-Academic. . . . . . .Thomas Brandsma
LSC Coach of the Year. . . Chris Beard
 
Angelo State In-Season Awards
LSC Defensive Player of the Week . . . . . . . Chris Jones (11.18.2014)
LSC Offensive Player of the Week. . . . . . . . Demario Mayfield (12.1.2014)
LSC Offensive Player of the Week. . . . . . . . Chris Jones (12.8.2014)
LSC Offensive Player of the Week. . . . . . . . Marsell Holden (12.22/2014)
LSC Defensive Player of the Week . . . . . . . Chris Jones (1.6.2015)
LSC Defensive Player of the Week . . . . . . . Chris Jones (1.12.2015)
LSC Defensive Player of the Week . . . . . . . Demario Mayfield (1.26.2015)
LSC Offensive Player of the Week. . . . . . . .Demario Mayfield (2.09.2015)
 
PREVIOUS ASU-CAMERON GAME REPORTS

Rams extend winning streak to 12 with win over Cameron (1/24/2015)
SAN ANGELO – Chris Jones scored 18 points and added four steals and four assists to help lead the No. 11/8 Angelo State Rams to a 75-57 Lone Star Conference win over Cameron on Saturday at the Junell Center to push their program-record winning streak to 12 games.

The Rams (17-1, 5-0 LSC) trailed at halftime for only the third time this season, but outscored the Aggies (10-8, 2-4 LSC) by 19 points in the second half to improve to 12-0 at home and remain as the only LSC team without a loss in conference play. ASU shot 43.6 percent from the field and trailed throughout the first half, but the Rams finished the game on a 15-0 run to earn their 16th double-digit win of the season.

"We go some defensive stops in the second half that led to better offensive possessions," ASU head coach Chris Beard said. "Give Cameron credit. They gave us all we could handle. They played great."

Omari Gudul added 12 points and six rebounds, while Demario Mayfield had 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Rams. Marsell Holden went 3 of 9 on 3-pointers, finishing with 13 points and Raijon Kelly added seven points, two assists and two steals in the win.  ASU finished the game shooting 24 of 55 from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc at 4 of 16 (25 percent). Mayfield, Jones and Gudul each made six free throws, while Thomas Brandsma added four points and two assists.
 
Rams fall by three to Cameron on the road (2/21/2015)
LAWTON, Okla., - A hot shooting Cameron team proved to be too much as the No. 10/9 Angelo State men's basketball team suffered just its second Lone Star Conference loss of the year on Saturday at the Aggie Gym. 

Angelo State cut a 77-73 Cameron lead down to one with a 3-pointer by Demario Mayfield with 19 seconds left in the game. The Aggies would hit two free throws and score on a break-away dunk to win 81-78..     

"First of all, give Cameron credit," ASU head coach Chris Beard said. "They played well and were well-prepared by their coaches. We did not play defensively tonight like a good team must on the road and in a game during this part of the season. We fouled too much and couldn't get into any kind of defensive rhythm. Again, give Cameron credit."

The Rams (23-3, 10-2 LSC) were held to 47.5-percent shooting on the night and fall to 7-3 on the road this season. The Aggies (12-13, 4-9 LSC) made 61.9-percent from the field while also converting 24-of-32 from the free throw line.  ASU held the advantage in second chance points at 16-3 but Cameron won the battle in the paint 28-22. All three ASU loses have come by four points or less.

Marsell Holden led ASU with 20 points including six 3-pointers. Demario Mayfield scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. Chris Jones added 14 points and eight assists. The eight assists are the most for Jones since recording a season high of 12 against York College.  Bilal Richardson and Tommy Woolridge each chipped in seven points.
 

Most Wins in Program History Reached
25-4       (Current)
22-7       (1983-84)
22-11     (1987-88)
22-8       (2000-01)
20-9       (2008-09)
 
Longest Program Winning Streak Obtained
16           2014-15
10           2013-14
9            1986-87
 
Angelo State Program Records Within Sight
Scoring Average
1967-68                87.6 ppg.
Current                 86.6
1993-94                86.0
1971-72                85.3
1974-75                84.3
1965-66                82.7
 
Field-Goal Percentage
Current                  .532
1987-88                .527
1983-84                .506
1976-77                .492
1974-75                .491
1993-94                .489
2013-14                .464
 
Total Points
2,693                     1987-88
2,596                     1984-85
2,508                     Current
2,474                     2000-01
2,398                     2001-02
2,323                     1993-94
 
3-point Field-Goal Percentage
.417                        1989-90
.397                        Current
.379                        1990-91
.378                        1992-93
 
 
RAMS IN THE ALL-TIME NATIONAL RANKINGS
In the NABC National Rankings: 21 (No. 14, Jan. 2, 1984; No. 17, Jan. 9, 1984; No. 13, Jan. 16, 1984; No. 15, Jan. 23, 1984; No. 17, Jan. 30, 1984; No. 25, Feb. 26, 2001; No. 25, Jan. 28, 2002; No. 25, Dec. 16, 2008; No. 23, Feb. 24, 2009; No. 22, Dec. 10, 2013; No. 23, Nov. 25, 2014; No. 22, Dec. 27, 2014; No. 19, Jan. 6, 2015; No. 14, Jan. 13, 2015; No. 11, Jan. 20, 2015; No. 8, Jan. 27, 2015; No. 7, Feb. 3, 2015; No. 4, Feb. 10, 2015; No. 10, Feb. 17, 2015; No. 15, Feb. 24, 2015; No. 17, March 3, 2015)
In the D2SIDA Media Poll National Rankings: 10 (No. 16, Dec. 2, 2014, No. 19, Dec. 30, 2014; No. 15, Jan. 6, 2015; No. 10, Jan. 13, 2015; No. 8, Jan. 20, 2015; No. 6, Feb. 3, 2015; No. 4, Feb. 10, 2015; No. 9, Feb. 17, 2015; No. 13, Feb. 24, 2015; No. 15, March 3, 2015)
 

Angelo State Reaching the Semifinals (13th Appearance, 6-6 record)

2014-15
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 83, Texas A&M-Kingsville 73

2013-14
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 64, Cameron 59
Semifinals: Midwestern State 82, Angelo State 63
 
2000-01
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 80, East Central 75
Semifinals: Angelo State 104, Midwestern State 90
Championship: West Texas A&M 75, Angelo State 73
 
1994-95
Semifinals: Texas A&M-Kingsville 99, Angelo State 89
 
1993-94
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 65, Texas A&M-Kingsville 53
Semifinals: Abilene Christian 83, Angelo State 79
 
1987-88
Semifinals: Angelo State 74, Texas A&M-Kingsville 70
 
1986-87
Semifinals: Abilene Christian 63, Angelo State 59
 
1984-85
Quarterfinals: Angelo State, 91, Howard Payne 79
Semifinals: Angelo State 88, Texas A&M-Kingsville 74
Championship: Abilene Christian 99, Angelo State 81
 
1983-84
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 76, Texas A&M-Kingsville 65
Semifinals: Angelo State 71, Abilene Christian 57
Championship: Angelo State 83, Texas A&M-Commerce 80
 
1982-83
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 66, Abilene Christian 64
Semifinals: Stephen F. Austin State 59, Angelo State 58 (OT)

1981-82
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 65, Texas A&M-Kingsville 63
Semifinals: Stephen F. Austin State 43, Angelo State 40
 
1977-78
Quarterfinals: Angelo State 60, Stephen F. Austin State 59
Semifinals: Texas A&M-Commerce 68, Angelo State 66
 
1975-76
Semifinals: Angelo State 59, Southwest Texas State 57
Championship: Howard Payne 74, Angelo State 68