SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State men's basketball team will return home to host a pair of top 10 teams this week in No. 8 West Texas A&M on Thursday, January 11 and No. 6 UT- Permian Basin on Saturday, January 13.   

The Rams, who are currently sitting at 11-3 overall on the year and 3-2 in the Lone Star Conference, are averaging 83.8 points per game this season. ASU will be looking to rebound form a close road loss to top ranked No. 14 Texas A&M – Commerce as it continues this top 25 gauntlet. The Angelo State defense has held its opponents to an average of 71.7 points, giving the Rams a 12.1 scoring margin thus far. The team will also be looking to extend its 6-1 record in the Stephens Arena at the Junell Center.  

Angelo State will get the ball rolling with the Buffs at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. WTAMU enters the match-up with a 14-1, 4-1 LSC record and is currently sitting third in the LSC. Its only loss coming on the road to UT – Permian Basin, which was then ranked No. 13. The Buffs ride into San Angelo rolling on a six game winning streak, as well as a three game streak against ASU. WTAMU took both games in last season's series and the final game in the 2015-16.

Two days later, UTPB will walk on the court in the San Angelo after a six-hour road trip south to Kingsville, Texas where it will have taken on the once ranked Javelinas. The Falcons are perched second in the LSC, just behind Texas A&M – Commerce. With a 13-1 overall record, they are currently an undefeated 5-0 in the conference. The teams only loss came in a non-conference match-up against Dallas Baptist. UT – Permian Basin is sporting a 10 game win streak prior to its game versus the Javelinas and took both games with the Rams last year.

Leading the Rams on to the court will be Ja'Michael Brown, James Kirksey and Brandon Williams. Brown currently leads the squad averaging 13.7 points per game thus far this season. The junior will enter this week with having scored at least 15 points in six games. He is second on the defense with 18 total steals this season and leads the squad with a 4.26 assists per game average.

Kirksey led the Rams offensive efforts this past week as he put up a team leading 35 total points. This included a team leading 21 points against Tarleton State as ASU downed the Texans at home for the first time since February of 2001. He is third on the roster for the season, as he has sunk an average of 12.2 points per game. The junior guard also co-led the squad in ball distribution last week with six total assists for the week. Defensively, the Pennsylvanian headed the Rams with 17 total rebounds, as well as recorded a team second three steals and a block to his name. He is second on the squad pulling down 6.2 boards per game.     

Williams, who is second on the team with a 12.7 point per game average, headed the ASU defense last week as he grabbed a team leading 11 total defensive boards. The senior leader totaled 16 rebounds for the week, 10 of which assisted the Rams to its victory over TSU in Wisdom Gym. Tallying three blocks for the week, Williams continues to lead the squad in the department with 24 total blocks on the season. This has placed him third in the conference in the category.

The Angelo State coaching staff will also be looking to Kiair Crouch, Will Adler, Antonio Singleton and Daron Mims to be major role players on the court. Crouch has steadily improved since making his return from injury as he has put up double-figure points in three of the last four games. This included a team leading 15 points against No. 14 TAMUC last week. Adler has headed the Rams from beyond the 3-point arch as he has stroked an average of 2.28 three-balls per game this season.

Singleton has been a well-rounded addition to the roster this season averaging 8.6 points per game and 3.4 rebounds. He leads the team hitting 45.9 percent of his long-range shots and 86.1 percent of his free throws. Rounding out the group, Mims is fourth on the team with a 9.1 point per game average. He has also aided the defensive efforts as he has pocketed 10 steals on the year.  

Both of these games will be broadcasted on RamTV (Suddenlink 106) and 1260AM KKSA with Jeremy Bryant on the call.