The Angelo State men's basketball team is slated for a home game Tuesday vs. UT Permian Basin and a trip to Silver City, NM to take on Western New Mexico on Thursday as the Rams look to improve their positioning in the LSC standings, gearing up for the conference tournament.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Rams went 1-1 at home last week, taking undefeated Lubbock Christian to double overtime, losing 85-79, before handling Eastern New Mexico 93-62. The Rams were the first team to take LCU to overtime this season, Paul Williams had 20 points, while Dante Moses had 18 points and six boards in a team high 46 minutes.  Against the Grayhounds, a 49.2 percent shooting performance saw the Rams ease to a victory, having four players in double digits, led by Tyrell Carroll's 16 points, eight assists, and three steals.
 
ANGELO STATE RAMS (14-5, 4-3 LSC) vs. UT PERMIAN BASIN (11-9, 3-5 LSC)
Tuesday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m. CST – San Angelo, Texas – Stephens Arena at the Junell Center
Live Video: lonestarconferencenetwork.com/asu
Live Stats: angelostats.com
SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: ASU leads the all-time series 13-10.
Last Meeting: Jan. 6, 2022: ASU, 80-78  – Odessa, Texas
The first meeting between these two sides came down to the wire at the Falcon Dome in a non-conference bout, Carroll scored the last six points, including the game winner to lift the Rams over the Falcons. ASU has won five straight over UTPB, dating back to the 2017-18 season, and have not lost at home to the Falcons since 2017.
 
SCOUTING UT PERMIAN BASIN:
The Falcons enter the week 11-9 on the year and 3-5 in conference play. Their three conference wins are over Cameron, Eastern New Mexico, and St. Edwards, who the Rams have lost to twice. Last week UTPB beat Eastern by four, and kept it close with number one LCU, losing 80-73. The Falcons currently sit in the 12^th position in the LSC standings, which is the final spot to make the conference tournament.
 
On offense, the Falcons rank seventh in the conference at 78 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the Falcons are number 11 defensively, allowing only 72.6 points per game. UTPB ranks second in the LSC in field goal percentage at .477, but are last in opponent FG percent, allowing opposing teams to shoot .475. The Falcons have made the third most threes in the conference, 179, nine per game.
 
Jordan Horn leads the Falcons with 16.0 points per game which ranks fifth in the conference, DaJuan Jones adds 14.1 of his own. Jones also leads the conference with 140 assists, 7.4 per game, while Horn shoots threes at a .396 clip, sixth in conference.
 
 
 
 
ANGELO STATE RAMS (14-5, 4-3 LSC) vs. WESTERN NEW MEXICO (9-7, 2-4 LSC)
Thursday, Feb. 3, 8:30 p.m. CST – Silver City, NM – Drag's Court
Live Video: lonestarconferencenetwork.com/wnmu
Live Stats: angelostats.com
SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: The Rams lead the all-time series against the Mustangs, 10-3.
Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2019: WNMU, 83-78  – Silver City, NM
The Rams and Mustangs did not meet during the shortened 2020-21 season, last facing each other in 2019. ASU won the first six meetings between the two sides, but only hold a 3-2 in the last five matchups.
 
SCOUTING WESTERN NEW MEXICO:
The Mustangs are currently 9-7 on the season, holding a 2-4 record in Lone Star games, having beaten Texas A&M-Commerce and Oklahoma Chrsitian. Since beating Commerce, Western has dropped three straight at the hands of UT Tyer, St. Edward's, and St. Mary's. WNMU currently sits 14^th in the LSC Conference standings, which would see them miss the conference tournament.
 
WNMU ranks fifth points per game, scoring 78.2 per contest, while allowing 74.4 a game, which ranks toward the bottom of the conference. The Mustangs are shooting 44.4 percent on the season from the field, 34 percent from three and 71.2 percent from the free throw line.
 
Jordan Doss leads Westen in scoring, putting in 16.9 a game, fourth in the conference, while Tony Avalos adds 13.4 per contest as well. Olamide Pedersen leads WMNU in both rebounds and blocks, averaging 5.9 boards and 1.3 blocks per game.
 
QUICK HITS:
-The Rams downed the Falcons earlier this season in non-conference play, 80-78, off a game winner by Tyrell Carroll and 15 points from Paul Williams.
-The Rams are the highest-scoring offense in the Lone Star, averaging 81.1 points per game.
-ASU leads the LSC in steals with 9.63 per game while Carroll leads the conference with 2.4 steals per game.
-The Rams are the second-highest rebounding team in the Lone Star with 39.5 rebounds per game with Lathaniel Bastian ranking third with 8.3 rebounds per game.
-Carroll is leading the Rams in points per game with 13.9, followed by Dante Moses with 13.1 points per game and Paul Williams with 12.8 per game.