Portales, New Mexico – The Angelo State men's basketball team opened the 2023-24 season with an emphatic 77-69 win over 15^th-ranked Fort Lewis on Friday evening at the South Central Region Crossover, with newcomer Keyshawn Embery-Simpson leading the way offensively for the Rams with a 30-point performance in his debut for the Blue and Gold.

The Rams never trailed the Skyhawks, as they started the contest off on a 9-0 run, with seven of those points coming from Embery-Simpson.

Embery-Simpson and fellow newcomer Shemar Smith combined for the Rams' first 17 points of the contest.

The Rams shot 52.6 percent from the field while holding the defending RMAC champions to a 38.3 percent mark from the field.

Embery-Simpson's 30 points are the most for the Rams since Kevon Godwin scored 31 against Texas A&M-Kingsville last December. 

Embery-Simpson shot 12-for-21 from the field, converting six of his 12 attempts from three. He also led the team with five assists in the contest as the Rams out-assisted the Skyhawks 18-9. Defensively, the graduate student added in a pair of steals.

Godwin scored 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field, and Trey Farrer had ten points in 17 minutes of action.

Farrer and DJ Basey each grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Rams' effort on the boards; Basey also led the game with three blocked shots, while Farrer had a pair of blocks.

Smith had seven points, while DJ Freeman and Carvell Teasett had six points each. Point guard Willie Guy recorded a career-high five steals on the evening.

The 19^th-ranked Rams are 1-0 on the season, the third season in a row the Rams have opened the season with a win; they close out their opening weekend tomorrow evening against New Mexico Highlands.