SAN ANGELO - Coming off their opening weekend at the South Central Region Crossover, the Angelo State men's basketball team returns to the court next Tuesday after a ten-day break when they travel east to the Natural State to take on reigning GAC Champions Southern Arkansas.
The Rams then open their home schedule on Saturday, November 25th, against Arlington Baptist before hitting the road the next day to take on North Texas in an exhibition in Denton.
LAST TIME OUT
The Rams went 1-1 to open their season with a 77-69 win over No. 15 Fort Lewis before dropping their second contest to New Mexico Highlands.
PATEL RETURNS TO THE GAC
Tuesday's match-up represents the first time that head coach
Vinay Patel will face a GAC school since becoming head coach at ASU; Patel spent three seasons at the helm of Northwestern Oklahoma State. Patel led the Rangers to an overtime win in the W. T. Watson Center on his first trip to Magnolia, winning 88-84 on January 2nd, 2020.
Game 1
#19 Angelo State vs. Southern Arkansas
Tuesday, November 21st - 6 p.m.
W. T. Watson Center
The Muleriders are 1-2 on the season and are coming off a season in which they won their first-ever GAC Tournament Championship. Under second-year head coach Logan Quinn, the Muleriders went 22-10 in Quinn's first season at the helm of the Mulerider Basketball program.
The Muleriders are averaging 70 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 28.9 percent shooting from three-point range. Forward Gregory Hammond Jr. leads the team with 16.7 points per game; in the Muleriders' win over Arlington Baptist, he had 18 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and three steals.
Opponents are shooting 48.6 percent against the Muleriders this season, scoring 78.3 points per game. Freshman Nevi Tell leads the team with two steals per contest.
LAST TIME VS. SAU
The Rams are 1-0 all-time versus the Muleriders, with the lone match-up between these two teams taking place on December 12th, 1997. The Rams prevailed 69-66 over the Muleriders on that day.
Game 2
#19 Angelo State vs. Arlington Baptist
Saturday, November 25th - 5 p.m.
Junell Center - Stephens Arena
The Patriots are 2-3 on the season and are coming off a loss to the Muleriders on Thursday evening in Magnolia. Both of the Patriots' wins this season have come over Paul Quinn College.
The Patriots are coached by former Texas Tech basketball legend Bubba Jennings, a former Southwest Conference Player of the Year.
LAST TIME VS. ABU
The Rams are 8-0 all-time against the Patriots; last season in the Rams' home opener, ASU prevailed 99-67 over the Patriots. The Rams forced the Patriots into 34 turnovers on the day.
Kevon Godwin led the team with 16 points, while former Ram
Fredelin De La Cruz recorded a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Game #3
#19 Angelo State at North Texas
Sunday, November 26th - 2 p.m.
The Super Pit
The Rams close out their busy Thanksgiving week with an exhibition against North Texas. The Mean Green are 2-2 on the season, with a pair of close losses to RV St. John's and LSU.
RAMS ADD EIGHT
Angelo State brought in eight newcomers in 2023-24, including three from the Division I level and three from Division II.
Everson Armstrong
Freshman * 6-5 * Guard
Wall, Texas * Wall HS
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2x District MVP; averaged 13.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals for the Hawks; All-West Texas MVP
Kendrick Delahoussaye
Junior * 6-0 * Guard
Lafayette, La. * Bossier Parrish CC
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Averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season; shot 84.1 percent from the free-throw line.
DJ Basey
Senior * 6-10 * Forward
Mesquite, Texas * Coastal Carolina
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Shot 68.1 percent from the field for the Chanticleers.
Keyshawn Embery-Simpson
Graduate Student * 6-3 * Guard
Midwest City, Okla. * Tulsa
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Averaged 5.0 points per game across four seasons at Arkansas and Tulsa; four-star recruit out of IMG Academy.
Trey Farrer
Graduate Student * 6-9 * Forward
St. George, Utah * Westminster (UT)
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2022-23 All-RMAC First Team; averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; recorded eight double-doubles for the Griffons.
DJ Freeman
Junior * 6-6 * Forward
Midwest City, Okla.
Oklahoma Baptist
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2022-23 All-GAC Honorable Mention; averaged 12.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season.
Shemar Smith
Junior * 6-7 * Forward
Norman, Okla. * East Central
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All-GAC Honorable Mention in 2021-22; averaged 13.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Tigers.
Carvell Teasett
Junior * 6-1 * Guard
Baton Rouge, La. * Appalachian State
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He shot 33 percent from three-point range for the Mountaineers and played their first two seasons at Northwestern State in Louisiana, where he averaged 10.5 points per game.
UP NEXT
Following this three-game stretch, the Rams open LSC play with a road trip to south Texas, where they face Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International.
