SAN ANGELO - Coming off a successful first season at the helm of the Angelo State men's basketball team, Vinay Patel is looking to build upon a successful maiden campaign in San Angelo that saw him lead the Rams to a 26-7 overall record and a 19-3 mark in LSC play. 

The Rams open the season with a ranked matchup awaiting them, as they will take on 15th-ranked Fort Lewis on Friday night in Portales, New Mexico; the Rams close their weekend out with a game Saturday night against New Mexico Highlands. 

GODWIN NAMED LSC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Senior guard Kevon Godwin was named the conference's preseason player of the year in October. The Blountstown, Florida native is coming off a junior season that saw him score 16.9 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from three. 

RAMS PICKED SECOND IN LSC
The Rams were picked second in the LSC Preseason Poll, receiving nine first-place votes; they were picked behind defending league champions West Texas A&M. 

Game 1
#19 Angelo State vs. #15 Fort Lewis
Friday, November 10th - 6 p.m. CT
Greyhound Arena

The Skyhawks, the 15th-ranked team in the country, are coming off a season in which they went 29-4 overall and 19-3 in the RMAC as they claimed the RMAC Tournament Championship. They were the two seed in the NCAA South Central Regional last season, losing in the second round to eventual regional champions Black Hills State. 

The Skyhawks are led by Bob Pietrack, who is in his ninth season in charge of the Fort Lewis men's basketball program. Pietrack has a career record of 160-71, the best mark in the program's history. 

The Skyhawks only return three players from last season's team - Obi Agbim, Junior Garbrah, and Sekou Dembele. The trio only started one game between them and combined to average 21.6 points per game. 

Last season, the Skyhawks averaged 83.97 points per game on 47.8 percent shooting from the field; they held opponents to 73.8 points per game on 44.9 shooting from the field. 

LAST TIME VS. FLC
The Rams are 2-2 all-time against the Skyhawks and 1-2 against the Skyhawks in the state of New Mexico. Last season, the Skyhawks took a 79-70 win over the Rams on opening weekend. 


Game 2
#19 Angelo State vs. New Mexico Highlands
Saturday, November 11th - 6 p.m. CT
Greyhound Arena

The Cowboys went 11-17 last season and 9-13 in RMAC competition. They are led by head coach Mike Dominguez, who has a 44-41 record in charge of the Cowboys basketball program. He helped lead the Cowboys to the 2019 RMAC Tournament as associate head coach. 

The Cowboys' top returning scorer is Tyler Rodgers, who averaged 5.6 points per game. The Cowboys are returning 20.1 points per game from last season's team that averaged 72.39 points per game. 

LAST TIME VS. NMHU
The Rams are 2-1 all-time versus the Cowboys, having picked up both wins on season-openeing weekend each of the past two seasons. Last season, the Rams won 71-60 over the Cowboys with a 23-point performance from Kevon Godwin while Fredelin De La Cruz recorded a double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Willie Guy added in 12 points, making a trio of threes. 

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
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
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
Shot 68.1 percent from the field for the Chanticleers. 
    
    Keyshawn Embery-Simpson
    Graduate Student * 6-3 * Guard
    Midwest City, Okla. * Tulsa
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)
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
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
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
Shot 33 percent from three-point range for the Mountaineers; played first two seasons at Northwestern State in Louisiana, where he averaged 10.5 points per game. 

UP NEXT
The Rams' next game comes on Tuesday, November 21st against reigning GAC champions Southern Arkansas.