Canyon, Texas – The Angelo State men's basketball team's 2022-23 season ended this evening at the hands of the hosts of the South Central Regional, top-seeded West Texas A&M, as the Rams fell 69-59 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Rams got off to a quick start, as buckets from Fredelin De La Cruz, Reggie Quezada and Devaughn Thomas saw the visitors score the first six points of the contest. The Rams' defense held the Buffs scoreless through the first five minutes of the contest.
 
The Rams also held a lead as large as 11 points, leading 20-9 halfway through the first half.
 
The Rams shot 53.6 percent from the field in the opening half while holding the Buffs to 41.4 percent shooting before the break.
 
The Rams held the Buffs to 33.3 percent shooting in the second half and 37.7 percent shooting for the game; however, the Rams only made five field goals after intermission, shooting 20.8 percent from the field in the second half.
 
Quezada led the Rams with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting; the New Yorker went 6-for-7 from the free throw line.
 
Thomas recorded his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes on the floor in his last collegiate game. His rebounds were split evenly between offensive and defensive, and he went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe and blocked a shot.
 
De La Cruz scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds while Tre Mitchell added eight points and Steve Webb scored five points and grabbed two steals in their final collegiate appearance.
 
The Rams finish the season with a 26-7 record and a 19-3 record in Lone Star Conference play. The 26 wins are the second-most in a single season in program history and the most by a head coach in their first season in program history.
 
Vinay Patel's 19 conference wins are the most the Rams have ever recorded in a season. Their win over Colorado Mesa yesterday was the Rams' first regional win since 2016.