SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State men's basketball starts off the 2024 calendar year with a pair of games inside the Junell Center - Stephens Arena this weekend when they take on Western New Mexico on Thursday evening and Eastern New Mexico on Saturday afternoon. 

LAST TIME OUT IN RAMS BASKETBALL
The Rams extended their winning streak to nine games with a pair of wins at the Daytona Beach Shootout on Dec. 17 and 18. The Rams defeated Rollins 70-55 behind Keyshawn Embery-Simpson's 19 points and Trey Farrer's 12 points and eight rebounds. The next day, the Rams defeated No. 6 West Liberty 101-98 as the Rams shot 64 percent from three; Embery-Simpson scored 29 points and Kevon Godwin added in 21 points.

RAMS RANKED
The Rams are ranked 11th in the NABC Top 25, their highest placing in the poll since December 20th, 2016, when they were ranked ninth. 

RAMS SWEEP LSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Keyshawn Embery-Simpson and Kevon Godwin were named the LSC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week on Dec. 18. Embery-Simpson averaged 18.5 points while Godwin recorded seven steals against Rollins, a single-game high in the LSC this season. The Rams have earned eight Player of the Week awards in the past two seasons, most in the league. 

Game 1
No. 11 Angelo State vs. Western New Mexico
Thursday, January 4th - 7:30 p.m. 
Junell Center - Stephens Arena

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The Mustangs are 3-6 on the season and 1-3 in LSC play. This game will be their first game since December 9th, when they defeated UT Tyler in East Texas. All three of the Mustangs' wins this season have come on the road.

WNMU averages 74.8 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the field and 33.9 percent from three-point range. Cortaviaus Seales leads the team and is second in the LSC with 21.3 points per game. A 6-foot-1 guard, Seales shoots 51.2 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three. Seales has scored 20 or more points four times and has eclipsed 30 points twice, including a season-high 34 against Adams State. 

The Mustangs' defense allows 79.6 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting from the field, both of which are third-worst in the LSC. LaMarqus Merchant Jr. leads the team with 1.7 steals per game. 

LAST SEASON VS. WNMU
The Rams are 12-4 all-time versus the Mustangs. Last season, the Rams won both of their matchups against WNMU. The matchup on January 28th of last season featured a Kevon Godwin game-winner in the Rams' 78-77 victory. 

Game 2
No. 11 Angelo State vs. Eastern New Mexico
Saturday, January 6th - 3 p.m. 
Junell Center - Stephens Arena

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The Greyhounds are 8-2 on the season and 4-0 in conference play, which includes a 104-94 win over seventh-ranked DBU back on December 9th. They are 2-1 on the road this season, and both losses this season have been to Fort Lewis. 

Eastern New Mexico scores 90.6 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field; both marks are second-best in the LSC. Jahcoree Ealy leads the conference with 24.1 points per game on 62.2 percent shooting from the field. Ealy has scored 20 or more points in five games this season and has scored 30 or more in three games. His career-high of 41 points came in the Greyhounds' win over DBU. 

The Greyhounds hold opponents to 76.2 points per game; opponents shoot 40.4 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from three. Jose Murillo and Conrad Luczynski each average 1.7 blocks per game, while Greg Johnson lead the squad with 1.8 steals per game.

LAST SEASON VS. ENMU
The Rams are 42-40 all-time versus the Greyhounds as the two teams split their two matchups last season, with the home team winning each contest. The Rams have won the last eight games against the Greyhounds inside the Junell Center - Stephens Arena. 

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. 

PERSONAL BESTS THIS SEASON

•     Eleven Rams have recorded at least one personal best this season.
•     Guard Everson Armstrong recorded his first collegiate points on Nov. 25 against Arlington Baptist, sinking a pair of free throws; he also recorded his first-career assist against the Patriots. 
•     Forward DJ Basey tied his career-high of three blocks in a game against Fort Lewis on Nov. 10 and tied his career-high of eight rebounds against Oklahoma Christian on Dec. 9; he attempted a career-high ten field goals against Arlington Baptist on Nov. 25.
•     Forward Chris Boekhorst recorded his first-career assist against Arlington Baptist on Nov. 25; he made two shots against the Patriots, tying a career-high.
•     Guard Kendrick Delahoussaye scored 14 points in his home debut against Arlington Baptist on Nov. 25; he made four free throws in his debut against Southern Arkansas on Nov. 21 and grabbed three rebounds against Texas A&M International on Dec. 2.
•     Guard Keyshawn Embery-Simpson scored a career-high 30 points in his ASU debut against Fort Lewis on Nov. 10. He went 12-21 from the field; his career high of seven threes made came in the Rams 101-98 win over No. 6 West Liberty on Dec. 18. 
•     Forward DJ Freeman tied his personal best with 11 rebounds against UAFS on Dec. 7. 
•     Guard Kevon Godwin tied his career high with six assists twice this season. He also tied his career watermark with eight free throws made against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 30.
•     Guard Willie Guy scored a career-high 20 points in the Rams' win over Oklahoma Christian on Dec. 9; he tied his career-high with eight assists versus Arlington Baptist on Nov. 25; he made a career-high five threes versus the Patriots. 
•     Guard Jacob Richardson scored his first bucket against Arlington Baptist on Nov. 25; he also recorded his first career rebound, assist and block.  
•     Forward Shemar Smith rejected a pair of shots in the Rams 101-98 win over No. 6 West Liberty on Dec. 18. 
•     Guard Carvell Teasett grabbed a new personal best of five rebounds in the Rams' overtime win against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 30. 

UP NEXT
The Rams are on the road next weekend for games against No. 4 West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian.