SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State men's basketball team closes their longest home stand of the season this weekend when they welcome Midwestern State and Lubbock Christian into the Junell Center - Stephens Arena. The Rams' opponents enter this weekend with a combined 12-4 record in conference play.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Rams dropped their first two home games of the 2025 calendar year, dropping games against West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico. The Rams entered halftime against the Buffs with a two-point lead; however, the reigning regional champions shot 62 percent from the field and from three in the second half to pull away for the win. Against Eastern, the undersized Rams were out-scored 48-28 in the paint despite four players ending the game in double-digit scoring.
 
EVANS CLOSES IN ON 1K POINTS
Graduate student guard Kaden Evans enters the first home games of 2025 with 993 career points, only seven off from reaching the 1,000-point milestone. The Kansas City native is a career 39.5 percent shooter from the field and 36 percent from three. Evans is just as impactful on defense, with three games this season where he has grabbed four steals. His 213 career steals are tied for second among all active Division II players and 19th among all players in all three NCAA divisions.
 
PATEL IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Vinay Patel is 38-15 in LSC play at Angelo State and 20-4 inside the Junell Center—Stephens Arena in LSC competition. Patel is 4-4 against Midwestern State and Lubbock Christian and is 3-1 against those teams in San Angelo.
 
RAMS' DEFENSE
The Rams possess one of the most formidable defenses in the conference and Division II. Opponents score only 65.7 points per game against the Rams, which is third-best in the LSC and 19th in the nation. Their opponent's field goal percentage of 40.4 is 23rd in the country, and their opponent's shooting mark of 30.4 percent from three is 36th in Division II.
 
RAMS ADD NINE
Angelo State recruited nine newcomers in 2024-25, including three from Division I and two from Division II. 

    Denim Dawson
    Junior * 6-6 * Guard
    San Bernardino, Calif. * Tennessee State
Averaged 16 points and five rebounds per game at Orange Lutheran HS; Trinity League MVP

    Sterling Gaston-Chapman
    Senior * 6-4 * Guard
    Wichita, Kan. * UT Arlington
Three-star recruit out of Campus HS in Wichita; two-time all-metro and two-time all-state selection

    Jalen Gilmore
    Junior * 6-3 * Guard
    Jacksonville, Fla. * Lynn
Averaged 9.5 points and 5.2 assists per game in 2023-24 for Lynn
    
    Blessing Adesipe
    Junior * 6-6 * Guard
    Houston, Texas * UT San Antonio
NJCAA All-America Honorable Mention at Miles College; scored 1,132 points in two seasons

    Darius Brady
    Freshman * 6-0 * Guard
    Houston, Texas * Kingwood HS
2023-24 Second Team All-District selection for Kingwood HS 

    Chace Fields
    Sophomore * 6-6 * Forward
    San Angelo, Texas * Adrian College
Averaged 3.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game for Adrian College

    Kollin Allbright
    Freshman * 6-9 * Forward
    San Angelo, Texas * Central HS
Averaged 14 points per game in prep career; two-time first team all-district honoree

    Damonze Woods
    Junior * 6-7 * Forward
    Amarillo, Texas * Odessa College
Averaged 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds; District 5A All-State selection as a junior at Amarillo HS

    Kaden Evans
    Graduate Student * 6-4 * Guard
    Kansas City, Mo. * Emporia State
Led Division II in steals as a freshman in 2020-21 with 3.1 per game; 4x All-Conference selection at Oak Park HS
 
PERSONAL BESTS THIS SEASON
Seven Rams have recorded a personal best this season.
    • Blessing Adesipe scored nine points against Western New Mexico on January 3 before grabbing six rebounds two days later at Sul Ross. He had a pair of assists and three steals in his home debut against Arlington Baptist on November 19. 
    • Kollin Allbright grabbed his first career rebound in his collegiate debut versus Arlington Baptist on Nov. 19.
    • Darius Brady assisted for the first time in his career versus Arlington Baptist on Nov. 19.
    • Denim Dawson scored 13 points in the Rams' win over Texas A&M International on Dec. 7. He has also recorded three assists twice and blocked a pair of shots against Southern Arkansas on November 30. He made eight free throws in ten attempts against Eastern New Mexico on Jan. 11.
    • Kendrick Delahoussaye scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in the Rams' win over Southern Arkansas on Nov. 30. He assisted six times against No. 10 Colorado Mines on Dec. 20. 
    • Sterling Gaston-Chapman set a new career high in rebounds (12) in the Rams' win over Arlington Baptist on Nov. 19 as he recorded his first career double-double. He scored a career-high 22 points against Sul Ross on January 5. He assisted five times against Texas A&M-Kingsville on December 5. 
    • Damonze Woods scored 17 points against Cameron on December 16. He grabbed 12 rebounds against Montana State-Billings on Dec. 19.

HOME COOKIN'
The Rams have made the Junell Center-Stephens Arena a fortress under head coach Vinay Patel, accumulating a 27-4 record in Patel's two seasons in San Angelo, good enough for a .871 winning percentage. His first season featured the Rams going 13-0 on their home court; the second season they've been undefeated on their home court across a season. The Rams went 17-0 inside the Junell Center - Stephens Arena in 2014-15. 

NEED TO KNOW

• Angelo State averages 69.9 points per game on 45.1 percent from the field and 35.9 percent shooting from three. The Rams are shooting 68.3 percent from the charity stripe. 
• The Rams are fifth in the LSC in three-point percentage, shooting 35.9 percent from beyond the arc. They are eighth in three-pointers made per game, with 7.5 makes per contest.
• The Rams average 33.8 rebounds per game, out-rebounding opponents by 0.2 per contest.
• Defensively, the Rams hold opponents to 65.7 points per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent from three-point range. 
• Sterling Gaston-Chapman leads the Rams in scoring with 13 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game.
• Kendrick Delahoussaye leads the team with two assists per game.
• Damonze Woods leads the team in blocked shots, while Kaden Evans leads the team with 1.7 steals per game. 

MIDWESTERN STATE
NABC RANK: RV
2024-25 RECORD: 11-3, 6-2 LSC

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• The Mustangs are 11-3 on the season and 6-2 in LSC play. They are 4-3 on the road this season.
• They score 78.1 points per game on 46.3 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three. 
• Defensively, opponents score 67.2 points per game on 39.3 percent shooting and only 29.7 percent from three—the Mustangs out-rebound opponents by 0.4 boards per contest.
• Three Mustangs average double figures in scoring, led by Mason Gibson's 16.8 per game.
• Reggie Hill leads the team with 7.1 rebounds per game.
• Pierre Sanders scores 10.7 points per game and averages 3.9 assists per game; he leads the team with 1.7 steals per contest. 
• The Rams are 33-51 all-time against the Mustangs; last season, the home team won both matchups in the series. 

LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN
NABC RANK: N/A
2024-25 RECORD: 11-5, 6-2 LSC

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• The Chaps are 11-5 on the season and 6-2 in LSC play; they are 5-1 on the road but only 1-5 in games played on Saturday. 
• They score 78.8 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting from the field and 41.9 percent from three. 
• Defensively, opponents score 67.5 points per game on 44 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from three.
• The Chaps are out-rebounded by 0.2 boards per contest. 
• Four Chaps score in double figures, led by Ethan Duncan's 16.6 points per game. He shoots 46.3 percent from three and leads the team in steals.
• Sean Murphy leads the team with 5.4 rebounds per game. 
• Najeeb Muhammad scored 10.3 points per game and averages 3.8 assists per contest. 
• Jaylen Thompson leads the team with 11 blocks this season. 
• The Rams are 24-11 all-time against the Chaps. Last season, the Chaps won both matchups, claiming a 75-50 win in San Angelo last February.