SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State men's basketball team goes on the road this weekend as they have a pair of tough matchups against St. Mary's and St. Edward's. The Rams take on the league-leading Rattlers on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. before closing their weekend in Austin against the Hilltoppers on Saturday at 3 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The Rams bounced back in a big way, winning their games last weekend against Midwestern State and Lubbock Christian. The Rams defeated MSU 72-68 in a game where three Rams - Shemar Smith, Carvell Teasett, and Sterling-Gaston Chapman - scored 18 or more points. The 65-55 win over Lubbock Christian saw the Rams hold the Chaps to 5.3 percent shooting from three, the lowest the Rams have held an opponent since they held West Texas A&M to 4.2 percent shooting from deep on February 8th, 2020. 

EVANS PASSES 1K POINTS
Graduate student guard Kaden Evans passed the 1,000-point milestone for his career on Saturday in the Rams' win over Lubbock Christian. The Kansas City native is a career 39.6 percent shooter from the field and 36.1 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 third among all active Division II players and 19th among all players in all three NCAA divisions. 

PATEL IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Vinay Patel is 40-15 in LSC play at Angelo State and 18-11 on the road in LSC competition. Patel is 4-0 against St. Mary's and St. Edward's and 2-0 against those teams in San Antonio and Austin, respectively. 

RAMS' DEFENSE
The Rams possess one of the most formidable defenses in the conference and Division II. Opponents score only 65.2 points per game against the Rams, the best in the LSC and 13th in the nation. Their opponent's field goal percentage of 40.3 is 19th in the country, and their opponent's shooting mark of 29 percent from three is 15th in Division II. The Rams are 11-2 this season when they hold opponents to under 70 points and 5-0 when they hold the opposition to under 60 points. 

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. He had a pair of assists and three steals in his home debut against Arlington Baptist on November 19 and grabbed ten rebounds against Lubbock Christian on January 18. 
    • 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 29-4 record in Patel's three seasons in San Angelo, good enough for a .879 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 69.7 points per game on 45.2 percent from the field and 35.9 percent shooting from three. The Rams are shooting 69.8 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 7.4 makes per contest.
• The Rams average 34.3 rebounds per game, out-rebounding opponents by 1.4 per contest.
• Defensively, the Rams hold opponents to 65.2 points per game on 40.3 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent from three-point range. 
• Sterling Gaston-Chapman leads the Rams in scoring with 13.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. The senior also leads the team with 2.2 assists per game. 
• Kaden Evans leads the team with 1.7 steals per game. 

ST. MARY'S
NABC RANK: N/A
2024-25 RECORD: 12-4, 9-1 LSC

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• The Rattlers are 12-4 on the season and 9-1 in LSC play, having won their past six games. The Rattlers are 4-1 in Bill Greehey Arena this season. 
• They score 73.8 points per game on 44.9 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from three. 
• Defensively, opponents score 67.1 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting and 33.6 percent from three—the Rattlers out-rebound opponents by 6.5 boards per contest.
• Two Rattlers average double figures in scoring, led by Damani Claxton's 17.3 per game. Claxton also leads the team in steals. 
• Lachlan Bofinger nearly averages a double-double with 13.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The senior forward also leads the team with 0.9 blocks per game. The Aussie has recorded eight double-doubles this season. 
• The Rams are 21-22 all-time against the Rattlers and have won the past five matchups, dating back to 2021. Last season, the Rams defeated StMU 111-89 inside the Junell Center - Stephens Arena. 

ST. EDWARD'S
NABC RANK: N/A
2024-25 RECORD: 11-8, 5-5 LSC

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• The Hilltoppers are 11-8 on the season and 5-5 in LSC play; they are 6-0 on their home court this season, with the average margin of victory being 25 points. 
• They score 80.2 points per game on 46.3 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent from three. 
• Defensively, opponents score 71.8 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting and 36.6 percent from three.
• The Hilltoppers are out-rebounded by 0.2 boards per contest. 
• Five Hilltoppers score in double figures, led by Lewis Rowe's 13.5 points per game. The Aussie leads the team's rebounding effort with 5.8 boards per contest. 
• All-LSC player Gavino Ramos averages 4.5 assists per game, the second-best mark in the LSC. 
• Mason Courtney and Conor McManus each average 1.6 steals per game, and McManus leads the team with 0.9 blocks per game. 
• The Rams are 14-6 all-time against the Hilltoppers. Last season, the Rams defeated SEU 69-64 inside the Junell Center - Stephens Arena.