STEPHENVILLE - The Tarleton Texan men's basketball team will host its last home game of the season on Saturday, Feb. 20 when Texas A&M-Kingsville invades Wisdom Gym for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
Saturday's game is Military Appreciation Night, Senior Night, WBCA Pink Zone Night, Cisco Community Night and Gilbert Intermediate Night at Wisdom Gym. For more on the promotions, see the story.
The Texans are tied atop the Lone Star Conference South Division standings with Midwestern State with an 8-2 division mark while Tarleton is ranked No. 5 in the South Central Region and has a 20-5 overall record. Tarleton is coming off a 70-60 win at Abilene Christian on Tuesday.
The two teams met earlier in the season in Kingsville on Jan. 30, and Tarleton ran away with a 24-point victory, 74-50. Tarleton was led by Effran Bryant with 22 points while Devon Hills (19), Corin Henry (15) and Donta Smith (10) each had double-digit outings for the Texans.
The Javelinas had just two players in double figures, Marcus Ford (12) and Antwan Mullins (11). TAMUK was held to just 37 percent from the field while Tarleton connected on 53.3 percent of its shots form the floor. The Texans went to the line 23 times and hit 18 while the Javelinas only shot six free throws and hit half of them.
This season, the Texans are led by Hills with 12.9 points per game while Bryant (11.2), Henry (10.8) and Jeremiah Wilson (10.5) are also averaging in double figures. Wilson leads the team with 41 blocks and 8.4 rebounds while Smith is second with 6.8 rebounds per contest. Henry leads the squad with 108 assists and 42 steals.
In South Division action, the Texans are led in scoring by Hills (14.8) and Bryant (13.7). Smith leads the team in rebounds in division play with 7.3 boards per game while Wilson is averaging 7.1.
In 2009-10, Tarleton is averaging .441 from the floor, .357 from the arc and .680 from the charity stripe while holding the opponents to .368 from the field, .311 from the arc and .646 from the line. Tarleton is No. 2 in the nation in field goal percentage defense and No. 3 in scoring defense. The Texans are outscoring foes 70.3 to 56.2 and outrebounding them 37.3 to 32.4.
In conference action, Tarleton is shooting .467 from the floor and .347 from the arc and opponents are hitting .376 from the field and .301 from the arc. The Texans are outrebounding the South Division opponents 34.9 to 30.6 and outscoring them 69.7 to 56.5.
The Javelinas are coming off an 87-74 loss at home to Midwestern State on Wednesday. TAMUK fell to 12-12 overall and 2-7 in the South Division. The Javelinas are 2-9 on the road this season and 0-4 in conference play.
Mullins leads the Javelinas with 12.5 points per game while Flavio Milam (11.9), Royce Gaye (11.5) and Naquawn Lee (10.9) are averaging in double digits. Milam leads the team with 6.0 rebounds per game while Gaye is second with 5.4 boards per outing.
TAMUK is averaging .399 from the field, .286 from the arc and .712 from the line while opponents are shooting .453 from the floor, .347 from the arc and .717 from the stripe. The Javelinas are being outrebounded (37.3 to 33.0) and outscored (69.5 to 67.7).
In conference action, the blue and gold are hitting .395 from the field and .277 from the arc while opponents are shooting .488 from the floor, .381 from the arc and .738 from the stripe. South Division opponents are outscoring the Javelinas 77.7 to 68.0 and outrebounding them 40.1 to 29.3.
The two teams have met 46 times, dating back to 1969. The Javelinas had lost 13 straight games prior to last season when TAMUK won both meetings. However, the Texans lead the all-time series, 25-21. Under head coach Lonn Reisman, the Texans are 20-10 against the Javelinas, including a 14-3 mark in Stephenville.
The game will be broadcast on KSTV 93.1 FM and online as well. Fans can watch the games live via Tarleton All-Access as well as live stats.
