GAMEDAY INFORMATION

When: Friday & Saturday, Nov. 14-15 | 7 p.m. (CST) both nights

Where: Stephenville, Texas | Wisdom Gym

Series: NMHU, First Meeting | LSC, TSU leads 3-0

Last Meeting vs NMHU: None

Last Meeting vs LCU: TSU 87, LCU 60 on Feb. 25, 2014 in Stephenville

Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on KTRL 90.5 FM | Listen Live | Pregame Show begins at 6:45 p.m.

Web Stream: TarletonSports.com/ListenLive

Social Media: Facebook | Twitter

Live Stats vs NMHU | Live Stats vs LCU | Game Notes

THE GAME
Tarleton State officially kicks off its 54th season as a senior college and 27th season under head coach Lonn Reisman this weekend in the Texan Tip-Off Classic sponsored by Whataburger, beginning with Reisman's first meeting against New Mexico Highlands Friday at 7 p.m. and finishing with a 7 p.m. tip off against Lubbock Christian.
 
THE BROADCAST
The game will have a live radio broadcast presented by the Tarleton Sports Network presented by North Texas Ford Dealers. The Voice of the Texans, Casey Hogan, will be back calling the play-by-play for Tarleton basketball this season. The radio broadcast can be heard on KTRL 90.5 FM in Stephenville and surrounding areas or online at TarletonSports.com/ListenLive. The pregame show will begin 15 minutes prior to tip-off, immediately following the women's game.
 
THE OPPONENT
Coming off an 11-15 season including an 8-14 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, New Mexico Highlands is ushering in a new era in Cowboy Basketball with a new head coach and a slew of new talent. The Cowboys return just three players from last year's team - Justin Bustos, Luis Rodriguez-Quintana and Erick Vega. Bustos led those three returners in game appearances with 20.
 
Lubbock Christian made their Division II debut in 2013-14 with a 17-8 record as a transitioning member of the Heartland Conference. Todd Duncan returns for his fourth season at the helm of the Chaps and is 47-37 over his first three campaigns.
 
THE SERIES
Friday's meeting will be the first-ever meeting between Tarleton State and New Mexico Highlands. Saturday's meeting against LCU is the fourth time since Reisman took over in 1988. Tarleton is 3-0 against LCU under Reisman, including an 87-60 win over the Chaps last season in Stephenville.
 
THE CLASSIC
This is the 11th annual Texan Tip-Off Classic, continuing the tradition that began in 2004. Since this tournament began, Tarleton State is 19-1 all-time in their home tournament including four straight Texan Tip-Off victories.
 
TARLETON vs RMAC FOES
Since the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference became a part of the same region as the Lone Star Conference in 2012, this is just the second contest, and first in the regular season, between Tarleton State and a RMAC school. The only other meeting came in the first round of the NCAA tournament when Tarleton played Metro State in Denver, Colo. in 2013.
 
PRESEASON FAVORITES
Tarleton State was named the preseason favorites in the Lone Star Conference on Oct. 29 during the LSC's Online Basketball Media Day. The Texans received 156 total votes, edging Midwestern State by one (155) for the top honor in the preseason rankings.
 
TARLETON IN THE LSC
Tarleton State has developed into one of the premier basketball programs in the nation, as well as within the Lone Star Conference. Lonn Reisman is the only Texan coach to lead Tarleton through the LSC as an NCAA coach. He has amassed a record of 179-91 in Tarleton's 20 years as an NCAA conference member. Reisman and the Texans have won three LSC regular season championships, three LSC championship tournament title - including the last two - and has also won at least 10 conference games in four straight seasons.
 
TARLETON IN NATIONAL POLLS
Tarleton opened the season at No. 12 in the nation by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Tarleton State has been ranked in the Top 25 by the NABC in 85 weeks. Last season, Tarleton earned its first ranking on Nov. 19 and never fell out - reaching as high as No. 2 in the nation and finishing the season at No. 3. This is the 10th time in school history that Tarleton has opened the season in the top 25.
 
NABC HISTORY
Of the 85 weeks in the NABC rankings, Tarleton has spent 52 of those weeks in the top 10, 36 in the top 5 and eight weeks at No. 1.
 
THE OTHER POLLS
The two non-official polls that have Tarleton in the Top 15 are the Division II Bulletin and Basketball Times rankings. The Texans were picked No. 10 by the DII Bulletin and No. 15 by Basketball Times.
 
SENIORS EYEING ALL-TIME REBOUND LIST
Tarleton State hasn't had a player crack the top 16 all-time rebounding list since John Davis finished his career at No. 8 all-time in Tarleton history, but now the Texans have two seniors looking to leave their mark in the top 16. Davene Carter (329) and Damion Clemons (302) are now within eyesight of passing Ross Taylor (488) for 16th all-time in rebounding for a career.
 
TARLETON IN SEASON OPENERS
In Lonn Reisman's time as the head coach of Tarleton State, the veteran coach has started the season off the right way with an .884 winning percentage in season openers. He is 23-3 in the first game of the season and 23-1 in season openers in Stephenville.
 
KEEPING IT IN THE TARLETON FAMILY
Every assistant coach on this season's Tarleton Basketball coaching staff are all graduates of Tarleton State University. Associate head coach Chris Reisman, assistant coaches Marlin Cloudy and Chris Harrell and graduate assistant Coleman Furst all played for and graduate from Tarleton.
 
HOMEGROWN POINT GUARD
Michael Hardge opens the season as the starting point guard, which marks a rare feat for the Texans. Hardge, who has been with the Texans since signing out of Georgetown High School in 2012, will be the first non-transfer player to open the season as the starting point guard since Chris Reisman was the starting point guard for his senior season in 2000-01, making it 14 years between 'homegrown' point guards.
 
TEXANS AT HOME
In Coach Reisman's 26 seasons at Tarleton State, the Texans have amassed a total record of 354-61 including a record of 136-13 with two undefeated home seasons since 2005.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will take a week off before hitting the court again next Saturday when they host Dallas Christian at 7 p.m. on a Saturday doubleheader.