STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Men's Basketball will play its penultimate game of the 2024 calendar year on Saturday in a matinee matchup against NCAA Division III Howard Payne in Wisdom Gym at 4 p.m.
 
Saturday will feature a doubleheader of Whataburger Holiday Hoops. The women will take on St. Mary's (TX) before the men's tip. Early-arriving fans to both games will receive a free Tarleton mini hoop.
 
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Hekma Harrison and Byron Anderson. Kyle Crews will have the call on the Tarleton Sports Radio Network. Live stats will be provided by StatBroadcast available on tarletonsports.com. Follow @tarletonmbb on Instagram, X and Facebook for live updates, highlights and content.
 
The United Nations General Assembly in 2023 adopted a resolution proclaiming December 21 as "World Basketball Day." It was on that date in 1891 that basketball was played for the first time at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, developed the game to keep his students active during the winter months.
 
Izzy Miles tallied eight steals against UCF, the most by a player in a single game this season in the NCAA. His eight is the second most steals in a single game by a Texan in the D1 era.
Miles notched eight steals against UCF on Sunday 12/8. He was only three steals short of Shamir Bogues D1 era and program record 11 steals on Feb. 28, 2023 vs. Southwestern Assemblies. In program history, Miles mark of eight is fourth since 1988.
 
Marty Silvera is playing with his third program in five seasons. Silvera scored a season-best 16 points against the Cowboys while leading the team with six assists and five steals. After not getting much time in two seasons at Saint Peter's, he spent two seasons at D2 Southern Connecticut State. At SCSU he was named to All NE10 Third Team in both seasons and earned five selections to NE10 Weekly Honor Roll in second season.
 
Bubu Benjamin ranks top three in the WAC in five different categories. The sophomore is third in the league in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game. He also ranks second in the league in minutes per game (35:25) and field goals (73) and is third in total points (212) and field goal percentage (.518). Benjamin has scored 20-plus points in four games this season.
The Canadian broke is career-high for the third time this season with 29 against Dallas Christian. Benjamin posted 21 points in the season opener at SMU and then broke his career high again against Iona with 22 in the Bahamas.
 
In the most recent NET (12/19/24) the Texans rank 25th in SOS. Tarleton has the highest ranked SOS in the WAC. The average net ranking of Tarleton opponents is 21. Tarleton's NET ranking is 332.
 
Howard Payne enters the tilt, 6-6 competing out of the NCAA Division III ASC. The Yellow Jackets led their league in 10 different categories. HPU ranks in the top 50 of D3 in nine different categories. Armonie Ramey ranks second in the nation with 43 steals, 10th in total points and 28th with 95 total boards. Hudson Johnson is third in the country in scoring (272 total points) and 10th in made threes (32). Tarleton leads the series, 13-4.
 
Head Coach Billy Gillispie is chasing the 200-career win mark, needing six more to eclipse the milestone.
 
Tarleton State will close out 2024 with its final non-conference tilt of the season, a Sunday matinee against Florida A&M. Tip is scheduled for 4 p.m. after the conclusion of the men's game.