Game Notes (PDF)
Friday Live Stats (WT vs. FLC | ENMU vs. NMHU)
Saturday Live Stats (WT vs. NMHU | ENMU vs. FLC)
Watch Live (WT Contests Only)
Tweet #BuffNation
Tweet #LSCvb

CANYON, Texas – The Buffs will open up their 2016 home schedule on Friday and Saturday as they host the LSC/RMAC Challenge at the First United Bank Center in Canyon with matchups scheduled against #15 Fort Lewis and New Mexico Highlands with Eastern New Mexico also taking place in the event.
 
- SCOUTING THE FIELD
#15 FORT LEWIS
Fort Lewis is led by second year head coach Bob Pietrack who was named the RMAC Coach of the Year in 2015-16 after leading the Skyhawks to the regular season and tournament titles. Pietrack served as the FLC Assistant Coach for 11 seasons.
 
The #15 Skyhawks enter the season as the number two pick in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after claiming the league's regular season and tournament titles in 2015-16 with an overall record of 28-4 (19-3 RMAC) as they advanced to the South Central Regional Semifinals last season.
 
FLC is led by RMAC Preseason Player of the Year Joshua Blaylock who led the Skyhawks with 18.1 points per game last season to be named an NABC All-Region selection.
 
The Buffs are 7-1 all-time against Fort Lewis with the last meeting coming on Dec. 2, 2001 as WT topped FLC (85-69) in Canyon. Fort Lewis is 0-3 all-time in Canyon.
 
NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
The Cowboys are led by third year head coach Craig Snow who has coached four All-RMAC and one All-Region selection during his time in Las Vegas. Prior to NMHU, Snow spent three seasons at the University of New Mexico.
 
New Mexico Highlands enters the season picked fourth in the RMAC Preseason Poll as they finished the 2015-16 season with an overall record of 15-14 while setting a new school record of RMAC wins at 14-8 as they advanced to the RMAC Quarterfinals before falling to Colorado Mesa.
 
The Cowboys are led by Preseason All-RMAC selection Marlon Johnson who averaged 15 points per game for NMHU last season in 28 contests while averaging 9.4 rebounds per contest with 31 blocks.
 
The Buffs lead the all-time series against the Cowboys, 30-2 with WT taking both meetings between the two teams last season. NMHU is 1-22 all-time against the Buffs in Canyon.
 
- LAST TIME OUT
UAFS RECAP
The Buffs are off to their best start to a season since 2012-13 thanks to an 11-0 run in the heart of the second half as WT outlasted #23 Arkansas-Fort Smith, 94-86 in the finale of the CCA Division II Tipoff Classic at the Santiago Canyon College Athletics Complex in Orange, California on Sunday afternoon.
 
WT was led by Jerrod Walton with 24 points followed by David Chavlovich (19), Jordan Evans (17) and Eric Golightly Jr. (10) with double-digit points while Chavlovich led WT with six rebounds and three assists. WT went 33-of-65 (50.8%) from the floor including 10-of-29 (34.5%) from deep and 18-of-27 (66.7%) from the free throw line to go along with 37 rebounds (13 offensive, 24 defensive), 13 assists, 13 turnovers, five blocks and three steals.
 
CCA DIVISION II TIPOFF CLASSIC RECAP
The Buffs wrapped up the CCA Division II Tipoff Classic with a perfect 3-0 record as they topped Azusa Pacific (86-72), St. Cloud State (83-70) and #23 Arkansas-Fort Smith (94-86) in the three-day event. WT is now off to their best start to a season since 2012-13 when the Buffs started the season 6-0.
 
WT was led offensively by Evans with 19.0 points per contest followed by Walton (17.0ppg) and Chavlovich (16.7ppg). The Buffs shot 48.1% (90-187) from the floor during the opening weekend including 39.7% (31-78) from long range and 62.7% (52-83) from the free throw line to go along with 36.7 rebounds per game.
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
The Buffs were tabbed fourth in the 2016-17 Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll announced on October 26th during the league's annual Online Media Day from the conference offices in Richardson, Texas. Midwestern State picked up 12 of the possible 28 first place votes for a total of 253 points to sit atop of the poll followed by Tarleton State (eight first place, 240 points). Angelo State was picked third with eight first place votes for a total of 239 points followed by the Buffs who registered the final first place vote for a total of 211 points. Texas A&M-Commerce (152) was picked fifth followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville (120), Cameron (108), Eastern New Mexico (93), UT Permian Basin (88) and Western New Mexico (36).
 
The Lone Star Conference expands to 10 basketball-playing institutions starting in 2016-17 as Western New Mexico (Silver City, New Mexico) and UT Permian Basin (Odessa, Texas) join the league.  Each team will play a double round-robin conference schedule with 18 conference games. The Allen Event Center will host the LSC Basketball Championships for the sixth straight season on March 2-5.
 
LSC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WT junior guard David Chavlovich was nearly a unanimous selection to be named the third LSC Preseason Player of the Year in program history, joining Rod Prater (2003-04) and Donald Sims (2012-13). The Arlington native was named a National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) All-American as a sophomore as he led the LSC in scoring with 20.5 points per game. He set a new program single-season record in three-point field goals made (111) and three-point field goals attempted (287) while joining the 1,000 Point Club and being named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year. The Arlington native has also been named a Preseason All-American by Sporting News and the Basketball Times while making an appearance on the Division II Bulletin Super 16 list.
 
WT HEAD COACH TOM BROWN
WT head coach Tom Brown enters his third season at the helm of the Buffs as the team registered their first 20+ win season since 2010-11 with an overall mark of 21-10 while finishing second in the LSC standings. The Buffs enter the season ranked ninth in the annual Sporting News Division II Preseason Top-10 Poll while receiving votes in the NABC Division II Preseason Top-25 Poll.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The West Texas A&M Athletic Media Relations Department will provide live stats for all games including a free webstream of all WT contests during this weekend's LSC/RMCA Challenge. Fans cans visit the Men's Basketball Schedule Page at GoBuffsGo.com for links.