Game Notes in PDF Format

CANYON, Texas –  The No. 11 West Texas A&M men's basketball team returns to Lone Star Conference play with a pair of key contests this week as it hosts Midwestern State Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Cameron on Saturday at 4 p.m.  The Buffs are 12-1 overall and 2-1 in Lone Star Conference play, while Midwestern State is 4-9 overall and 1-3 in league play, while Cameron is 5-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play.  Cameron plays at No. 8 UT Permian Basin Thursday before visiting WT on Saturday.
 
WATCH AND HEAR THE BUFFS – Fans not able to attend WT men's basketball games this season can  find links to live stats and audio/video streaming at www.gobuffsgo.com on the men's basketball schedule page as Kent Johnson and Lucas Kinsey will have the call of all the games both home and away this season. 
 
FOURTH NATIONALLY IN HOME WINS – WT owns a school-record 27-game home winning streak dating back to the 2015-16 season as the Buffs went a perfect 15-0 at home last season and are 5-0 in the friendly confines this season. WT's home winning streak currently is fourth nationally behind Bellarmine (50), Northwest Missouri State (43) and West Liberty (40).  Chaminade (Hawaii) is fifth with 22-straight home victories.
 
WT IN THE NABC POLL – WT remained 11th in the latest NABC Top 25 following the two wins in Las Vegas and the win over Northern New Mexico as Northwest Missouri State continues to lead Division II, followed by Queens (N.C.), Bellarmine, West Liberty and Christian Brothers. UT Permian Basin is eighth this week, followed by Arkansas-Fort Smith at nine and WT at 11.  Colorado Mines is 12th, while Dallas Baptist is 16th and Texas A&M-Commerce is 18th.  Angelo State is receiving votes.
 
BUFFS SWEEP WEEKLY HONORS AGAIN – WT senior Jordan Evans earned his second Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors, while junior Ryan Quaid earned his third defensive accolades for their outstanding performances in Las Vegas before Christmas.  Evans averaged a team-high 21.0 points as he went 14 of 24 from the field (.583) and 10 of 19 from distance (.526), while going 4 of 4 form the line.  Evans averaged 5.5 rebounds per game with three assists and one steal.  Quaid posted 18 points and 11 rebounds against Southern Indiana and followed with 13 points and 12 rebounds against Rollins.  It was Quaid's 11th and 12th career double-doubles as he now has six for the season.  Quaid was 14 of 19 from the field for the week leading the team with a .737 field goal percentage.  This marked the second time this season the Buffs have won both offensive and defensive honors in the same week.  Senior David Chavloivch and freshman Gaige Prim earned the accolades Nov. 21.
 
HIGHWAY 287 CHALLENGE SERIES – WT leads the fifth annual Highway 287 Challenge Series with Midwestern State 5-4 through the fall as WT earned wins in volleyball (1) women's soccer (2) and women's cross country (2).  MSU won in volleyball (1), football (2) and men's soccer (1).  WT has won three of the four Highway 287 Challenges for the year since its inception in 2013-14. 
 
RECAPPING NORTHERN NEW MEXICO – The Buffs started the game sluggish following the Christmas holiday, but never trailed in a 106-75 win over the Eagles last Saturday.  WT had five players in double figures as 12 players saw action in the game.  Senior David Chavlovich paced all scorers with 27 points on 9 of 14 from the field with five triples and four free throws, along with six assists, a career-high two blocks and two steals.  Senior Jordan Evans added 17 points, along with the seventh double-double from junior Ryan Quaid on 11 points and 12 rebounds.  Sophomore Jordan Collins added 13 points off the bench with three triples and freshman Gaige Prim scored 12 points with seven rebounds.  The Buffs shot 50.7 percent for the game on 35 of 69, while going 15 of 37 from beyond the arc, but went a season-low 21 of 38 (.553) from the line.  WT led 49-35 at halftime and outscored the Eagles 57-40 in the second half for the fourth time the Buffs have reached the century mark this season (3-1).  WT held NNMC to just 24 of 59 from the field (.407), while the Eagles went 7 of 17 from range and 20 of 30 from the line.
 
JANUARY 20 GAME ON ESPN3 - WT's Lone Star Conference doubleheader with Texas A&M-Commerce, scheduled for January 20 at the First United Bank Center, has been picked up as part of the Division II Showcase and will be broadcast on ESPN3 and the ESPN App.  Check back with www.gobuffsgo.com for more details on the broadcast. WT's doubleheader against Tarleton State last season to end the regular season was part of the Showcase and broadcast on the American Sports Network.
 
BROWN WINS 75 - WT fourth year head coach Tom Brown won his 75th game at the helm of the Buffs in the 88-60 win over Rollins on Dec. 19.  Brown currently is 76-32 (.702) during his time at WT. 
 
EVANS EYING TOP 10 IN POINTS - Senior Jordan Evans has 1,122 career points and needs just 30 points to tie for 10th all-time in school history with Joe Thompson (1993-97) with 1,152 points.  Evans has scored 232 points thus far this season for a 17.8 average ranking second on the team.
 
CHAVLOVICH FOR 40 – Senior David Chavlovich dropped a career-high 40 points in the 92-88 win over Adams State (11/17).   Chavlovich went a career-best 13 of 18 from the field, 6 of 9 from beyond the arc and 8 of 10 from the line.  He played in a season-high 35 minutes and his 40 points ties the LSC high this season with Corinthian Ramsey of Tarleton State who had 40 against UC-Colorado Springs.  The 40 points by Chavlovich ties former Buff Dale Blaut (2/14/70) for fourth-most all-time in a game by a Buff.
 
BUFFS SECOND IN LSC PRESEASON POLL – The Buffs were picked runner-up in the preseason Lone Star Conference Poll as voted on by league coaches, sports information directors and select media representatives.  UT Permian Basin was picked to win the league, following its LSC tournament championship from a year ago.
 
HIGH SCORING BUFFS - WT is averaging 91.6 points per game ranking tenth nationally and leads the LSC.  The Buffs have scored 90 or more points eight times this season and have scored over 100 points four times.  All but two games this season the Buffs have scored 80 or more points.  WT is 14th nationally in scoring margin at 16.5 per game to lead the league.
 
DEADLY FROM DISTANCE - WT is sixth nationally in 3-point field goal attempts (401), while ranking seventh in 3-pointers made (150) and 14th in 3-pointers per game at 11.5.  WT is 150 of 401 from beyond the arc this season for a .374 clip.  The Buffs are holding teams to just a .329 clip from beyond the arc, ranking fifth in the LSC and 79th nationally.  Senior Jordan Evans is fifth in 3-pointers attempted (130), fifth in 3-pointers made per game (4.15) and fifth in total triples with 54.  Evans leads the LSC in 3-point field goal percentage at a .415 clip.  Senior David Chavlovich is second in the LSC in triples attempted (88), third in the LSC in 3-point field goal percentage (.375), third in 3-pointers per game (2.54) and third in total triples (33).
 
GETTING THE FREEBIES - WT is 247-332 from the line this season for a .747 clip as the Buffs rank 60th nationally  (2nd LSC), 11th nationally in free throws made (1st LSC) and 19th nationally in free throws attempted (2nd LSC).  Conversely, the opposition is shooting at a .648 clip from the stripe on 199 of 307.  Senior David Chavlovich is seventh nationally in free throws made (80) to lead the LSC and 18th in free throws attempted (92) ranking second in the league.  His .870 free throw percentage is tops in the league and 60th nationally.
 
WITH THE ASSIST - The Buffs are 20th nationally in assist/turnover ratio at a 1.45 clip to lead the LSC, while ranking second in the league in assists per game at 16.0.  WT leads the league in total assists with 208 ranking 51st nationally.  Senior David Chavlovich is second in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio at 2.44 and leads the LSC in assists per game at 5.1.  He is 38th in the nation in total assists with 66 to lead the LSC. 
 
PROTECTING THE ROCK - WT is 61st nationally in fewest turnovers (143) to lead the LSC, while ranking 24th in turnovers per game at 11.0.
 
GLASS CLEANERS - The Buffs are 23rd nationally and second in the LSC in defensive rebounds per game at 29.08, while ranking 38th nationally in total rebounds with 521 to lead the LSC.  Junior Ryan Quaid is 13th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (7.85), while ranking second in the LSC in offensive rebounds per game at 3.00.  He is 14th nationally in rebounds per game at 10.8, ranking second in the LSC.  Quaid is sixth nationally in total rebounds with 141. 
 
SEEING DOUBLE - Junior Ryan Quaid is 11th nationally and leads the LSC in double-doubles with seven.  He has 13 double-doubles for his career and has been named LSC Defensive Player of the Week three times so far this season.
 
GETTIN' TO THE RIM - The Buffs are fourth in the LSC in field goal percentage at a .469 clip.  Junior Ryan Quaid leads the team at a .629 clip ranking 23rd nationally and second in the LSC.  WT is 397-846 from the field, while Quaid is 78-124.  His 78 field goals made ranks second on the team behind senior David Chavlovich with 86. Chavlovich leads the LSC with 86 made field goals, while Quaid is third in the league.
 
CHAVLOVICH PICKS UP PRESEASON HONORS – WT senior David Chavlovich was named to two preseason all-America publications this season as he was named to the Basketball Times Preseason All-America team and was a second team preseason honoree according to Street & Smith's Magazine.  Chavlovich put together one of the best single-seasons in WT basketball history last season as he earned first team all-conference honors, helping WT to its first NCAA Sweet Sixteen since 1997-98 as the team went 26-9.  Chavlovich set new single-season school-records in points (655), while holding the WT career mark for points (1,762), field goal attempts (1,367), 3-point field goals made (297) and 3-point field goal attempts (802).  He broke the school all-time scoring record at UT Permian Basin on Feb. 4, 2017 and earned NABC Division II South Central Region All-District honors.
 
ABOUT MIDWESTERN STATE - The Mustangs began the season slow as they were 2-8 to begin the season, but went 1-1 in Las Vegas at the Rollins Las Vegas Classic with the Buffs and won their first Lone Star Conference game at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 72-68 last Saturday.  This season the Mustangs are led by Brandon Neel who leads the team averaging 17.6 points per game on 86 of 177.  Neel is tied with Chavlovich for the league-lead in made field goals.  Neel is 15 of 44 from beyond the arc and 42 of 61 from the line, while leading the team in rebounding at 6.2 per game.  He has 16 assists and 17 steals on the year.  Devante Pullum is second in scoring at 11.6 points per game as he is 50 of 124 from the field, while going 13 of 42 from range and 38 of 44 from the line.  Pullum leads the team with 64 assists ranking second in the league to Chavlovich.  Pullum leads the LSC in minutes played with 457 ranking 41st nationally and minutes per game at 35:09 for 58th nationally.  He has a team-high 21 steals on the year.  Logan Hicks is third in scoring at 11.5 points per game and leads the team with 25 made triples in 69 attempts.  He is 47 of 118 from the field and 30 of 36 from the line.  Trey Kennedy is fourth in scoring at 10.1 points per game, ranking second on the team in assists (25) and tied for second in steals with 17.  The Mustangs lead the LSC in free throw percentage at a .750 clip, ranking 46th nationally and also lead the LSC in offensive rebounds per game at 12.69 ranking 56th nationally.  MSU is 16th in steals per game at 9.2, while ranking 18th nationally in total steals with 119. The Mustangs force 17.6 turnovers per game to rank 23rd nationally and are 34th nationally in turnover margin at a 3.5 clip.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH MIDWESTERN STATE - WT leads the all-time series 36-32 with Midwestern State and won the last meeting last season 80-74 in Canyon on Feb. 11.  WT is 26-9 all-time against the Mustangs in Canyon, while MSU is 21-8 in Wichita Falls and the teams are 2-2 on neutral floors.  The win last year was just the fifth for the Buffs over the Mustangs since 2009 (5-12) and just the third since 2012.  WT head coach Tom Brown is 2-4 against Midwestern State in his time at WT.
 
ABOUT CAMERON - The Aggies are 5-8 overall and 1-3 in LSC play and will visit No. 8 UT Permian Basin before heading to Canyon for Saturday's matchup.  The Aggies snapped a four-game losing skid with a 67-59 win over East Central last Saturday.  Cameron began the year 2-1, but has gone 3-7 since.  Bryce Elie leads the Aggies at 12.3 points per game.  He is 44 of 84 from the field (.524), while going 10 of 27 from beyond the arc and 13 of 19 from the line.  He is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game with nine assists and four blocks.  Tyus Momoh is second in scoring at 9.8 points per game, as is JV Long.  Long leads the team with a .582 field goal percentage on 53 of 91 from the field.  He has 56 assists and 24 steals to lead the team, while going 18 of 23 from the line.  Long is averaging 3.5 rebounds per game.  He leads the LSC in assist/turnover ratio at 2.95, while ranking second in the league in steals per game at 1.85.  He is fourth in the league in assists with 56.  As a team, the Aggies are shooting .434 from the field on 330 of 761.  Cameron is 106 of 295 from beyond the arc (.359) as the 106 made triples ranks second in the LSC behind WT.  CU is 174 of 247 from the line (.704) and is averaging 33.7 rebounds per game and 72.3 points per contest.  The opposition is shooting .452 against Cameron on 336 of 743, while going 111 of 309 from beyond the arc (.359) and 170 of 252 from the line (.675).  The opponents are averaging 35.3 rebounds and scoring 73.3 points per game.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH CAMERON - WT leads the all-time series 33-15 and won both meetings last season and five of seven.  The Buffs needed four overtimes to defeat Cameron in Lawton, Okla., last season 100-98 and won in Canyon, 87-82.  WT head coach Tom Brown is 5-2 against Cameron, while the Buffs are 20-5 all-time in Canyon and 11-9 in Lawton.  The Buffs are 2-1 against Cameron on neutral floors.
 
LOOKING AHEAD - The Buffs head on the road at Angelo State and Texas A&M-Commerce next Thursday and Saturday (Jan. 11-13), before returning home for five-straight games at the First United Bank Center to close out the month of January.    In February, the Buffs have two home games on Feb. 15-17 against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State, respectively, sandwiched between road trips to being the month and close it. 
 
BUFFS SIGN ONE IN NOVEMBER - WT signed the services of Mar'Qualen Grant for the 2018-19 season as he inked with the Buffs on National Signing Day.  Grant, shot 59 percent from the field and averaged 15.3 points per game for Waxahachie High School, while averaging six rebounds per game, four steals per game and six assists per contest.  He was a first team all-district 10-5A selection last season and was named the 2016-17 Newcomer of the Year in District 10-5A.  Last season, Grant helped lead his team to a 29-7 record and 14-0 in district play, while finishing the season as the 5A Region 2 semifinalist.  He also competed in AAU for head coach Brandon Ray.  Grant helped lead his team to the title of the Adidas Gauntlet Tournament in South Carolina.  It was the first time a Texas team had won the tournament.
 
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