Game Notes in PDF Format

CANYON, Texas –  After five-straight home games to conclude the month of January, the No. 8 West Texas A&M men's basketball team returns to the road for four of the final six games of the season, beginning Thursday evening at Cameron.  The Buffs and Aggies are set to tip at 7:30 p.m. as WT then will head down the road to face Midwestern State Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE RECORDS – WT has won a current league-best four-straight games and posted a 105-86 win over then-No. 8 UT Permian Basin in Canyon a week ago Tuesday.  The Buffs are 20-2 overall and 10-2 in Lone Star Conference play, tied with UTPB atop the league standings heading into the final month of the regular season.  Cameron enters 9-13 overall and 5-8 in conference play and posted a 67-58 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday, after a hard-fought 87-81 home loss to Angelo State on Thursday.  Midwestern State has gotten hot as of late as it is 9-14 overall and 5-8 in conference play.  MSU enters the week winners of three-straight and has won its las five home games for a 6-2 record at home this season.
 
HEADING DOWN THE HOME STRETCH - Entering the final month of the regular season for the Buffs, WT and UT Permian Basin sit atop the league standings each with a 10-2 record and a season split.  Texas A&M-Commerce sits at 9-4, a game ahead of Tarleton State at 8-5.  Angelo State is 7-5, followed by three teams at 5-8 (Eastern New Mexico, Cameron and Midwestern State) and Texas A&M-Kingsville sits just outside the top eight at 4-8, while Western New Mexico is 0-13.  The top eight teams in the final standings after the completion of the regular season advance to the conference tournament this year at Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas, Mar. 2-4. 
 
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. 
 
ADVANCED LSC CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS ON SALE NOW -  Advanced tickets for the 2018 Lone Star Conference Basketball Championship are on sale now at LSC member institutions with an all-session pass for $45 ($15 off the regular price) until February 27.  The LSC Championship will be held Mar. 1-4 at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas.  Fans can save $15 off the regular price for all-session passes and avoid fees by making an on-campus advance purchase.  The all-session ticket grants access to all seven sessions at a reduced rate of $45.  The all-session price increases to $60 for those not purchased through LSC schools by February 27.   Single-session tickets, which are available by a specific session only, are $15 for adults and $10 for students (University students with valid school I.D. (any institution) or children ages 2-18).  Individual session tickets are only for sale at the Dr Pepper Arena Box Office or on Ticketmaster.  Buff and Lady Buff fans, don't wait and purchase your tickets now through the WT Athletic Ticket Office or online at www.gobuffsgo.com for the LSC Basketball Championship!
 
WT IN THE NABC POLL – WT moved up two spots to No. 8 in the latest NABC Top 25 following its blowout win over then-No. 8 UT Permian Basin a week ago Tuesday.  For the second-straight week, Lincoln Memorial leads the poll, followed by Queens (N.C.), Ferris State, Western Oregon and West Liberty.  Northwest Missouri State remained at six, while Bellarmine moved up two spots to seven and WT was eighth.  Valdosta State moved into the top ten at nine, while Southern Nazarene moved up four spots to tenth.  UT Permian Basin fell to 13th, while Fort Lewis sits at 14th, Arkansas-Fort Smith (21st) and Dallas Baptist (22nd), among teams in the South Central Region.  WT non-conference foe Southern Indiana sits just outside the Top 25 at 27th, while Texas A&M-Commerce also is among others receiving votes.
 
RECAPPING LAST WEEK – In a battle of the top two teams in the Lone Star  Conference, the West Texas A&M Buffs exacted some revenge for a 106-100 loss at UT Permian Basin on Dec. 5, with a 105-86 win a week ago Tuesday in Canyon.  Senior David Chavlovich paced the Buffs with 26 points - 21 in the second half en route to the win.  He finished the game going 6 o 12 from the field with three triples and was 11 of 12 from the line, while narrowly missing a double-double with nine assists and he recorded four steals.  Freshman Gaige Prim recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 18 points tying his career-high and 12 rebounds.  He was 6 of 13 from the field and 6 of 8 from the line.  Freshman CJ Jennings added a career-high 16 points, while senior Jordan Evans chipped in 15.  The Buffs blitzed the Falcons from the get go as WT drained 16 triples in the game for the second-most in a game this season (Southwestern Christian, 11/24/17).  The Buffs went 31 of 66 from the field and 27 of 33 from the line, while recording 11 steals and forced 18 turnovers, leading 27-5 in points off turnovers.  The Bufsf held the high-powered Falcons to just 46.9 percent shooting as they came in averaging 50.7 percent from the field and held the LSC leading rebounder Sammy Allen to just seven rebounds and seven points.  Daeshon Francis had 26 points to lead the Falcons on 9 of 18 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line with nine rebounds and six assists.
 
MOVING UP THE SEASON CHARTS - Senior Jordan Evans has buried 88 triples this season, as he now is eighth all-time in school history in triples in a season.  Senior teammate David Chavlovich leads the school record book with 112 triples in 2015-16.  Evans needs one triple to tie his previous mark of 89 set in 2015-16 and five to tie Chavlovich for fifth from Chavlovich's 2014-15 freshman season of 93. Evans also is tied for eighth all-time in triples made in a season with 209, tying him with Cedrich Wilbon (1995-96). Chavlovich leads the record book with 287 triples attempted in 2015-16. 
 
TOP IN 3's - Both Chavlovich and Evans are the top two career 3-point shooters in school history as Chavlovich has buried 350, while Evans has 263 triples.  Evans passed Martin Lattibeaudiere (1993-97) with four trifectas last week against UT Permian Basin.  The duo also leads the record book in 3-point field goals attempted for a career has Chavlovich has attempted 959 triples, while Evans is tied for Lattibeaudiere with 662. 
 
PLAYIN' SOME GAMES - Chavlovich has played in 114 games in his storied career at WT.  He is just two games shy of tying the school-record set by Kyle Shields (2004-08) with 116 games played.  If Chavlovich plays in both games this week, he will tie Shields for the all-time record at WT. 
 
CHAVLOVICH NATIONALLY - Nationally speaking, Chavlovich ranks second in NCAA Division II among current player in career scoring with 2,205 points and fourth overall in all divisions.  He is first in D2 in triples made (350), first in 3-pointers attempted (959) and leads all divisions.  He is first in D2 and second in all divisions in field goals attempted (1,698).  He is second in D2 in 1,500 points and 350 assists with 436 assists.
 
CHAVLOVICH AND PRIM HONORED - Senior David Chavlovich and freshman Gaige Prim were named Lone Star Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, this week.  It is the second time this season the duo has swept the weekly awards and third time overall for WT. 
 
ABOUT CAMERON - The Aggies enter with a 9-13 record overall and a 5-8 mark in Lone Star Conference play.  Cameron is led by JV Long who leads the LSC in assist/turnover ratio at 2.81, good for 19th nationally and is third in the LSC in steals per game at 1.64 ,while ranking sixth in the LSC in assists (87) and second in steals (36).  He is averaging a team-high 10.5 points per game, while going 86 of 165 from the field (.521) and 47 of 60 from the line (.783).  He has 11 triples on the year, while averaging 4.0 rebounds per game.  Second on the team in scoring is Tyler Williams at 10.0 points per game.  He is 78 of 183 from the field and is 19 of 65 from range, while going 34 of 51 from the line. Williams is second in rebounding at 5.1 per game and second in assists with 45.  Jalen Nicholas leads the team averaging 5.2 rebounds per game, while Johann Tate leads the team with 39 triples in 105 attempts.  The Aggies lead the LSC in fewest turnovers (256) for 50th nationally and fewest turnovers per game at 11.6 for 40th nationally.  CU is shooting .424 from the field on 564 of 1330, while going 176 of 513 from beyond the arc (.343) and 318 of 451 from the line (.705).  The 176 triples ranks third in the LSC behind Texas A&M-Commerce (185) and WT (257). Cameron is averaging 35.3 rebounds per game, while scoring 73.7 points per contest and allowing 74.0 per game.  CU is second in the LSC in turnover margin at 2.7 ranking 38th nationally.  Head coach Andrew Brown is in his second year at the helm of the team as he is 26-24 overall there and 0-3 against WT.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH CAMERON - The Buffs lead the all-time series 34-15 and have won the last three in the series, including a 93-59 decision in Canyon on Jan. 6 and a 100-98, four overtime thriller on Jan. 7, 2017, in Lawton, for the longest game in school history for WT.  The Buffs are 11-9 all-time in Lawton and have won the last three meetings there dating back to a 69-68 loss on Jan. 11, 2014.  It was the fourth-straight road loss at Cameron to that point.  WT fourth-year head coach Tom Brown is 6-2 against Cameron since arriving in 2014.
 
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST CAMERON - The Buffs blasted Cameron in the first meeting between the two teams in a 93-59 win on Jan. 6.  WT held Cameron to just 29.2 percent shooting for the game on 19 of 65 from the field.  The Aggies were just 5 of 20 from range and were 16 of 17 from the line.  WT held a 51-32 lead in rebounding for the largest rebounding margin of the season.  Jordan Evans paced the Buffs with 23 points, including six triples and seven field goals made, while Prim had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.  Junior Gach Gach buried four triples in the game and scored 16 points, while junior Ryan Quaid had 10 rebounds and nine points.  Williams paced the Aggies with 11 points as the lone player in double figures.
 
ABOUT MIDWESTERN STATE - The Mustangs enter the week with a 9-14 record overall and a 5-8 mark in Lone Star Conference play and will host nationally ranked UT Permian Basin Thursday, before WT visits Saturday afternoon.  Brandon Neel leads the Mustangs this season as he is fourth in the LSC in points per game at 18.2, while ranking first in total field goal attempts (328) and total field goals made (158).  He is fifth in the league in field goal percentage at a .482 clip.  Neel is fifth in the LSC in free throw attempts (108) and sixth in free throws made with 76.  Teammate Devante Pullum is second to Chavlovich in free throw percentage in the LSC at an .854 clip.  Pullum is fourth in assist/turnover ratio at 1.88 and second to Chavlovich in assists per game at 4.7 per contest and has 107 assists on the year. Pullum is 70 of 82 from the line and is second in scoring on the team at 14.1 points per game.  Pullum leads the LSC in minutes played at 816 and Neel is fourth in the league in minutes played at 755.  The Mustangs are second in the league as a team in offensive rebounds at 12.61 per game, behind WT, while MSU is third in free throw percentage (.726), fourth in scoring offense (79.7), third in steals (7.3) and fourth in total rebounds (849).  The Mustangs are second in steals with 169, fourth in turnover margin (1.8) and third in turnovers forced at 15.83.  Head coach Nelson Hagerty is 144-64 in his seventh season in Wichita Falls and is 9-4 against WT.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH MIDWESTERN STATE - The Buffs lead the all-time series 37-32 and have won the last two matchups both in Canyon, including an 83-76 win on Jan. 4 of this year.  MSU leads the all-time series in Wichita Falls, 21-8 and has won nine-straight in D.L. Ligon Coliseum dating back to an 86-83 overtime win by the Buffs on Feb. 13, 2008.  WT has won just twice there since 2005 (2-12).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH MIDWESTERN STATE - The Buffs won the first matchup in the basketball portion of the Highway 287 Challenge with the 83-76 win on Jan. 4, but MSU came roaring back early in the second half for a 16-6 run and a 49-47 lead on a triple from Pullum with 16:04 left in the game after trailing 41-33 at intermission.  From there, WT regained the lead for good on an emphatic dunk from Quaid and built the lead to as many as 11, before a rally by the Mustangs cut the deficit to five with 2:10 left. WT ended the game scoring eight of the final 14 points for the win.  WT had two double-doubles in the game from Quaid (11 pts./10 rebs.) and Prim (17 pts./12 rebs.), while Chavlovich paced WT with 18 points.  Pullum had a game-high 24 points, while Neel chipped in 16. Both teams hit ten triples in the game.
 
INSIDE THE HIGHWAY 287 CHALLENGE - WT leads the Fifth Annual Highway 287 Challenge this season 7-4 and has won three of the four challenges between the schools since its inception in 2013-14. 
 
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK 20 - With the 105-86 win over UT Permian Basin a week ago Tuesday, the Buffs won their 20th game, marking the third consecutive season of 20 or more wins.  WT last won 20 or more games for three seasons or more from 1997-2001 with four-straight 20-plus win campaigns.
 
THE 20-2 START - WT's 20-2 start matches the best start since the 1997-98 team which began the year 22-2 before a loss to Abilene Christian and finished the season 26-5 under former head coach Rick Cooper.
 
CHAVLOVICH FOR 30 - For the third time this season, senior David Chavlovich scored in the 30s as he was 9 of 22 from the field, 3 of 11 from beyond the arc and 9 of 11 from the line in the 86-82 win over Texas A&M-Commerce Jan. 20.  He tallied three rebounds, six assists and one steal in 35 minutes of action.  It was the 10th time this season he has led the team in scoring and 63rd overall for his storied career.
 
QUAID TABBED WEEKLY BEST AGAIN - Junior Ryan Quaid was named LSC Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season following his ninth and tenth double-doubles in road wins at Angelo State and at Texas A&M-Kingsville (Jan. 11-13).  Quaid finished the week averaging 17.5 points, 15.5 rebounds with 31 total rebounds and 21 defensive boards, along with three blocks, and went a team-best 13 of 21 from the line (.619).  He was 9 of 12 from the line. He is the only player in the league to earn the honor four times this season.
 
QUAID TABBED USBWA WEEKLY BEST  - Junior Ryan Quaid was named United States Basketball Writers Association Division II men's basketball National Player of the Week.  It is his first weekly honor as USBWA National Player of the Week.
 
CHAVLOVICH NAMED TO WATCH LIST -  Senior David Chavlovich was named one of 100 student-athletes to the Small College Basketball (SCB) 2018 Bevo Francis Award Top 100 Watch List, announced this week. Chavlovich and UT Permian Basin's Daeshon Francis are the lone representatives from the LSC, while Darrion Strong-Moore of Arkansas-Fort Smith also was named to the watch list from the South Central Region.
 
BROWN WINS 80 - WT fourth year head coach Tom Brown won his 80th game at the helm of the Buffs in the thrilling 70-69 victory at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Jan. 13.  Brown currently is 84-33 (.718) during his time at WT. 
 
EVANS FROM DEEP - Senior Jordan Evans is 10th all-time in a single season with 78 made triples.  He is 78 of 182 from beyond the arc this season.  Evans' 86 triples ranks eighth from 2016-17 and his 89 triples is seventh from 2015-16.    He is third all-time in school history in career triples made with 253 and third in career triples attempted (635). 
 
EVANS MOVES INTO SEVENTH IN SCORING - Evans scored 28 points last week and moved into seventh all-time in career scoring with 1,210 points. He needs 20 points to tie Tez Dumars (2011-15) for fifth all-time at 1,230 points.
 
CHAVLOVICH TOPS ALL-TIME - This season, senior David Chavloivch has taken over the all-time lead in career field goals made (694), field goals attempted (1,698), 3-point field goals made (350), 3-point field goals attempted (959), free throws made (467) and free throws attempted (591). 
 
QUAID SEEING DOUBLE - Junior Ryan Quaid ranks 14th nationally in double-doubles with 11 to lead the LSC.  Haywood Highsmith of Wheeling Jesuit (W.Va.) leads the nation with 20.  Quaid has 17 double-doubles for his career.  WT freshman Gaige Prim has six double-doubles this season in his first year as a Buff.
 
HIGH SCORING BUFFS - WT is averaging 89.3 points per game ranking 10th nationally and second in the LSC.  The Buffs have scored 90 or more points 11 times this season and have scored over 100 points five times.  All but four games this season the Buffs have scored 80 or more points.  WT is eighth nationally in scoring margin at 15.4 per game to lead the league.
 
DEADLY FROM DISTANCE - WT is fifth nationally in 3-point field goal attempts (710), while ranking ninth in 3-pointers made (257) and 10th in 3-pointers per game at 11.7 as all lead the LSC.  WT is 257 of 710 from beyond the arc this season for a .362 clip ranking fourth in the LSC.  The Buffs are holding teams to just a .323 clip from beyond the arc for second in the LSC and 36th nationally. 
 
CHAVLOVICH AND EVANS FROM DOWNTOWN - Senior Jordan Evans is fourth nationally in 3-pointers attempted (209), fourth in 3-pointers made per game (4.00) and fourth in total triples with 88.  Evans is second in the LSC in 3-point field goal percentage at a .421 clip.  Senior David Chavlovich is sixth in the LSC in triples made with 53, fourth in triples attempted (157) and sixth in the league in triples per game at 2.41.   
 
GETTING THE FREEBIES - As a team, the Buffs are 13th in free throw attempts this season (560), eighth in free throws made (421) and first in the LSC in free throw percentage at a .752 clip.  WT recorded a perfect 10 for 10 in free throws against Tarleton State Jan. 18, marking the second time this season the Buffs have been perfect at the line (9-9 vs. Rollins (12/19). 
 
WITH THE ASSIST - The Buffs are 51st nationally in assist/turnover ratio at a 1.27 clip to lead the LSC, while ranking third in the league in assists per game at 15.5.  WT is third in the league in total assists with 340 ranking 66th nationally.  Senior David Chavlovich is second in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio at 2.15 and leads the LSC in assists per game at 5.2 for 43rd nationally.  He is 36th in the nation in total assists with 114 to lead the LSC. 
 
PROTECTING THE ROCK - WT is second in the LSC in fewest turnovers with 268 to Cameron, while ranking 65th in turnovers per game at 12.2 for second in the LSC behind Cameron.  WT is 50th in turnover margin at 2.2, ranking third in the league.
 
GLASS CLEANERS - The Buffs are 11th nationally and second in the LSC in defensive rebounds per game at 29.18, while ranking 21st nationally in total rebounds with 920 for second in the LSC.  WT is 11th nationally in rebounds per game at 41.82 for second in the conference.  Junior Ryan Quaid is 16th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (7.55) ranking second in the league, while leading the LSC in offensive rebounds at 3.18 ranking 37th nationally.  He is 11th nationally in rebounds per game at 10.7, ranking second in the LSC.  Quaid is ninth nationally in total rebounds with 236, leading the league. 
 
GETTIN' TO THE RIM - The Buffs are fifth in the LSC in field goal percentage at a .449 clip.  Junior Ryan Quaid leads the team at a .635 clip ranking 11th nationally and second in the LSC on 122 of 192.  WT is 643-1432 from the field.  Quaid's 122 field goals made ranks second on the team behind senior David Chavlovich with 132. Chavlovich is fourth in the LSC in made field goals, while Quaid is sixth.
 
LSC RECORDS FALL - Senior David Chavlovich owns the LSC career records for 3-pointers made (350) and 3-pointers attemped (959).  The previous records were 325 triples made from Stephen Hamrick of Eastern New Mexico (1992-96) and 3-pointers attempted (811) also by Hamrick.  Chavlovich is 175 points from tying the LSC career scoring record in the LSC of 2,380 points by Nate Granger of Texas A&M-Commerce (East Texas State) from 1973-77.  Chavlovich has scored 443 points this season leading the LSC in total points, ranking 44th nationally.  He would need 619 total points this season to break the record for the season as he has scored over 619 points each of the last two seasons.
 
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.
 
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.
 
LOOKING AHEAD - Following the games this week, the Buffs return home to host Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State in the final regular season home games of the year Feb. 15 and Feb. 17, respectively.  It will be Hall of Champions Weekend for WT as the 2017 Hall of Champions inductees will be honored throughout the doubleheader against Angelo State on Feb. 17.  In addition, it will be Senior Day on Feb. 17 as the Buffs will honor four seniors playing in their final regular season home game.
 
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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