#15 West Texas A&M vs. Justice University / Fort Lewis
Date	Friday, November 28 - 5:30 p.m. / Saturday, November 29 - 5:30 p.m.
Location	Canyon, Texas | First United Bank Center
Follow Along	WT vs. JU | WT vs. FLC
Watch Live	FloCollege (Pay-Per-View)

CANYON, Texas – The #15 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M continue their homestand on Friday and Saturday as they host the WT Thanksgiving Classic at the First United Bank Center in Canyon. WT takes on Justice University on Friday followed by a Saturday regional showdown with Fort Lewis. LSC member Angelo State will also take part in the weekend tournament.
 
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA REWIND
The Buffaloes trailed the entire first half before forcing 10 turnovers and shooting 56.3% in the final period to claim a big 81-70 win over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos at the First United Bank Center in Canyon. Brock Mishak led the team with 18 points, connecting on 6 of 9 field goals and adding four rebounds. James Parlow Jr. contributed 15 points while recording three steals and three rebounds.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Justice University is located in Chandler, Arizona and the Lions are members of the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Lions average 93.3 points per game so far this season. Justice returns a pair of first team all-conference players in Vanti Erving Jr. and JD Walker. Erving Jr. averaged 20.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season, while Walker averaged 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds.
 
The Lions won their second Southwestern States Intercollegiate Conference championship last year and placed seventh at the NCCAA National Tournament. Justice finished last season with a 13-17 overall record and 11-1 mark in conference play.
 
JUSTICE HEAD COACH BJ LETCHER
BJ Letcher is in his fifth season at the helm of the Justice University men's basketball program. Fletcher has built the Lions into a competitive force within the NCCAA and the Southwest States (SWS) Conference. He is also the Founder and Director of AZ Unity Nike EYBL, one of the top youth basketball programs in the country.
 
Fletcher was named the Southwest States Conference Coach of the Year last season, leading the Lions to their second SWS Conference Title and another appearance in the NCCAA National Tournament where they finished seventh overall.
 
THE SERIES
Friday night marks just the second all-time meeting on the hardwood between the Buffs and Lions. WT claimed a 105-56 victory over Justice University in exhibition action back on November 29, 2024. The Buffs had five players in double-figures led by Kemper Jones with 21 points to go along with two rebounds and two assists.
 
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
Fort Lewis enters the holiday weekend with an overall record of 2-2 as they look to snap a two-game losing streak. The Skyhawks suffered a 94-76 loss to Lubbock Christian back on November 22^nd inn Durango.
 
Chuol Deng leads the way offensively for the Skyhawks as the senior forward from Juba, South Sudan has gone 24-of-55 (43.6%) From the floor including 5-of-14 (35.7%) from deep and 14-of-18 (77.8%) from the free throw line to average 16.8 points per game to go along with 36 rebounds, five assists, seven steals and three blocks.
 
FLC finished the 2024-25 campaign with an overall record of 19-12 with a 12-8 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Skyhawks claimed an 89-65 victory over Colorado Mesa in the opening round of the RMAC Championships before falling to Regis, 69-62 in the Semifinal round.
 
FLC HEAD COACH JORDAN MAST
Jordan Mast is in his second season leading the Fort Lewis men's basketball program. Mast improved on the Skyhawks' full-court press, guiding the 2024-25 team to average 12.5 steals, 19.35 turnovers forced, and a +6.9 turnover margin, marks that rank second, sixth, and seventh across all of NCAA Division II.
 
Mast came to Fort Lewis after leading the University of Antelope Valley (NAIA) as its head coach for five seasons. During his time at the helm, Mast guided the Pioneers to an overall record of 99-26, three Cal Pac regular-season championships, a pair of conference tournament titles, and three NAIA Tournament berths. Mast was named Cal Pac Conference Coach of the Year three times in his tenure.
 
THE SERIES
WT leads the all-time series with Fort Lewis, 8-3 in a series that dates back to 1999. The Skyhawks are 0-2 all-time at the First United Bank Center with trips to the Texas Panhandle coming in 2000 and 2016. The last meeting between the two teams took place on December 20, 2024 in Durango as the Skyhawks claimed a 76-69 victory. Noah Pagotto led the way for the Buffs with 19 points to go along with five rebounds, one assist and a block.
 
WT HEAD COACH TOM BROWN
Tom Brown, who enters his 12th season at the helm of the West Texas A&M men's basketball program, has built the Buffs into one of the elite NCAA Division II programs in the nation.  He has guided WT to nine consecutive NCAA Tournaments including the Buffs first-ever NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2021. 
 
Brown was hired as the 17th head coach in program history on April 16, 2014. In the past 10 seasons, Coach Brown and his staff are 270-62 (.813) and an average of 27 wins a season with appearances in the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four (2) and National Title game. During his time in Canyon, Brown is 289-75 (.794) overall and 155-43 (.783) in league action. 
 
LSC PRESEASON POLL
Defending Regional Champion Dallas Baptist claimed 42 of the possible 51 first place votes for a total of 850 points to sit atop of the poll followed by St. Mary's (two first place, 724), Lubbock Christian (four first place, 720), St. Edward's (669) and West Texas A&M (two first place, 654) to round out the top five.
 
Angelo State and Eastern New Mexico tied for sixth with 592 points followed by Midwestern State (558), UT Permian Basin (468), Texas A&M International (one first place, 350), Texas A&M-Kingsville (330), Cameron (301), Oklahoma Christian (266), UT Tyler (260), Western New Mexico (193), UT Dallas (188) and Sul Ross State (88).
 
St. Mary's Damani Claxton was tabbed the league's Preseason Player of the Year. The Bronx, New York native averaged 17.1 points, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season. He made 45 3-pointers and shot 80.4 percent from the free throw line. Claxton was named LSC Newcomer of the Year and earned first-team All-LSC honors.
 
NABC DIVISION II POLL
The Buffaloes are ranked 15^th in the first regular season edition of the NABC Division II Top-25 Poll announced on Tuesday. The South Central Region is represented by Lubbock Christian (5^th), St. Mary's (13^th), St. Edward's (14^th), WT (15^th), Black Hills State (22^nd) and Angelo State (RV).
 
2024-25 RECAP
The 2024-25 campaign saw WT made the NCAA National Tournament for a ninth-consecutive season where three freshmen made the LSC All-Freshman team. The Buffs also posted a 3.48 GPA in the classroom, tops in the Lone Star Conference for a second consecutive year. WT was named a recipient of the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award as Brock Mishak and Nicholas Jett were named to the NABC Honor Court.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The LSC and FloSports reached a historic agreement in August of 2024 for the largest streaming rights deal in NCAA Division II history. Fans have two different subscription options: $19.99 per month or $107.88 per year ($8.99/month). Additionally, those who use an .edu email address from an LSC member institution will be able to sign up at a discounted subscription price of $9.99 per month or $71.88 per year ($5.99/month)