#8 West Texas A&M (10-0) vs. Central Missouri (9-3)
Date	Tuesday, December 16 | 1:00 p.m.
Location	San Antonio, Texas | Bill Greehey Arena
Follow Along	Live Stats
Watch Live	MIAA Network (Pay-Per-View)
Additional Links	Game Notes

CANYON, Texas – The #8 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M travel to San Antonio, Texas for a midweek showdown with the Central Missouri Mules during the River City Holiday Classic beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Bill Greehey Arena.
 
UT DALLAS REWIND
WT battled for 40 minutes on Saturday afternoon to remain unbeaten with a 94-92 Lone Star Conference victory over the Comets of UT Dallas at the UTD Activity Center in Richardson, Texas. Fontaine Williams scored 26 points, converting 12 of 15 from the free-throw line, and added seven assists. Zach Brown tallied 18 points, hitting all four of his 3-point attempts, and collected six rebounds. Brock Mishak contributed 14 points and recorded five assists while securing seven rebounds. Brendan Ballard posted 10 points and excelled defensively with four blocks and four steals.
 
SCOUTING THE MULES
Central Missouri enters the week with an overall record of 9-3 with a 2-1 mark in MIAA action following a 78-72 double overtime loss to #2 Washburn on Saturday afternoon in Topeka. The Mules had four players score in double-figures against the Ichabods led by Lazerek Houston who went 8-of-19 from the floor and 4-of-9 from deep for 21 points.
 
The Mules are receiving votes in the latest National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) Division II Top-25 pol announced last week. UCM is coming off of a 15-15 campaign last season as they advanced to the second round of the MIAA Championships before falling to Fort Hays State, 67-61.
 
Houston leads the way offensively for the Mules as the freshman guard from Lincoln, Nebraska has gone 85-of-182 (46.7%) from the floor including 20-of-59 (33.9%) from behind the arc and 46-of-64 (71.9%) from the free throw line to average 19.7 points per game to go along with 49 rebounds, 58 assists, 22 steals and four blocks.
 
UCM HEAD COACH ADAM BOHAC
Adam Bohac is now in his third season at the helm of the Central Missouri men's basketball program. He holds an overall record of 37-33 during his time in Warrensburg, the 18-year head coaching veteran is 349-179 overall.
 
Bohac arrived in Warrensburg after serving as the head coach at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma for 15 seasons. In his time at SNU, Bohac compiled an impressive resume, posting a 312-146 overall record as he led the Storm to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.
 
The Kimball, Nebraska native played collegiately at the University of Nebraska from 2000-04 where he four-year letterwinner for the Huskers.
 
THE SERIES
Tuesday afternoon marks the sixth all-time meeting on the hardwood between the Buffs and Mules and the first since 1994, the series dates back to the 1932-33 campaign. It will be the fifth neutral site meeting between the two schools and the first in the Lone Star State since March 2, 1939.
 
WT HEAD COACH TOM BROWN
Tom Brown, now in 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 275-62 (.816) 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 295-75 (.797) overall and 157-43 (.785) 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 TOP-25 POLL
The Buffaloes jumped five spots to 8th in last week's edition of the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) Division II Top-25 Poll announced on Tuesday afternoon. The South Central Region is represented by Lubbock Christian (4th), St. Mary's (7th), West Texas A&M (8th), St. Edward's (14th), Black Hills State (19th) and Eastern New Mexico (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.
 
RIVER CITY HOLIDAY CLASSIC
16-Division II institutions make their way to San Antonio, Texas this weekend for the River City Holiday Classic. The event will be held at Northside Sports Gym as well as Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of St. Mary's University.
 
Participating teams: Fort Lewis, St. Edward's, St. Mary's, Central Oklahoma, Missouri-St. Louis, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Rogers State, Dallas Baptist, Lubbock Christian, Washburn, West Texas A&M, Pittsburg State, Central Missouri, UT Permian Basin, Arkansas-Fort Smith and Midwestern State.