| West Texas A&M (14-8, 9-7) vs. Angelo State (13-9, 9-7 LSC) |
| Date & Time |
Saturday, February 8th at 3 p.m. |
| Location |
Canyon, Texas | First United Bank Center |
| Live Statistics |
StatBroadcast |
| Live Video (Pay Per View) |
FloCollege |
| Other Links |
Game Notes |
CANYON, Texas – On Saturday, West Texas A&M men's basketball hosts Lone Star Conference-rival Angelo State for the program's inaugural 806 Day. The Buffs will wear special uniforms for the 3 p.m. matchup with the Rams.
LIVE COVERAGE
The Athletic Communications Department from West Texas A&M will provide live stats and a pay-per-view web stream. Fans will need to purchase a monthly ($19.99) or annual ($107.88) subscription with FloSports, the official streaming provider of the Lone Star Conference. The subscription allows fans access to any content available on FloSports.
A LOOK AT THE BUFFS
The Buffs are led by junior guard
Ahamed Mohammed who averages 17.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while tallying 48 assists.
Noah Pagotto follows Mohammed with 14.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Jailyn Sledge paces the team with 6.9 rebounds per game while making 40 steals and 22 blocks.
SCOUTING ANGELO STATE
The Rams fell to 13-9 overall and 9-7 in LSC play with an 82-62 loss to Eastern New Mexico on Thursday. Angelo State is led by head coach Vinay Patel who is in his third season in San Angelo and 11
th overall. Patel has produced a 179-122 record in his career and a 58-27 record as the head coach of the Rams.
On the season, Angelo State averages 69.5 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting from the field while giving up 67.1 points per game to opponents. Two players average double-digit scoring led by Sterling Gaston-Chapman's 12.8 points per game. Carvell Teasett follows with 10.3 points per game. Gaston-Chapman also leads the team with 5.1 rebounds per game while Kendrick Delahoussaye paces the Rams with 56 total assists. Kaden Evans paces the Rams with 44 steals while DJ Freeman has blocked 11 shots.
THE SERIES
WT leads the all-time series with Angelo State 60-26 including 36-6 in Canyon. Earlier this season, the Buffs went into San Angelo and grabbed an 81-61 victory over the Rams at the Junell Center.
Tom Brown is 21-5 against Angelo State in his tenure at the helm of the Buffs.
W, 81-61 – Odessa, 2025
W, 81-66 – Canyon (NCAA), 2024
W, 94-90 (OT) – San Angelo, 2024
W, 88-73 – Canyon, 2024
W, 69-59 – Canyon (NCAA), 2023
LAST TIME OUT
A red-hot start from the West Texas A&M men's basketball team set up a 68-54 victory over the Falcons of UT Permian Basin on Thursday night in Canyon. The Buffs, who led wire-to-wire, improve to 9-7 in Lone Star Conference play and 14-8 overall on the season. Three Buffs reached double-digit scoring on Thursday night led by a career and game-high 26 from
Narit Chotikavanic.
Mackenzie Morgan (13) and
Noah Pagotto (12) also ended their night in double figures.
Jailyn Sledge recorded a team-high six rebounds and two blocks while Chotikavanic dished out three assists.
THE BROWN ERA
Head coach
Tom Brown enters his 11th season at the helm of Buffalo Basketball, building the program into one of the elite NCAA Division II schools in the nation. He has guided the Buffs to seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments including the Buffs first-ever NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2021. Under Brown, the Buffs are 280-70 since he took the reins in 2014 for an incredible winning percentage of 80.0%. Brown registered his 250
th career victory on Jan. 13, 2024, after the Buffs defeated UT Permian Basin, 77-69, to become just the second coach in program history to reach the 250-win plateau.
NABC TOP 25 POLL
The top five remained untouched as Washburn earned 399 points on 15 first-place votes followed by Daeman (381, 1 fpv), Nova Southeastern (370), Alabama Huntsville (354), and Missouri S&T (336). DBU (300) jumped to No. 6 with Valdosta (276), Lincoln Memorial (271), Lake Superior State (269), and Colorado School of Mines (269) making the remainder of the top 10
The South Central Region is represented by three teams in the poll with DBU leading the way at No. 6. Colorado School of Mines (10
th) and St. Mary's (25
th) also earned spots in the poll. Lubbock Christian and MSU Denver received votes in the poll.
ON THIS DAY: FEB. 8
Thursday's game marks the 36
th time the Buffs have played on this date after playing on this date last season. WT is 25-10 in games on Feb. 8 including 3-0 under
Tom Brown. The Buffs are 5-0 in their last five games on this date and 10-0 in their last 10.
W, 76-69 – UT Permian Basin, 2024
W, 73-59 – Angelo State, 2020
W, 103-93 (OT) – Cameron, 2018
W, 58-51 – Texas A&M-Kingsville, 2014
W, 57-49 – Abilene Christian, 2012
BEVO FRANCIS TOP 100 WATCH LIST
West Texas A&M junior
Ahamed Mohammed was named to the Top 100 Watch List for the 2024-2025 Bevo Francis Award presented to the top player in Small College Basketball, awarded by SmallCollegeBasketball.com. The honor is awarded to a deserving player whose university is affiliated within NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, USCAA and NCCAA.
The Clarence "Bevo" Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character, and team achievements. This is an incredibly prestigious award, as this award will only be given to one player within Small College Basketball per season.
On February 15
th, the list will be reduced to the Top 50 players. One month later on March 15
th, the Top 25 players will be announced. The finalists for the Bevo Francis Award will be on April 5
th with the winner announced on April 7
th. More information will be available in the coming months.
LSC PRESEASON FAVORITE
WT earned the top spot in the poll with 28 first-place votes and 687 points followed by Dallas Baptist with 12 first-place votes and 671 points. Lubbock Christian (4 fpv, 628) took the third spot while Angelo State (555) and St. Edward's (545) make up the top five. Texas A&M International (1 fpv, 427), Eastern New Mexico (391), Cameron (386), UT Permian Basin (338), and Oklahoma Christian hold the sixth through 10
th spots, respectively. Midwestern State (318), St. Mary's (313), Texas A&M-Kingsville (198), UT Tyler (152), Western New Mexico (124), and Sul Ross State (63) finish out the poll.
THE LONE STAR
The 2024-25 LSC basketball schedule will feature 16 men's teams in two divisions with each team playing a double round-robin schedule within their division. Additionally, teams will play eight crossover competitions against teams from the opposite division for a total of 22 conference games.
The Lone Star Conference presents its 51st men's basketball tournament March 7-8-9, 2025, played at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. The eight-team bracket includes the East and West Division winners, who automatically receive berths, with the remaining qualifiers and seeding based on results versus all LSC teams. The Division II Men's Basketball Championship starts with regionals March 14-18 at campus sites and continues to the Elite Eight March 25-29 in Evansville, Ind.
2023-24 REVIEW
The Buffs returned to the Final Four in the 2023-24 season, capturing the program's fifth regional title. Despite seeing its run of consecutive Lone Star Conference tournament titles come to an end, WT earned the top seed in the South Central region, hosting the regional tournament for the second consecutive year. The Buffs swept their way through the regional tournament, defeating eight-seeded Angelo State and fourth-seeded and No. 12-ranked Dallas Baptist to reach the championship game. Facing off against third-seeded and No. 6-ranked Colorado Mesa, a big second half lifted the Buffs to the regional title with
Larry Wise earning Tournament MVP honors. At the Elite Eight, WT defeated fifth-seeded and No. 14-ranked North Georgia 90-76 to advance to the Final Four where top-seeded Minnesota State outlasted the Buffs, 79-72.
HOME SWEET HOME
West Texas A&M is home to one of the finest multi-purpose facilities in the country as the First United Bank Center has served as the home of the Buffaloes since January 26, 2002. The Buffaloes are a staggering 275-58 inside of the FUBC during that time for a winning clip of 82.6%. The Buffs are an astounding 154-17 at the First United Bank Center under
Tom Brown including three undefeated seasons at home.
HOME OF CHAMPIONS
West Texas A&M is home to one of the most successful athletic programs in all of NCAA Division II.
The Buffs and Lady Buffs finished third in the 2023-24 Division II LEARFIELD Director's Cup standings. It marked the sixth straight and eighth overall time that WT finished inside of the Top 10 including the fifth straight inside of the Top 5.
UP NEXT
The Buffs turn around to host Angelo State on Saturday for 806 Day. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the First United Bank Center.
FOLLOW THE BUFFS
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Buff action on online and on social media. Follow the Buffs on X (@WTAMU_MBB), Instagram (@wtamu_mbb), and Facebook (/WTAMUMBB).
