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GAME NOTES: Buffs Open LSC South Action On Road This Weekend
Jan. 20, 2004
The West Texas A&M University men's basketball team will open Lone Star Conference South division action on the road this weekend, traveling to Kingsville, Texas on Thursday, Jan. 22 to take on Texas A&M University-Kingsville in an 8 p.m. contest at TAMUK's Steinke Physical Education Center.
The Buffs' roadtrip continues at Commerce, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 24 against Texas A&M University-Commerce. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at TAMUC's Field House.
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
About The Teams
The Buffs are 10-5 overall, after having their seven-game win streak snapped by then-No. 3 Tarleton State University, 63-60, Saturday. {Complete NABC/Division II Top 25 Poll}
TAMUK is 10-6, after winning its third-straight, an 89-70 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce, Monday at Kingsville.
Texas A&M-Commerce is 9-7 after losing to Texas A&M-Kingsville, Monday.
The Coaches
WTAMU head coach Rick Cooper (Wayland Baptist, 1981), who is in his 10th year at the helm of the Buffs, is WTAMU's all-time winningest head coach. Cooper became WTAMU's all-time winningest coach with in the Buffs' win at Southwestern Oklahoma on Jan. 8. Cooper currently has 209 wins, passing Sam Burton's 206 wins from 1921-1933. With a 209-98 (.688) overall record, Cooper currently is fourth on WTAMU's Best Winning Percentage list. {See below for WTAMU's coaching log}.
Cooper is a three-time LSC Coach of the Year (1993-'94, 1997-'98, 1998-'99), as well as NABC South Central Regional Coach of the Year (1997-'98).
The Buffs have won three LSC titles under Cooper and been to the NCAA Regional Tournament five times, including three in the last four years. Cooper is 12-10 vs. TAMUK as the Buffs' head coach and 15-8 vs. TAMUC.
Texas A&M-Kingsville is coached by Pete Peterson (Southwestern, Kan.), who is in his seventh year on the Javelinas' bench. Peterson has a 88-90 (.494) record not only at TAMUK, but also career record.
Texas A&M-Commerce head coach Sam Walker (Sam Houston State, 1991) is in his fourth season leading the Lions. Walker has a 52-48 (.520), record in his four-year tenure as head coach, and coached his 100th career game Monday.
About WTAMU
The Buffs are 10-5 overall, after having their seven-game win streak snapped by No. 3 Tarleton State University, 63-60, Saturday.
TSU opened a 14-8 lead before WTAMU charged back to take a 29-23 lead with 3:01 to play in the first half on a layup by 6-4 senior forward Jason Campbell.
However, the Texans marched back to tie it at 32-all at halftime.
TSU had largest lead of the game at 43-36 on a layup at the 16:07 mark, before WTAMU responded with a 7-2 spurt, capped by another layup by Campbell, to pull within 45-43 with 10:04 remaining, but the Buffs couldn't draw any closer the rest of the game and TSU held off a late WTAMU comeback attempt.
As a team, WTAMU leads the conference in blocked shots (3.67 bpg), and rank second in both 3-point FG pct. (.399) and free throw percentage (.717). The Buffs also rank third in 3-point FG pct. defense (.314), and fourth in offensive field goal percentage (.479).
On the season, 6-1 senior guard Rod Prater leads the Buffs with a 20.2 points per game average. Prater leads the LSC and is 34th in the country in scoring. He also is seventh in the conference in steals (1.92 spg), 10th in assists (3.38 apg) and 11th in free throw percentage (.753).
Eduardo Caviglia, a 6-4 senior guard, nets 12.0 ppg, ranking tied with teammate 6-1 junior guard Carl Lamb for 24th in the conference in scoring. Caviglia is fourth in the league and 29th in the country in 3-point FG pct (.458), as well as third in the conference and 24th in the nation in 3-pointers per game (3.1).
Lamb chips in 12.0 ppg, tied with Caviglia for 24th in the LSC, as well as ranking fifth in the league in 3-point FG pct (.455) and
sixth in assists (3.79 apg).
Richard Higginbotham, a 6-7 junior forward, pulls down a team-high 6.3 rebounds per contest, which ranks him tied for 10th in the conference. Higginbotham would lead the conference in FT pct (.909), but he doesn't meet the required minimum of 2.0 FT per game.
Carlos Silva, a 6-8 junior forward, leads the LSC and is 15th in the country in blocked shots (2.0 bpg), and also leads the conference in field goal percentage (.634).
Lamb Lights Up Treys Against Tarleton State
Carl Lamb netted a career-high 24 points in the Buffs' loss to Tarleton State. The 6-2 junior guard drained a career-high 5-of-7 3-pointers.
WTAMU On The Road
The Buffs are 4-3 on the road this season, having won their last three road contests, after losing their previous three.
WTAMU has lost three-straight at Kingsville, while the Buffs have won the last five meetings with TAMUC at Commerce.
About TAMUK
TAMUK is 10-6, after winning its third-straight, an 89-70 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce, Monday at Kingsville.
In that game, 6-1 senior guard Will Brown hit five 3-pointers to finish with a game-high 22 points, one of four Javelinas in double-figures. TAMUK has a lead of as much as 14 dwindle to just three before putting the game away with a 20-4 run. The Javelinas shot 62.5 percent (30-48) from the field, including 8-16 (50.0 percent) from 3-point land, as well as 87.5 percent (21-24) from the free throw line.
As a team, TAMUK leads the LSC in field goal percentage (.503) and free throw percentage (.753), ranking 13th in the country in field goal percentage and 25th in free throw percentage. The Javelinas also lead the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.13), and rank second in assists (16.00 apg).
Robert Hamilton, a 6-5 junior forward, leads TAMUK with 19.4 pgg, as well as sixth in the conference and 28th in the country in field goal percentage (.586). Hamilton also ranks eighth in the league in rebounding (6.9 rpg). Brown adds 15.4 ppg, ranking 12th in the league, as well as ranking 10th in 3-point FG made (41, 2.73 pg) and 15th in 3-point FG pct. (.345). Remi Yusef, a 6-4 sophomore guard, leads the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.78), ranks second in assists (4.56 apg), 11th in field goal percentage (.547) and tied for 13th in steals (1.67 spg). Jamie Barnett, a 6-7 senior forward, is 10th in the league in free throw percentage (.768).
About TAMUC
The Lions are 9-7 on the year, after Monday's 89-70 loss at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Poncho Reedy, a 5-10 senior guard, led TAMUC with 16 points, one of four starters in double-figures for the Lions.
TAMUC is third in the conference in both field goal pct. defense (.427), and 3-point field goal pct. defense (.332) and fourth in rebounding margin (+2.9).
On the season, 6-9 senior forward/center Clay Lewkowski leads the Lions with 16.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Lewkowski is tied for fourth in the league in scoring and fifth in rebounding, as well as 13th in field goal pct. (.514). Thaddeus Daggett, a 6-8 senior forward/center, is third in the conference in blocked shots (1.12 bpg), 10th in rebounding (6.5 rpg). Allen Walker, a 6-1 junior guard, is seventh in the league in free throw percentage (.788) and ninth in assists (3.38 apg). Jason Summers, a 6-1 senior guard, is fourth in the conference in steals (1.94 spg) and adds 10.4 ppg.
Buffs-Javelinas Series History
WTAMU leads the all-time series, 27-16, but Texas A&M-Kingsville has won the last three meetings, including both match-ups last season.
The Javelinas won, 72-68, on Jan. 30, snapping WTAMU's six-game win streak. Rod Prater led the Buffs with 23 points, while Kyle Caldwell pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds to go with his 14 points. Colin Merritt led TAMUK with 23 points.
In the regular season finale at Kingsville on March 1, the Javelinas edged the Buffs, 80-76, behind 30 points from William Brown. Prater again led WTAMU with 23 points.
WTAMU-TAMUC Series History
The Buffs lead the all-time series, 35-30, splitting both meetings last season, with the visiting team winning in each contest. Last year's loss snapped WTAMU's 10-game win streak in the series.
The Lions won at Canyon, 81-73, on Feb. 1, behind 21 points from Micah Reed, one of five TAMUC players in double-figures. Four Buffs were in double-digits, as Rod Prater, Matt Madison and Reggie Harris all tallied 14 points apiece, while Kyle Caldwell added 11 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds.
The Buffs got revenge on Feb. 27 at Commerce, claiming a 77-66 victory as four players were in double-figures, led by Chris Bracey's 14 points off the bench. Rod Prater dished out a career-high 10 assists to go with his 13 points. Micah Reed led the Lions with 18 points.
WTAMU Coaching Ledger
Head coach Rick Cooper became WTAMU's all-time winningest coach with the Buffs' win at Southwestern Oklahoma on Jan. 8. Cooper currently has 209 wins, passing Sam Burton's 206 wins from 1921-1933. With a 209-95 (.688) overall record, Cooper currently is fourth on WTAMU's Best Winning Percentage list.
WTAMU's Top Five Winningest Coaches List
Most Wins
Best Winning % (min. 20 games)
Last Action: No. 3 Tarleton State Too Much For Buffs, 63-60, Saturday (Jan. 17, 2004)
Texans Outrebound Buffs, 44-31, Snap WTAMU's Seven-Game Win Streak
Tarleton State University, ranked No. 3 in the NABC/Division II Top 25, was just too much for the West Texas A&M University men's basketball team, as the Texans edged the Buffs, 63-60, in a Lone Star Conference crossover doubleheader Saturday night at the WTAMU Event Center.
The Buffs were led by junior guard Carl Lamb's career-high 24 points, on a career-high five 3-pointers, while senior guard Rod Prater added 13 points for WTAMU, which had its seven-game win streak snapped with the loss and are now 10-5 on the year.
TSU won its seventh-straight game and could move up to No. 1 in next week's poll as both No. 1 and No. 2, Northwest Missouri and South Dakota State, respectively, lost this week. The Texans improved to 13-2 overall.
Three TSU players were in double figures, led by Chris Williams' 24 points. David Stephens netted 14 points, while Tim Burnette added 12 points. Williams pulled down a game-high nine rebounds as TSU outrebounded WTAMU, 44-31, including garnering 20 offensive rebounds which attributed to 22 more shot attempts.
The Texans were 25-66 (37.9 percent) from the field, including an icy 1-13 (7.7 percent) from behind the 3-point arc.
The Buffs weren't much better with a 43.2 percent (19-44) shooting from the floor, including 8-25 (32.0 percent) from 3-point land.
TSU opened a 14-8 lead before WTAMU charged back to take a 29-23 lead with 3:01 to play in the first half on a layup by senior forward Jason Campbell.
However, the Texans marched back to tie it at 32-all at halftime.
Burnette gave TSU its largest lead of the game at 43-36 on a layup at the 16:07 mark, before WTAMU responded with a 7-2 spurt, capped by another layup by Campbell, to pull within 45-43 with 10:04 remaining, but the Buffs couldn't draw any closer the rest of the game and TSU held off a late WTAMU comeback attempt.
Buffs' Next Action
The Buffs return home to the WTAMU Event Center on Thursday, Jan. 29, hosting Angelo State in an LSC South contest at 8 p.m.
WTAMU hosts Abilene Christian on Saturday, Jan. 31, in another 8 p.m. LSC South match-up.
JJ Jumper, the official mascot of NCAA Basketball will be at the WTAMU Event Center on Saturday, Jan. 31.
Fans can catch the action on the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM and www.gobuffsgo.com.
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