Jan. 28, 2004

The West Texas A&M University men's basketball team returns home to the friendly confines of the WTAMU Event Center for a pair of games against Lone Star Conference South division rivals.

The Buffs host Angelo State University on Thursday, Jan. 29 in an 8 p.m. contest. WTAMU continues its short homestand on Saturday, Jan. 31, hosting Abilene Christian University in an 8 p.m. tip-off.

JJ Jumper, the official mascot of NCAA Basketball, will be at the WTAMU Event Center for Saturday's game.

Fans can tune into the Buffalo Sports Network, on KGNC 710 AM or streamed on the Internet at www.gobuffsgo.com.

Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
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About The Teams

The Buffs are 11-6 overall, 1-1 in LSC South action, after splitting a pair of road games over the weekend. WTAMU lost to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 86-68, Thursday, despite shooting 59.5 percent from the field, but committing a season-high 30 turnovers. The Buffs rebounded to pull away from Texas A&M University-Commerce, 82-65, Saturday.

Angelo State and Abilene Christian come into the weekend with identical overall records, after playing each other last week and having both lost to Midwestern State in their last action.

Angelo State is 10-7 overall, 0-2 in the LSC South, currently having lost the last three in a row, after dropping two games in last week's action. The Rams lost to Abilene Christian, 85-71, on Tuesday and were edged by Midwestern State, 77-74, Saturday.

Abilene Christian brings a 10-7 overall and 1-1 LSC South record into the weekend, opening at Eastern New Mexico on Thursday. The Wildcats clawed their way to a 85-71 victory over Angelo State Tuesday, before dropping an 82-78 overtime decision to Midwestern State on Thursday.

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 210 wins, passing Sam Burton's 206 wins from 1921-1933. With a 210-99 (.680) overall record, Cooper currently is fourth on WTAMU's Best Winning Percentage list.

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.

Angelo State head coach Joe Esposito (Marist, 1988) is in his sixth year leading the Rams. Esposito has a 97-60 (.618) overall record both at ASU and in his career. He led the Rams to the LSC South championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001-02, and being named the LSC South Coach of the Year. Esposito barely led the Rams to a winning record for five-straight years, with 14-13 ledgers both in his first season, 1998-99 and again last year.

Abilene Christian is coached by Klint Pleasant (David Lipscomb, 1998), who is in his third year at the helm of the Wildcats. Pleasant, who played football at ACU before transferring to David Lipscomb, has a 23-21 (.523) overall record as a collegiate head coach. He came to ACU after a tenure as an assistant at Division I Kent State, where he helped lead the Golden Flashes set a Mid-American Conference record for single-season victories, with 30, and a trip to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

About WTAMU

The Buffs are 11-6 overall, 1-1 in LSC South action, after splitting a pair of road games over the weekend. WTAMU lost to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 86-68, Thursday, but the Buffs rebounded to pull away from Texas A&M University-Commerce, 82-65.

In Thursday's game, although WTAMU outshot TAMU-Kingsville, 59.5 percent to 50.0 percent, the Buffs committed a season-high 30 turnovers in the loss. The game was close for the first seven minutes, with four ties and six lead changes, as the Buffs took a 12-10 lead with 13:37 left in the first half on a layup by 6-8 junior forward Carlos Silva.

The Javelinas then erupted for a 16 unanswered points to open a 26-12 lead and never looked back.

WTAMU's leading scorer, 6-1 senior guard Rod Prater, was held to a season-low eight points. Fellow senior guard Eduardo Caviglia (6-4), the Buffs' second-leading scorer didn't even attempt a shot and was held to zero points.

Jason Campbell, a 6-4 senior forward, tied a career-high with a game-high 23 points, while 6-0 sophomore guard Keenan Hooker added a career-high 12 points, including three 3-pointers. Steve Jackson, a 6-2 sophomore guard, dished out a career-high seven assists for the Buffs who lost their second in a row, after winning the previous seven games.

On Saturday, WTAMU opened the game with an 11-2 run, on three 3-pointers, two by Caviglia, who didn't even attempt a shot in the Buffs' loss Thursday, as well as a trey and a layup by Campbell.

The Buffs opened a 57-38 lead on a 3-pointer from 6-2 junior guard Carl Lamb, his third of the half, with 11:33 to play, capping an 11-2 run.

The Lions used a 13-4 run to draw within 71-63 with 2:30 to play.

WTAMU solidified the victory by clamping down on defense, limiting TAMU-C to only one field goal in the last two minutes, meanwhile hitting 5-6 free throws down the stretch.

The Buffs were led by Prater's 24 points, while Lamb added 20 points, including 14 in the second half. Campbell chipped in 18 points, while Caviglia ended with a team-high eight rebounds, one short of his career-high, along with netting nine points on three 3-pointers, all in the first half.

As a team, WTAMU leads the conference in 3-point FG pct. (.406), and rank second in field goal pct. (.486), free throw pct. (.721) and 3-point FG made (142, 8.35 pg).

The Buffs rank 20th in the NCAA-II statistics in 3-point FG pct., as well as 36th in 3-point FG made and 28th in field goal pct.

Taking care of the ball is an attribute for victory for WTAMU, who is 7-0 when committing fewer turnovers than the opposition, but is 4-6 when committing the same or more turnovers.

On the season, 6-1 senior guard Rod Prater leads the Buffs with a 19.7 points per game average. Prater ranks second in the LSC in scoring. He also is ninth in the conference in both steals (1.80 spg) and assists (3.40 apg) and eighth in free throw percentage (.750).

Eduardo Caviglia, a 6-4 senior guard, nets 11.1 ppg, ranking 27th in the league in scoring. Caviglia is third in the conference and 16th in the country in 3-point FG pct (.465), as well as third in the conference and 38th in the nation in 3-pointers per game (2.9).

The third member of the Buffs' three-guard attack and WTAMU's sixth-man is 6-1 junior guard Carl Lamb, who is 24th in the LSC in scoring with 12.0 ppg. Lamb also ranks sixth in the league in both free throw percentage (.782) and 3-point FG pct (.451), as well as seventh in assists (3.69 apg).

Inside, Richard Higginbotham, a 6-7 junior forward, pulls down a team-high 6.2 rebounds per contest, which ranks 11th in the conference. Higginbotham would lead the conference in FT pct (.929), but he doesn't meet the required minimum of 2.0 FT per game. He does rank tied for 11th in blocked shots (11, 0.65 pg).

Carlos Silva, a 6-8 junior forward, ranks second in the LSC and is 21st in the country in blocked shots (32, 1.88 bpg). Silva would lead the conference in field goal percentage (.634), but he also doesn't meet the minimum of 3.0 FG per game.

The third post player for WTAMU, 6-4 senior forward Jason Campbell, is 19th in the league in rebounding with 5.4 rpg and adds 10.4 ppg.

Keenan Hooker, a 6-0 sophomore guard, is 13th in the LSC in 3-point FG pct. (.412), tallying 3.9 ppg, but scored career-highs in back-to-back games, netting 11 points in his first career start against Okla. Panhandle State (1/13/04) and topping that with 12 points on Thursday in the loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville. Hooker tied a career-high by draining three 3-pointers in each of those games.

Campbell's Average Climbing

Jason Campbell has nearly doubled his scoring average in the last 10 games. The 6-4 senior forward was averaging just 5.4 ppg through the Buffs' first seven games. In WTAMU's last 10 games since that time, Campbell is averaging 14.6 ppg, including 20.5 in WTAMU's last two games, to up his average to 10.4 ppg on the season. He has averaged 6.0 rebounds per contest in those last 10 games. As far as helping the team, the Buffs have won eight of those 10 games, after losing the previous three contests.

WTAMU At Home

The Buffs are 5-2 at home this season, having a four-game home win streak snapped in a 63-60 loss to Tarleton State in WTAMU's last action at home. Overall, WTAMU is 20-7 at the WTAMU Event Center.

WTAMU's longest home win streak is six games, including the last five home games last season and the first home game this season.

Angelo State defeated WTAMU in the final game at The Box, 82-80, on Jan. 24, 2002. The Buffs won last year's meeting at the WTAMU Event Center, 84-73.

The Buffs are 2-0 vs. ACU at the WTAMU Event Center, as they opened the facility against the Wildcats on Jan. 26, 2002 with an 80-58 victory. WTAMU won last year's meeting, 79-64.

About ASU

Angelo State is 10-7 overall, 0-2 in the LSC South, currently having lost three of the last four contests, including the last three in a row, after dropping two games last week. The Rams lost to Abilene Christian, 85-71, on Tuesday and were edged by Midwestern State, 77-74, Saturday.

Rashawn Childs, a 6-4 sophomore forward, led ASU in the Midwestern State loss with 17 points, his third-straight game leading the Rams in scoring. Heath Bailey, a 6-11 senior forward, registered a double-double by netting 11 points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.

The Rams outshot MSU, 41.0 percent - 39.4 percent and had a 47-45 rebounding advantage, but committed 20 turnovers, compared to only 15 for the Indians. ASU was down 75-74 with 1:19 to play after a pair of free throws, but didn't score the rest of the game.

ASU leads the LSC and is 12th in the country in 3-point FG made (157, 9.24 pg), but is ninth in the conference in 3-point FG pct. (.347). The Rams are second in the league and 21st in the country in field goal pct. defense (.398). ASU is tied for second in the league in scoring offense (79.2 ppg) and are third in the conference in rebounding margin (+44). The Rams also lead the conference in offensive rebounds (14.76 rpg).

Individually, 6-3 junior guard Kenny Smith leads ASU and is 14th in the LSC in scoring with a 14.4 ppg average. Smith also is tied for fourth in the conference in 3-point FG made (47, 2.76 pg).

Bailey is 14th in the league in rebounding with 5.9 boards per contest and ranks sixth in blocked shots (47, 2.76 pg).

Childs leads the LSC in 3-point FG pct. (.475), but doesn't meet the minimum for the national statistics. Childs is second on the team with 9.8 ppg, but is averaging 17.0 ppg in the last three contests.

Justin Jefferson, a 6-9 junior forward, is fifth in the league in blocked shots (20, 1.25 pg).

Buffs-Rams Series History

WTAMU leads the all-time series, 23-14, having won both meetings last season, after ASU won both meetings in the 2001-02 season, including an 88-62 win in the semifinals of the LSC Tournament.

In last year's first meeting of the season, on Jan. 23 at San Angelo, Texas, the Buffs claimed an 80-72 victory behind 20 points apiece from Rod Prater and Kyle Caldwell, as Caldwell logged a double-double by pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. The Rams were led by Nate Gordon's game-high 27 points, while Germaine Chase added 17 points. WTAMU had a 45-34 rebounding edge, including garnering 22 offensive boards. The Buffs pulled away from a 28-all halftime score by shooting 58.3 percent from the field in the second half.

On Feb. 22 at Canyon, the Buffs limited the Rams to 38.5 shooting from the field in claiming an 84-73 victory on Senior Night. WTAMU had four players in double-figures, led by senior Caldwell's 20 points, while fellow senior Matt Madison had 13 points, and Eduardo Caviglia and Prater netted 12 and 11 points respectively. David Rhone dished out a career-high 13 assists. Toby Thompson led ASU with 30 points, including 6-9 from 3-point land, while Chase tallied 17 points, followed by 16 from Gordon. However, the rest of the Rams only scored a combined 10 points.

The Buffs closed the first half with an 11-2 run to take a 40-25 halftime lead. WTAMU used a barrage of 3-pointers, including 3-4 each from Prater and Caviglia in the first half.

About ACU

Abilene Christian brings a 10-7 overall and 1-1 LSC South record into the weekend, opening at Eastern New Mexico on Thursday. The Wildcats clawed their way to a 85-71 victory over Angelo State Tuesday, before dropping an 82-78 overtime decision to Midwestern State on Thursday.

Tucker Pierson, a 6-5 senior forward, led ACU with 16 points in Thursday's loss, one of four Wildcat starters in double-figures. Cliff Green, a 5-11 senior guard, registered a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

ACU outscored MSU, 47-41 in the second half to force overtime, but were the Wildcats shot 3-12 (25.0 percent) from the field in overtime. ACU outrebounded MSU, 51-42, but committed 24 turnovers and shot just 5-23 (21.7 percent) from 3-point land.

As a team, ACU leads the LSC and is 13th in the nation in field goal pct. defense (.393), as well as leading the conference in 3-point FG pct. defense (.289). The Wildcats are tied for second in the conference in scoring offense (79.2 ppg), and are third in the league and 39th in the country in 3-point FG made (140, 8.24 pg).

David Baxter, a 6-3 junior guard, leads the Wildcats and is 12th in the conference in scoring (16.0 ppg) and leads the league in both free throw percentage (.886) and 3-point FG made (56, 3.29 pg). Baxter ranks 15th in NCAA-II in 3-point FG made.

Rodney Lee, a 6-4 senior guard, is 17th in the LSC in scoring (14.4 ppg) and is tied for fourth in 3-point FG made (47, 2.76 pg).

Green leads the conference, as well as sixth in the nation in steals (3.35 spg) and leads the league and is 25th in the country in assists (5.76 apg).

Pierson is 18th in the LSC in scoring (13.2 ppg) and leads the conference and is 26th in the country in rebounding (9.5 rpg).

WTAMU-ACU Series History

The Buffs lead the all-time series, 57-21, having won the last eight meetings, including both last year.

WTAMU won at Abilene on Jan. 25, 79-63, behind three players in double-digits, led by Rod Prater's 21 points, along with six assists and three steals. Kyle Caldwell netted 18 points, while Matt Madison recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. ACU was led by Rodney Lee's 24 points, while Tucker Pierson added 18 points. The Wildcats shot a paltry 38.5 percent from the field, including 23.5 percent (4-17) from 3-point land.

The Buffs dropped the Wildcats, 79-64, on Feb. 20 at Canyon, as four WTAMU starters tallied double-figures, led by Caldwell's 15 points, along with a game-high nine rebounds. Prater added 13 points, followed by Reggie Harris and Kenny White with 10 points apiece. ACU was led by Jeff Johnson's 15 points off the bench. Pierson added 12 points and eight rebounds, followed by 10 points from Cliff Green.

Last Action: Buffs Tame Lions, 82-65, Saturday (Jan. 24, 2004)
WTAMU Wins Sixth-Straight At Commerce

COMMERCE, Texas - The West Texas A&M University men's basketball team led from start-to-finish Saturday afternoon in defeating Texas A&M University-Commerce, 82-65, in a Lone Star Conference South division contest. The win snaps a two-game losing skid for the Buffs and also is their sixth-straight at Commerce.

WTAMU improves to 11-6 overall and evens its LSC South record at 1-1.

TAMU-C falls to 9-9 overall, and 0-3 in LSC South action, having lost their last three contests.

The Buffs opened the game with an 11-2 run, on three 3-pointers, two by senior guard Eduardo Caviglia, who didn't even attempt a shot in the Buffs' loss Thursday, as well as a trey and a layup by senior forward Jason Campbell.

WTAMU had a 19-10 lead before TAMU-C went on a 10-4 run to pull within 23-20 with 6:44 to play on a 3-pointer from Poncho Reedy.

The see-saw battle ensued as the Buffs regained control for the time being with a 6-2 run top open a 29-22 lead on a pair of free throws from junior guard Carl Lamb with 3:32 left in the first half.

The Lions roared back with four-straight points to pull to 29-26 with 2:09 to play on two charity shots by Jason Summers.

However, the Buffs rattled off six unanswered points, capped by a layup from Campbell off a nice pass from senior guard Rod Prater with 11 seconds remaining to give WTAMU a 35-26 lead. Junior forward Richard Higginbotham had a steal and passed to Prater, whose heave was off the mark at the buzzer, sending the Buffs into halftime with a 35-26 lead.

Caviglia was the player of the first half, as he drained three treys to finish with nine points in the opening stanza and pulled down six rebounds to go with two assists. Campbell also had nine first-half points, shooting 4-5 from the field.

WTAMU held a 23-19 rebounding advantage in the opening half.

The Buffs opened a 57-38 lead on a 3-pointer from Lamb, his third of the half, with 11:33 to play, capping an 11-2 run.

The Lions used a 13-4 run to draw within 71-63 with 2:30 to play, on a bucket from Allen Walker.

WTAMU solidified the victory by clamping down on defense, limiting TAMU-C to a basket at the 1:51 mark, by Walker, and hit 5-6 free throws down the stretch.

The Buffs' defense also limited the Lions' leading scorer Clay Lewkowski to just eight points, all in the second half, as well as just three rebounds, before fouling out with 6:40 to play. Lewkowski entered Saturday's action averaging 16.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

WTAMU was led by Prater's 24 points, getting back on the scoring run after scoring a season-low eight points in the Buffs' loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville on Thursday. Lamb added 20 points, 14 in the second half. Campbell added 18 points, while Caviglia ended with a team-high eight rebounds, one short of his career-high.

Matthew Rager led the Lions with 11 points off the bench, while Thaddeus Daggett pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

WTAMU outrebounded TAMU-C, 41-31, and shot 49.0 percent (24-49) from the field, including 10-21 (47.6 percent) from 3-point land. From the free throw line, the Buffs were 24-33 (72.7 percent) including 18-23 (78.3 percent) in the second half.

TAMU-C was shot 23-56 (41.1 percent) from the field, including a paltry 6-23 (26.1 percent) from behind the 3-point arc. The Lions were 13-22 (59.1 percent) from the free throw line.

WTAMU committed 19 turnovers, a better result and recipe for victory compared to Thursday's season-high 30 miscues.

Buffs' Next Action

WTAMU will take on border-rival Eastern New Mexico on Monday, Feb. 2, at Portales, N.M., in an 8:30 p.m. Central Time tip-off.

Fans can catch the action on the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM and www.gobuffsgo.com.

-WT-