UAFS was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Heartland Conference, and on Saturday, the Lions’ quest for that coveted conference crown begins against the Texas A&M International Dustdevils.
Tip-off will be 3 p.m. at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building in Laredo, Texas. Live statistics and live stream will be available.
It will be the first game of a two-game road trip for the Lions, who will play the St. Mary’s Rattlers at 5 p.m. on Monday at Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio, Texas.
UAFS (6-5) returns to action after a week-long layoff for final exams. The Lions are coming off a 65-48 win against the Lyon Scots in the seventh annual Toy Toss Game on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Stubblefield Center. It was the second win in a row for the Lions.
The Lions average 77.4 points per game with three players averaging double-figures – senior guard Seth Youngblood (16.1), junior guard DaVaunta Thomas (13.5) and senior guard Alex Cooper (11). Cooper leads the team in assists per game (3.2) and is one of two Lions averaging two or more assists per game.
UAFS out-rebounds its opponents by almost seven rebounds per game (38.2-31.6) with five players averaging four or more rebounds per game – Thomas (6.2), sophomore forward Dalton Glapion (5.6), junior guard Ladarius Coleman (5.2), junior forward Darrius Parker (five) and Youngblood (4.5).
The Lions allow 73.5 points per game and force 13.5 turnovers per game. Youngblood leads the team in steals per game (1.2), and junior forward Brett Jolly leads the team in blocked shots per game (0.8).
Texas A&M International (6-4) has lost two of its past three games and is coming off an 83-68 loss to Incarnate Word.
The Dustdevils average 72.9 points per game with two players averaging double-figures – senior guard Denzel Bellot (12.5) and senior center Bunja Yaboe (10.5). Senior guard Kenny Hatch leads the team in assists per game (3.3).
Texas A&M International out-rebounds its opponents by almost five rebounds per game (34.5-30.1) with two averaging four or more rebounds per game – Yaboe (5.6) and senior forward Jordan VanDeKop (5.6).
The Dustdevils allow 64.3 points per game and force 16.2 turnovers per game. Senior guard Arthur Santana leads the team in steals per game (1.8), and Yaboe leads the team in blocked shots per game (2.4).
Women Prepare For Dustdevils
After a week-long layoff for final exams, the UAFS women’s basketball team will return to regular-season play on Saturday when the Lady Lions play the Texas A&M International Dustdevils in the Heartland Conference opener for both teams.
Tip-off will be 1 p.m. at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building in Laredo, Texas. Live statistics and live stream will be available.
It will be the first game of a two-game road trip for the Lady Lions, who will play the St. Mary’s Lady Rattlers at 3 p.m. on Monday at Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio, Texas.
UAFS (5-5), which was picked to finish second in the conference this season, is coming off a hard-fought 70-62 loss to then-No. 11 Drury on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Stubblefield Center. Three of the Lady Lions” five losses have been to nationally-ranked opponents.
The Lady Lions average 73.3 points per game with four players averaging double-figures in scoring – senior forward Jazmine Spears (13.7), freshman guard Micayla Haynes (12.9), junior guard Zhanesha Dickerson (12.4) and junior forward Tayla Taylor (11.1).
Haynes leads the team in assists per game (three) and is one of three players averaging two or more assists per game.
UAFS out-rebounds its opponents by more than five rebounds per game (39.1-34) with four players averaging four or more rebounds per game – Taylor (9.8), Spears (5.9), senior guard Maya Perry (4.3) and Haynes (4.2).
The Lady Lions allow 73.7 points per game and force 15 turnovers per game. Perry leads the team in steals per game (2.1), and Taylor and Dickerson lead the team in blocks per game (0.9).
Texas A&M International (0-9) is coming off an 85-55 loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building.
The Dustdevils, who have only eight players on their roster, average just 47 points per game with two players averaging double-figures – senior guard/forward Hannah Beede (14.6) and senior guard Joanna Perez (11). Perez leads the team in assists per game (2.6).
Opponents out-rebound Texas A&M International by more than 10 rebounds per game (41.7-31). Two players average four or more rebounds per game – senior forward Rosebrooke Hunt (9.5) and Beede (9.3).
The Dustdevils allow 74 points per game and force 12 turnovers per game. Hunt leads the team in steals per game (1.8), and Beede leads the team in blocked shots per game (0.7).
