LIVE STATS | VIDEO | GAME NOTES

LAREDO, TEXAS (November 23, 2017) – The Texas A&M International University men's basketball team will look to get back into the win column when the Dustdevils host Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 p.m. in the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building. Friday's game will be broadcast on the Heartland Conference Digital Network.
 
ABOUT TAMIU
The Dustdevils enter Friday's game against TAMUK looking for revenge following a 63-56 loss on Tuesday night in Kingsville. Coach Weakley's team has been solid on defense holding opposing teams to 69.2 points per game, which ranks second in the conference. On the offensive side, the Dustdevils take great care of the ball as their 1.10 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks third in the Heartland.
 
Dan Milota (13.8 ppg, 4.0 apg) and Jeremy Wright (13.8 ppg, 5.0 apg, 2.4 spg) have been two most consistent scorers for the Dustdevils this season. Wright has scored in double-digits in all five games including a 19-point effort in a win over Randall at the River City Classic. Milota has improved drastically over the past year shooting 80% from the free-throw line and 53% from the field.
 
Xabier Gomez (13.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg) will look to get back on track against the Javelinas after being held to seven points in Tuesday's loss. The Barcelona, Spain product had scored 10 or more points in the previous four games before being held a season-worst 2-of-7 from the field and 0-2 from three. Brendan Ortiz (8.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg) has been a welcomed edition to the starting lineup after missing the first two games due to injury. The sophomore guard followed up his seven-point, seven rebound performance against Wisconsin-Parkside last week with a career-high 15 points on Tuesday.
 
Kamari Robinson (9.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg) has been a bright spot off the bench for the Dustdevils after starting the first two games of the season. The Springfield, Mass. product has scored in double figures in three of five game this including a career-high 14 against RU on Nov. 17.
 
ABOUT TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
Located in Kingsville, Texas, with an enrollment of 13,246, Texas A&M-Kingsville is 6-0 this season including a 63-56 win over the Dustdevils on Tuesday evening. The Javelinas are coached by Johnny Estelle who is 44-46 in his fourth season at TAMUK. They received votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D2SIDA Media Poll.
 
Trey Sumpter (10.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) continues to lead the team in scoring shooting 47.1% from the field and 48.1% from 3-point range. Caelan Neal (8.8 ppg), fresh off his career-high 16 points on Tuesday, has made 10 of his 21 attempts from deep. Christian Bambrook (6.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg) is leading rebounder for the Javelinas with 13 of his 33 rebounds coming on the offensive end. Derrick Byrd (8.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) has twice reached double-digits in scoring during the season and is the only Javelina to average three or more assists a game.
 
THE SERIES
The Dustdevils are 4-19 all-time against the Javelinas including 2-10 at the TAMUK KCB… TAMUK has won five straight in the series dating back to Nov. 15, 2015… The Dustdevils last defeated the Javelinas on Dec. 3, 2014 behind 19 points from Vadal Faniel... The Dustdevils are 27-39 all-time against schools from the Lone Star Conference.
 
A TAMIU WIN WOULD…
End a five -game losing streak to the Javelinas… improve the all-time series to 5-19 in favor of TAMUK… Be Weakley's fifth win over TAMUK since taking over TAMIU in the fall of 2012.
 
A TAMIU LOSS WOULD…
Mark the ninth time the Javelinas have defeated TAMIU twice in a season… Hand the Dustdevils a sixth straight loss in the series and third straight at home… Improve the Javelinas to 7-0 on the season… Drop the Dustdevil to .500.
 
A LOOK BACK AT TUESDAY
The Dustdevils saw their two-game winning streak come to an end at the hands of the Javelinas, 63-56, on Tuesday night in Kingsville. TAMIU outshot TAMIUK 46.7% to 45.1% but were unable to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit.
 
Sophomore guard Brendan Ortiz making his third start for the Dustdevils poured in a career-high 15 points going 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from three. Dan Milota chipped in 12 points for his third straight game over 10 points while Jeremy Wright (11 pts.) and Kamari Robinson (10 pts.) both reached double figures.
 
THIS DAY IN DUSTDEVIL MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY…
The Dustdevils are 1-0 all-time on Nov. 24… Arkeem Joseph scored 20 points leading TAMIU to an 88-60 victory over Ohio Valley on Nov. 24, 2015 in Laredo…
 
NEEDING HELP FROM DEEP
Starting guards Jeremy Wright and Brendan Ortiz are a combined 16-of-30 from 3-point range through five games this season. Wright's 54.5% from deep ranks near the top of the Heartland Conference while Ortiz has made half of his attempts through three starts. For as good as the duo has been beyond the arc, the guards off the bench have struggled just as much. Danny Spinuzza, Chris McDonald and Marek Hajek are 8-of-35 from three including 0-12 over the past three games.
 
UP NEXT
The Dustdevils will travel to Silver City, N.M. on Monday, Nov. 27, to play the Mustangs of Western New Mexico. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.