Live Stats | Heartland Conference Digital Network | Game Notes

LAREDO, TEXAS (January 12, 2018) – The Texas A&M International University men's basketball hosts Newman in the final game of a two-game home stand on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 3:00 p.m. at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building. The game will be broadcast on the Heartland Conference Digital Network.
 
ABOUT TAMIU
The Dustdevil offense was much improved in Thursday's contest against Oklahoma Christian scoring 60 points going 21-of-51 (.412) from the field and 8-of-21 (.381) from 3-point range. They will look to keep that momentum going against a NU team that is allowing more than 80 points a game.
 
Jeremy Wright (9.6 ppg, 4.9 apg, 2.6 spg) got back into his scoring groove on Thursday with a team-high 16 points. It was the first time since Nov. 30 that the Gardena, Calif. product had reached double figures on the stat sheet. His career-high four 3-pointers were more than he had scored in the previous seven games combined. Brendan Ortiz (9.0 ppg, 2.4 apg) joins Wright in the backcourt having made at least one 3-pointer in five of the previous seven games after returning from injury.
 
Xabier Gomez (12.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.6 apg) is one of three Dustdevils to have eclipsed the 20-point mark this season after scoring 26 points against St. Mary's in the conference opener on Dec. 9. The athletic wing is one of the top 3-point options on the team shooting 48.1% from deep including 7 of his last 13. Dan Milota (12.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) is the top scoring option in the post for the Dustdevils having reached double figures in 12 games. He scored a career-high 29 points right before the New Year against West Coast Baptist in Lancaster, Calif.
 
Kamari Robinson (10.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg) is the top rebounder for TAMIU coming off the bench playing 23 minutes per game. He has pulled down five or more rebounds in nine games this season including a double-double (19 points, 13 rebounds) against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 24. Damon Leach (3.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg) is another reliable option off the bench for the Dustdevils having scored in three straight games including a career-high nine against OC.
 
ABOUT NEWMAN
Located in Wichita, Kan. with an enrollment of 2,535, Newman is 6-9 overall and 3-2 in Heartland Conference play. The Jets are led by first-year head coach R.J. Allen, who has his team in a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings.  
 
The Jets are coming off a heartbreaking double overtime loss to St. Mary's on Thursday night in San Antonio. They have dropped four of their last five after winning three straight at the beginning of December. NU averages 75.9 points per game shooting 43.0% from the field, 36.6% from three and 75.8% from the free throw line.  
 
Demetrius Walker (14.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and Ben Ayre (14.7 ppg, 4.4 apg) are the top offensive options for NU. Walker has been one of the best sixth men in the country over the past four games averaging 23.0 points shooting 47.8% from 3-point range including a 30-point performance against Rockhurst during that stretch. Ayre has been equally impressive scoring in double figures in seven of his last eight games including 26 against Oklahoma Christian on Dec. 2. The junior guard is also the top distributor for the Jets dishing out a career-high 11 dimes against Cameron in the season opener.
 
Kevin Martin (10.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg) is the top rebounder for the Jets pulling down 10 or more rebounds in four games this season resulting in two double-doubles. Damien Akao (5.6 ppg) is coming off his best performance of the season with 18 points while knocking down six 3-pointers. He has really found his touch over the past six games going 16-of-26 from behind the arc.
 
THE SERIES
Saturday's game will be the 20^th meeting overall between the programs… TAMIU holds a 10-9 advantage having won the last three with two of those coming in overtime … The Dustdevils won the first-ever meeting, 86-77, on Jan. 31, 2008 in Laredo.
 
A TAMIU WIN WOULD…
End an eight-game losing streak to Division II opponents… Be the first Heartland Conference win of the season… Improve the Dustdevils to 5-6 at home… Be the fourth straight win of the series and fifth straight at home.
 
A TAMIU LOSS WOULD…
Be a third straight loss overall and fourth straight at home (insert frowning emoji)… Give the Jets their first win in Laredo since Feb. 7, 2013… Drop the Dustdevils to 0-5 in conference play for the first time in program history.
 
THIS DAY IN DUSTDEVIL MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY…
TAMIU is 1-1 on games played on Jan. 12 with both games coming in Laredo… The Dustdevils defeated NU 85-59 in 2011 after falling to Dallas Baptist 111-104 in 2009.
 
A LOOK BACK AT THURSDAY
 The Dustdevils dropped a second straight contest on Thursday night to the Eagles of Oklahoma Christian. After trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half, the Dustdevils took their first lead of the game late in the second half but a pair of OC free throws with 2.1 seconds left helped OC escape with a 62-60 victory.
 
Jeremy Wright found his stroke on Thursday eclipsing double figures for the first time in eight games with a team-high 16 points. He went 6-of-11 from the field with four of those coming from 3-point range tying a career-high set earlier in the season. Dan Milota also reached double figures scoring 10 points while pulling down four rebounds and two assists. Damon Leach had his best game as a Dustdevil going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field for a career-high nine points.   
 
UP NEXT
The Dustdevils hit the road for a three-game road trip staring with a game against nationally-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday, Jan. 18, in Fort Smith, Ark.