LIVE STATS | VIDEO | GAME NOTES

LAREDO, Texas (February 14, 2018) – Texas A&M International University men's basketball returns to the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building for their final home stand of the 2017-18 this week starting with a Thursday night matchup against No. 19 Arkansas-Fort Smith at 7:30 p.m. The first 200 fans to Saturday's game will receive a "TAME THE LIONS" t-shirt. The game will be broadcast on the Heartland Conference Digital Network.
 
ABOUT TAMIU
Head coach Bryan Weakley has his squad playing its best basketball at the right time as the Dustdevils are in the hunt for one of the final Heartland Conference Tournament spots. The strategy to slow the tempo of the game down has allowed TAMIU to control the game as they allowing a conference-low 65.0 points per game which ranks 12^th in all of Division II. During their recent three-game winning streak, two of those of wins came while holding their opponent under 50 points.
 
Jeremy Wright (11.6 ppg, 5.1 apg, 2.3 spg) has elevated his game over the past month having reached double figures in scoring in seven of the last eight games highlighted by a pair of 25-point performances. One of the driving forces behind his scoring production can be correlated by him getting the free throw line. He shot a total of 20 free throws in the first 12 games while taking 46 in the previous 12. The Gardena, Calif. product can do more than shoot the ball as he is one of nine players in DII that ranks in the top 40 in total steals and assists. Brendan Ortiz (9.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg) made big shot after big shot for TAMIU during their three-game winning streak and the sophomore will look for that trend to continue on Thursday. He scored a career-high 17 points against Oklahoma Christian including a career-high 5 3-pointers.  
 
The Dustdevils will need Xabier Gomez (11.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg) to show up on both ends of the court against UAFS if they are hoping to get some revenge. The junior scored a team-high 14 points in their last meeting but has only reached the 10-point plateau twice since. He did shoot nine free throws against Newman on Saturday which is the most since Dec. 9 against St. Mary's. His defensive tenacity cannot be overlooked as it is likely he will be asked to guard UAFS's Darrion Strong-Moore for most of the game.
 
Kamari Robinson (11.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg) has been a different player since being held scoreless the last time the Dustdevils and UAFS faced off. He has scored double figures in six straight including his second double-double of the season against St. Edward's on Jan. 27. His willingness to crash the offensive glass has paid dividends over the past four games. Shea Garland (4.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and Damon Leach (3.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) has shared minutes at the five spot for TAMIU with Garland starting in the previous five games.
 
ABOUT ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH
Located in Fort Smith, Ark. with an enrollment of 995, Arkansas-Fort Smith is 21-4 overall and 9-4 in Heartland Conference play. Josh Newman is currently in his 12^th season at the helm of UAFS men's basketball and has the Lions playing their best basketball of the season at home where they are a perfect 15-0.
 
The Lions rank second in the conference in scoring offense at 82.8 points per game shooting 48% from the field and 37.4% from 3-point range. They have won three straight and seven of their last eight after dropping back-to-back games in mid-January.
 
Darrion Strong-Moore (15.3 ppg) has been the top offensive option for the Lions as the senior has reached double figures in four of his last five contests. He went for 22 against then-conference leaders on Feb. 3 shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 5-of-11 from three. Davaunta Thomas (14.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg) has been one of the top players in the conference averaging 16.4 points and 7.1 rebounds over the past seven games including a 19-point, 17 rebound performance against Dallas Baptist. Ladarius Coleman (12.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg) is a double-double machine having five with three of those coming in the last five games.
 
THE LAST TIME AROUND
The Lions used a 59-point second half to pull away from the Dustdevils en route to a 95-53 victory on Jan. 18 at the Stubblefied Center in Fort Smith, Ark. TAMIU shot just 33.3% from the field as UAFS shot 70.8% in the second half and nearly 80% from 3-point range.
 
THE SERIES
The Lions lead the all-time series 10-9 after their win earlier in the season in Fort Smith, Ark… The Dusdevils have won two straight at home in the series and hold an overall record of 7-2 at the TAMIU KCB…UAFS has not swept the season series since the 2014-15 season… The Dustdevils won the first ever meeting, 63-40, in Laredo back on Jan. 2, 2010.
 
A TAMIU WIN WOULD…
Avenge a 95-53 loss to UAFS earlier in the season… Improve them to 8-8 at home this season… Be the third-straight win at home for the Dustdevils… Move them into sole possession of eighth place in the Heartland Conference (only if St. Mary's losses to Rogers State)… End a three-game winning streak for UAFS.
 
A TAMIU LOSS WOULD…
A second straight defeat for a team that had won its previous three games… Hand the Lions their first season sweep of the series since 2014-15… Guarantee Bryan Weakley's first losing record at home since taking over the program.
 
THIS DAY IN DUSTDEVIL MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY…
TAMIU played their only game on Feb. 14 during the 2013-14 season when they lost 79-74 to the Falcons of UT Permian Basin… Jordan Clark was the leading scorer for the Dustdevils that night with 19 points going 5-of-9 from the field and 9-of-14 from the free throw line.
 
A LOOK BACK AT SATURDAY
 The Dustdevils saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in heartbreaking fashion as Brendan Ortiz was unable to get a 3-pointer to fall in the finals seconds in a 49-46 defeat to Newman. TAMIU committed a season-high 23 turnovers in defeat as the two teams combined to shoot 51 free throws.
 
Jeremy Wright as the leading scorer for the Dustdevils with 13 points with Kamari Robinson and Xabier Gomez chipping in 12 and 10 respectively.  They made a total of 11 shots on 31 attempts with six of those makes coming from behind the arc.
 
UP NEXT
The Dustdevils will honor three seniors in their home finale when they host Rogers State on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 3 p.m.