\n
\n Story Links
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
COMMERCE \u2013 Following a win to begin the week over UTRGV, the East Texas A&M University men’s basketball team takes on A&M-Corpus Christi in Commerce on Monday night to conclude the homestand.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
WHO:\u00a0A&M-Corpus Christi\u00a0at East Texas A&M
\nWHERE:\u00a0Commerce | The Field House
\nWHEN:\u00a0Monday, January 12 | 6:30 p.m.
\nRECORDS:\u00a0East Texas A&M is 7-10 on the season and 2-5 in Southland Conference action, while A&M-Corpus Christi\u00a0is 8-8\u00a0overall and 4-3 against Southland opponents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
LIVE AUDIO:\u00a0Lion Sports Network\u00a0\u2013 KETR 88.9 FM (http:\/\/www.ketr.org<\/a>) A NEW ERA OF LION BASKETBALL BEGINS LOSING SKID SNAPPED AGAINST THE\u00a0VAQUEROS SERIES HISTORY AGAINST THE ISLANDERS HARRISON RECORDS FIRST DOUBLE-DOUBLE SINCE 2023-24 HARRISON SINKS GAME WINNER IN HAMMOND PLAYING WITH HOUSE MONEY LIONS CONTINUE RUN WITH WIN OVER UCA LIONS FALL TO HUSKIES IN STORRS BEGINNING SOUTHLAND ACTION FDU BASKETBALL CLASSIC CHAMPIONS HUNT EARNS RECOGNITION FROM SLC LIONS RECORD LARGEST D1 ERA COMEBACK TO BEAT THE KNIGHTS FIRST NET RANKINGS RELEASED ASSISTS RECORD BROKEN AGAINST DALLAS CHRISTIAN RECORDS NEARLY FALL AGAINST THE PATRIOTS A WHOLE LOT OF NEW FACES NEW FACES SHINE AGAINST ABU HARRISON CONTINUES HOT START AT THE LOBOS ADDITIONS TO THE COACHING STAFF
\nLIVE VIDEO:\u00a0ESPN+\u00a0|\u00a0https:\/\/www.espn.com\/watch\/player?eventCalendarId=401808709<\/a>
\nSLC INTERNATIONAL FEED:\u00a0https:\/\/www.southland.org\/watch\/<\/a>
\nLIVE STATS:\u00a0https:\/\/stats.statbroadcast.com\/broadcast\/?id=614956<\/a>
\nTICKETS:\u00a0https:\/\/vivenu.com\/seller\/texas-am-university-commerce-v6v3<\/a>
\nGAME NOTES:\u00a0ETAMU<\/a>\u00a0| TAMUCC<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u2022 East Texas A&M is now a full Division I member, achieving full member status a year ahead of schedule, and is eligible to compete in the NCAA Tournament this season.
\n\u2022 The Lions also debut their new Nike uniforms, being the only school in the Southland that is outfitted by Nike.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 A 10-0 run in the first half helped the Lions defeat UTRGV in the Field House on Saturday to collect their first ever win over the Vaqueros, while also snapping the five-game losing streak.
\n\u2022 In the win over the Vaqueros, all five starters reached double digit scoring with both Gianni Hunt<\/a> and Noah Pagotto<\/a> recording double-doubles.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 The Lions and the Islanders meet for the sixth time on Monday, which is also the fourth ever meeting between the two teams in Commerce.
\n\u2022 The Islanders have won four straight matchups, including being a perfect 3-0 in the Field House coming into Monday night.
\n\u2022 Last season, the Islanders collected a 78-66 win in Commerce.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 In the loss to SFA, Ronnie Harrison<\/a> posted a double-double with 10 points\u00a0 and 10 rebounds, the first of the season and his first as a Lion.
\n\u2022 The double-double was also the first for the program since Kwo Agwa recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds against Dallas Christian on November 29, 2023.
\n\u2022 Harrison followed up the performance with another double-double at New Orleans, totaling 29 points and 12 rebounds .
\n\u2022 The string of double-doubles for the Lions continued in the win over UTRGV on Saturday as Gianni Hunt<\/a> totaled 13 points and 10 assists, while Noah Pagotto<\/a> scored 12 and added 10 rebounds.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Trailing by as much as 10 in the first half, East Texas A&M came all the way back at Southeastern and then Ronnie Harrison<\/a> sinked a jumper in the final seconds to give East Texas A&M a 70-69 win, which was the first Southland Conference win of the year.
\n\u2022 East Texas A&M has started 1-1 or better in conference play for the second time in the Division I era.
\n\u2022 The win gave East Texas A&M its fifth win in its last seven games.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 The Lions won just five games a season ago and with the win over Southeastern, they already have six wins on the season.
\n\u2022 In the Division I era, the Lions won 13 games in each of the first two seasons prior to winning five last season.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 East Texas A&M continued a stretch of four wins in five games on December 7 with a win over Central Arkansas.
\n\u2022 With one non-conference game to go, the Lions have three wins over Division I non-conference opponents, which is tied for the most in the Division I era.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Going into the game with a three-game winning streak, East Texas A&M fell to No. 5\/5 UConn.
\n\u2022 The three-game winning streak was the longest for the program since winning three in a row over Science & Arts, Saint Joseph’s, and Stonehill in 2023-24.
\n\u2022 This was the fourth time in the Division I era that the Lions have won three in a row, but have not yet recorded a four-game winning streak over the past four seasons.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 The Lions fell to McNeese in the Southland opener last Friday on the road.
\n\u2022 East Texas A&M is now 1-3 in SLC openers since joining the conference, having lost three in a row.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 The Lions downed Army on November 25 to go 2-0 at the FDU Basketball Classic, marking the first time the Lions went undefeated in a multi-team event in the Division I era.
\n\u2022 The last time that the Lions went 2-0 or better in a MTE was their own Lion Hoopsgiving in 2021-22 with wins over Mississippi College and Ouachita Baptist.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Following the two wins in New Jersey, guard Gianni Hunt<\/a> was named the Southland Player of the Week, averaging 14 points and 5.5 rebounds in the two wins.
\n\u2022 He is the first Lion to win the Southland Player of the Week award since Demarcus Demonia during the 2021-22 season, who is also the last Lion to earn all-conference honors following that season.
\n\u2022 Hunt earned honorable mention SLC Player of the Week honors after the games at UConn and Central Arkansas.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Trailing by as much 17, the Lions stormed back to win over FDU and pick up the first Division I win of the season.
\n\u2022 The 17-point comeback is the largest in the Division I era, surpassing a 15-point comeback win at McNeese in 2022-23.
\n\u2022 East Texas A&M shot 10 for 16 from deep in the second half.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 On Monday, the first edition of the NCAA NET Rankings were released for the season with the Lions debuting at No. 250, which is the highest for the Lions since starting the 2022-23 season being rated No. 203 in the initial NET rankings.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 The Lions totaled 41 assists in the win over Dallas Christian, which is a new program record, shattering the previous best of 36.
\n\u2022 The 41 assists raised the Lions’ season average to 22.8 assists per game, which is second in the country.
\n\u2022 In the win over the Crusaders, East Texas A&M came one three-point attempt shy of tying the program record and the 115 points scored were fifth in program history.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 The season opening win on November 3 over Arlington Baptist was nearly one for the record books as the Lions totaled 35 assists, which is second in program history.
\n\u2022 East Texas A&M shot 63 percent from the field, which is also second in program history.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 This season’s roster for the Lions features 11 newcomers as they return just five lettermen from last year’s roster.
\n\u2022 Only two of the five normal starters return from a year ago as well.
\n\u2022 The returners for the Lions are Evan Phelps<\/a>, Chris Adlam<\/a>, Josh Taylor<\/a>, Tay Mosher<\/a>, and Mykol Sanchez-Vega<\/a>.
\n\u2022 The Lion newcomer class of 11 comes from all levels of college basketball as well as prep basketball ranks.
\n\u2022 Four newcomers are Division I transfers, while one is from Division II, two from NAIA schools, three are from junior colleges, and one is a true freshmen.
\n\u2022 The four Division I transfers are the most for the program going into a season since 2023-24.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Four of the five starters in the win over Arlington Baptist were newcomers for the Lions, with Josh Taylor<\/a> being the lone returners.
\n\u2022 Eight players reached double-digits in the game and all eight were newcomers, highlighted by 20 points from Ronnie Harrison<\/a> and 17 points from Vinny Sigona<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 In the loss at New Mexico on November 5, Harrison shot 6 for 12 from the field as well as 3 for 6 from deep to lead the way with 18 points and seven rebounds.
\n\u2022 He was the only Lions to reach double digits in the loss at the Lobos.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Along with changes on the roster, the Lions welcome Texas college basketball veteran Clif Carroll<\/a> to the bench this season as an assistant coach.<\/p>\n