Texas A&M-Commerce Lions (6-11, 2-1 SLC) at HCU Huskies (4-12, 1-2 SLC)
Thursday, Jan. 12 – 7 p.m.
Sharp Gym - Houston, Texas
TV (ESPN+/Garrett Jones/Van Chancellor)
Live Stats
Game Notes
Game Program
HOUSTON – The HCU and Texas A&M-Commerce men's basketball programs have played six times over the years but Thursday evening's Southland Conference matchup in Sharp Gym marks the first-ever meeting between the Huskies and Lions as members of the same league.
The Huskies (4-12, 1-2 SLC) most recently dropped a pair of road games on a two-game swing through southeastern Louisiana, falling at Southeastern and New Orleans. The last time HCU was on its home floor, however, the Huskies out-paced the Privateers, 101-96, in overtime.
In 16 games this season, HCU has had eight different players lead the team in scoring. Only nine players on the roster have appeared in at least 10 games. Senior
Bonke Maring and junior
Brycen Long have each led the team in scoring on four occasions.
Freshman guard
Andrew King, averaging 3.6 assists per game for the season, has scored in double-figures in all three SLC games so far. He's averaging 14 points per game and shooting 86.2 percent (25-of-29) from the foul line after attempting more than five free throws in a game just once in the team's first 13 games.
Texas A&M-Commerce (6-11, 2-1 SLC) has opened its first season in the Southland by winning a pair of overtime games out of its first three. The Lions most recently won in overtime at McNeese, 82-80, behind a 32-point effort from senior guard Demarcus Demonia. TAMUC also defeated UIW at home in overtime, 82-74, with Demonia pouring in 33 points on New Year's Eve.
Demonia leads the Lions at 16.8 ppg this season and is also the team's top rebounder, pulling down 5.4 boards per outing. The senior has attempted 64 more shots than any other player on the team. In three conference games, Demonia is leading the league at 28 ppg. As a team, TAMUC is averaging 70 ppg, shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 29.6 percent from three-point range.
The Huskies and Lions last met during the 2003-04 season. In two meetings, the home team came out on top in each by 13 points. First, in Commerce, the Lions earned an 86-73 win with the Huskies turning around and taking an 85-72 victory in Sharp Gym later in the season. In six meetings all-time, the games have been evenly split, 3-3.
Thursday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ as part of a doubleheader with the HCU and TAMUC women's teams playing at 5:00 p.m. Garrett Jones will provide play-by-play with Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Van Chancellor on color.
HCU turns around and hits the road for its game this Saturday, Jan. 14, traveling to Lake Charles, La. to face the McNeese Cowboys at the Legacy Center on the McNeese State campus.
