SFA To Play Two In Las Vegas
11/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game 5: Stephen F. Austin (1-3) vs. Prairie View A&M (0-5)
Date/Time: Thursday, Nov. 27 • 8 p.m. CT
Site: Orleans Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats | @SFA_MBB (#AxeEm/#DreamBigger)
Game 6: Stephen F. Austin (1-3) vs. TBD (Brown/Austin Peay)
Date/Time: Friday, Nov. 28 • TBD
Site: Orleans Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats (TBD) | @SFA_MBB (#AxeEm/#DreamBigger)
SFA Game Notes 
Team Information
Stephen F. Austin
Head Coach: Brad Underwood (Kansas State, 1986)
Career Record: 33-6 (2nd season), Record at SFA: Same
Prairie View A&M
Head Coach: Byron Rimm II (Cal St. L.A., 1999)
Career Record: 146-199 (12th season), Record at PVAMU: 99-160 (9th season)
Brown
Head Coach: Mike Martin (Brown, 2004)
Career Record: 29-33 (3rd season), Record at Brown: Same
Austin Peay
Head Coach: Dave Loos (Memphis, 1970)
Career Record: 466-408 (29th season), Record at AP: 83-57 (5th season)
STORY LINES
• The Stephen F. Austin men's basketball will look to bounce back from their current three-game losing streak on Thursday, Nov. 27, playing Prairie View A&M in a 8 p.m. (CT) tip inside Orleans Arena as part of the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational.
• The Lumberjacks (1-3) are one of eight teams playing in the invitational being held across November 27-28, as Austin Peay, Brown and PVAMU, join the `Jacks on their side of the bracket. AP plays Brown at 1 p.m. on Thursday, before SFA and PVAMU meet in the evening. The following day, the winners of the two games will meet in the championship match at 4 p.m. with the consolation game being played before at 1:30 p.m.
• The `Jacks fell 67-51 at Baylor on Monday night to fall to 1-3 on the season, SFA's worst start since the 1998-99 season when the team opened up 0-4.
• SFA is looking to continue its success under second-year head coach Brad Underwood. Last season, the `Jacks became the first Southland Conference team to win 29 games in the regular season and then became the first 30-plus win team in conference history with two wins in Katy, Texas, host site of the league's tournament, and one in the NCAA Tournament to finish 32-3. The 32 wins surpassed the 1985 Louisiana Tech team that finished 29-3 after reaching the "Sweet 16" and set a new school record for most wins in a single season, passing the 1971-72 `Jack squad that went 31-3 and advanced five games in the NAIA Tournament, and picked up the program's first win in the NCAA Tournament.
• In 2013-14, SFA finished a perfect 15-0 at home for a second consecutive year, while the team's 29-game overall win streak obliterated the former conference record of 19 set by Louisiana Tech in 1992-93 and 1993-94 and ranked led the nation for the `Jacks entering the third round of the NCAA Tournament, following Wichita State's 78-76 loss to Kentucky the same afternoon.
THE LAST TIME OUT
• Junior Jared Johnson recorded a season-high 16 points off the bench, but SFA was unable to topple Baylor in a 67-51 loss on Monday night inside Ferrell Center. (See SFA's Last Time Out for more).
UP NEXT
• Following the Las Vegas trip, the `Jacks will close their five-game road swing and open the month of December at Memphis at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The game will air on ESPNews.
OTHER NOTES
• SFA vs. BRACKET: The `Jacks have some familiarity with one of the teams in their bracket, Prairie View A&M. SFA and the Panthers have played nine times since 1965, with the `Jacks leading the all-time series 7-2. Thursday's game marks the second consecutive meeting between SFA and PVAMU on a neutral site. The Panthers claimed a 53-50 decision at the Global Hoops Showcase at the University of Oregon. The `Jacks and AP have played once, as SFA claimed a 93-54 win during the 2008-09 season. The `Jacks have never played Brown.
• SCOUTING THE BRACKET: Prairie View A&M enters Thursday's tip 0-5 on the season, with losses to TCU (71-54), Oklahoma State (74-52), Rice (68-64), Baylor (60-45) and most recently Memphis (77-49). On the season, the Panthers are led by senior Montrael Scott, who is averaging 15.0 points per game. PVAMU currently has two players averaging double figures, as junior Karim York (10.0) joins Scott. The Panthers' Tre Hagood and John Brisco each average 9.8 points per game. York also leads the team averaging 6.5 rebounds per game.
AP enters the tournament 1-4 on the season, with its lone win coming against Berea College (68-63). The Govenors have dropped contests against Western Kentucky (77-70), Samford (68-67), Illinois (107-66) and Indiana State (61-57). On the season, AP is led by senior Chris Freeman, who is averaging 13.8 points per game. The Govenors have two players averaging double figures, as junior Chris Horton (13.2) joins Freeman. Horton also leads the team at the glass, averaging 8.6 rebounds per game.
Brown enters the tournament 1-4 on the season, with its lone win coming against St. Peter's (70-58) in the season opener. The Bears have since dropped games to Northwestern (69-56), Holy Cross (80-65), Indiana State (78-66) and Illinois (89-68). Brown is led sophomore Leland King, who is averaging 16.6 points per game. The Bears have three players averaging double figures, as Cedric Kuakumensah (10.4) and Rafael Maia (10.0) join King. King is also the team leader with 7.4 average rebounds per game.
• SFA's LAST TIME OUT: Baylor limited the Lumberjacks to a season-low 33.3 mark (18-for-54) from the field and 19.2 percentage (5-for-26) from 3-point land. Johnson paced the `Jacks, finishing 4-of-10 from the field, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc and 6-of-7 from behind the line. The native of Columbia, South Carolina, also pulled down five rebounds against the Bears.
SFA placed three players in double figures in all, as senior Jacob Parker and junior Thomas Walkup netted 10 and 11 points, respectfully. Parker finished with 4-of-9 from the field with one 3-pointer and one free throw, while Walkup finished 5-of 8 with a free throw. Parker also crashed the glass for eight boards.
Specialty Stats:
In Paint - BU 30-24 Off Turnovers - BU 13-8 2nd Chance - BU 14-10
Fast Break - BU 4-0 Bench - SFA 28-17
• NEW STARTERS: SFA had a consistent starting five across the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. From the first game to the last of both campaigns, the `Jacks rolled with the same guys during those spans. With new additions to this season's squad, Underwood will have different options for lineups, depending on the matchup, and in the second game of this season, he changed his lineup, ending a SFA's streak of 68 games without changing the starters midseason.
2011-12 Starters (final 2 gms) - Darius Gardner, Antonio Bostic, Desmond Haymon, Jonathan King and Jereal Scott
2012-13 Starters (32 gms) - Hal Bateman, Antonio Bostic, Desmond, Haymon, Jacob Parker and Taylor Smith
2013-14 Starters (35 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Desmond Haymon, Thomas Walkup, Nikola Gajic and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (1 gm) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Connor Brooks, Thomas Walkup and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (3 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Thomas Walkup, Clide Geffrard and Jacob Parker
• PARKER's ALL-TIME WINS: Senior forward Jacob Parker recorded his 80th win of his Lumberjacks career in SFA's season opener. The native of Bixby, Okla., is 17 wins away from tying former teammate Haymond as the program's all-time winningest player at the Division I level. Haymon recorded 97 wins across four seasons at SFA.
• WINNINGEST TWO-YEAR PLAYERS: Senior Connor Brooks and Tanner Clayton picked up their 33rd win of the Lumberjack careers in SFA's season opener. The two are 26 wins away from tying former teammates Nikola Gajic and Deshaunt Walker as the program's all-time winningest players in a two-year span. Gajic and Walker are also the only two `Jacks to go undefeated inside William R. Johnson Coliseum across their careers, posting 30 wins (15 - 2012-13; 15 - 2013-14). Brooks and Clayton are 16-0 in the coliseum.
• SFA IN UNDERWOOD OPENERS: The `Jacks improved to 2-0 in season and home openers under head coach Brad Underwood in a 75-49 win over Mississippi College inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. SFA kicked off the Underwood era last season with a 90-64 win over Texas-Tyler, also coming at home.
• DOMINANT SENIOR CLASS MOVES ON: After last season, SFA saw the departure of one of the most dominant senior classes to ever come through Nacogdoches in Haymon (starter), Nikola Gajic (starter) and Deshaunt Walker (sixth-man). Haymon left SFA as the program's all-time winningest player at the Division I level with 97 victories, tied for the fourth winningest class overall in program history, while Gajic and Walker were the program's winningest players in a two-year span with 59 wins. Gajic and Walker also became the first two players in program history to close their careers undefeated at home, posting 30 wins inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
• RETURNERS/NEWCOMERS: The `Jacks returns three of their starters from last season in senior forward Jacob Parker, junior forward Thomas Walkup and junior guard Trey Pinkney. The `Jacks also return Connor Brooks (Sr., G/F), Tanner Clayton (Sr., F), Dallas Cameron (So., G), Justin Dotson (So., SG) and Jason Martin (So., G). Underwood welcomes six newcomers from his early signing class in Ty Charles (Fr., G), Demetrious Floyd (Jr., G), Clide Geffrard (Jr., F), Jared Johnson (Jr., G), Jaxon Holden (Fr., G) and Caleb Johnston (Fr., G/F), along with Bobby King, a senior transfer from Florida A&M.
• WIN STREAKS ENTERING 2014-15: SFA will enter the 2014-15 season with several national win streaks still intact - consecutive home, true road and conference wins. Entering the season, the `Jacks were tied with Duke for the nation's longest active home win streak at 33 games. SFA has not dropped a game inside William R. Johnson Coliseum since a 51-47 loss to Texas-Arlington (2/15/12) during the 2011-12 season. The `Jacks also boast a 12-game true road win streak that is tied with No. 11 Wichita State for the nation's lead, while their 14 overall road wins led the country.
In conference play, SFA sits third nationally, behind Florida and Wichita St., with a 20-game win streak. The `Jacks finished a perfect 18-0 last season, becoming just the 18th team to go unbeaten in a league schedule of 18 games or more in NCAA history.
• VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: SFA received one vote in the AP Top 25 Poll entering the season. The `Jacks continued receiving one vote in week two. SFA was also ranked fifth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll in week two, moving up one spot from the opening week of the season (tabbed sixth).
• PRESEASON HYPE: CBSSports.com's Sam Vecenie concluded the website's 2014-15 college basketball conference preview with a "Best of the Rest" on Thursday, Oct. 23, and the `Jacks were tabbed sixth out of the 23 conferences not covered during the website's preseason series, while NBCSports.com College Basketball Talk's Rob Dauster had SFA ninth in his mid-major power ranking. USA Today had the `Jacks at No. 53 in its preseason countdown of the top teams.
• PICKED TO 3-PEAT: SFA, the two-time defending SLC regular-season and reigning tournament champion, was named the preseason favorite to repeat in a vote by the league's coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Wednesday, Oct. 29. The `Jacks received 11 first-place votes from the coaches for 143 total points while picking up 10 first-place nods from the SIDs and 144 total points.
• PARKER, WALKUP NAMED PRESEASON All-SLC: SFA's Parker and Walkup were named to the 2014-15 Preseason All-SLC teams, the league office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Parker was tabbed to the first team for the `Jacks, while Walkup earned second team recognition.
LEFTOVERS FROM 2013-14
• NCAA TOP 10 BEST STARTS: Head coach Brad Underwood picked up his 28th win at the helm in a 83-72 victory over Oral Roberts (Mar. 6) to crack into the NCAA's top 10 best career starts. Underwood, then added four more wins in 2013-14, to move into sole possession of third in the NCAA's top 10 best career starts at the Division I level. Underwood passed Steve Prohm (Murray State - 31-2, 2012) and Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh - 31-5, 2004) with SFA's win over VCU. Only Bill Guthridge (North Carolina - 34-4, 1998) and Bill Hodges (Indiana State - 33-1, 1979) recorded more wins in their first season as a head coach.
• PERFECT IN CONFERENCE: With the win over Central Arkansas in the season finale, SFA closed out the season out their conference schedule undefeated for just the third time in program history. The `Jacks finished the season 18-0 in conference to become the third team to do so this season, joining No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Wichita State and just the 18th team to go unbeaten in a league schedule of 18 games or more in NCAA history. SFA also finished 18-0 (29-1 overall) in the Lone Star Conference in 1969-70 and 10-0 (22-8 overall) in the Gulf Star Conference in 1886-87.
• ROAD WARRIORS: With the win at Southeastern Louisiana, SFA closed its Southland Conference road slate undefeated at 9-0, the first time the `Jacks have done so in the Division I era. The last conference team that was truly recognized for going undefeated on the road was Arkansas State in 1966-67 when it was 8-0 SLC and 4-0 on road. In 1972-73 Louisiana-Lafayette finished 6-0 (12-0 SLC), but all wins were later forfeited due to NCAA sanctions. Louisiana Tech is listed as 8-0 in league play in 1971-72, but it technically was 6-2 in conference and 3-1 on the road. It was later awarded two league wins (one road win) when ULL forfeited all eight-league games that season.
QUICK HITS
• The `Jacks are 1-3 on the season, SFA's worst start since the 1998-99 season when the team opened up 0-4.
• The `Jacks are on their first three-game losing streak since 2011-12 season, when SFA dropped three consecutive in non-conference play (Prairie View A&M, 53-50; North Carolina Central, 65-57; Oregon, 55-45.).
• SFA's 34-game win streak ended in a 79-77 overtime loss to Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
• SFA's 12-game true road win streak ended in a 81-63 loss at Xavier on Friday, Nov. 21.
• Junior guard/forward Thomas Walkup recorded his fifth double-double of the season in SFA's season-opening 75-49 win over Mississippi College.
• At the Division I level, senior forward Jacob Parker ranks 10th all-time at SFA with 100 starts. The native of Bixby, Okla., needs 12 more to tie former teammate Desmond Haymon (2010-14) for second all-time. Josh Alexander (2005-09) holds the Div. I mark with 116 starts.
• In 2013-14, SFA closed the regular season 15-0 inside William R. Johnson Coliseum for a second straight year.
• SFA led the country with 14 true road wins in 2013-14, posting a 14-2 (.875) mark.
• SFA is coming off a record-setting 32-3 campaign in 2013-14. The `Jacks won the Southland Conference's regular season and tournament titles, and picked up the program's first-ever win the NCAA Tournament, upsetting fifth-seeded VCU 77-75 in overtime.
• The 2013-14 Southland Conference regular season title marks the second time the `Jacks have won back-to-back titles. SFA won the SLC in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The year after won their first consecutive titles, the `Jacks were eliminated in the championship game of the league's tournament.
• The `Jacks are 2-5 all-time in postseason tournaments. SFA is 1-2 in the NCAA Tournament and 1-3 in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
• SFA is 2-0 in season openers, home openers and vs. non-Division I programs in the Brad Underwood era.
• Brad Underwood became the 11th head coach in SFA history on April 23, 2013.
Series vs. Prairie View A&M: 10th meeting, SFA leads 7-2
Last Five Meetings:
Season (H/A/N) W/L Score
2011-12 (N) L 53-50
1886-87 (A) W 78-56
1986-87 (H) W 91-62
1971-72 (A) W 88-84
1971-72 (H) W 118-107
Last time vs. Prairie View A&M - (Dec. 20, 2011 - Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Oregon)
Despite 18 points and nine rebounds from Jereal Scott, the Lumberjacks could not overcome poor shooting from behind the three-point line and at the charity stripe as they dropped a 53-50 decision to Prairie View A&M in the first of three games at the Global Hoops Showcase at the Matthew Knight Arena.
Series vs. Austin Peay: 2nd meeting, SFA leads 1-0
Season (H/A/N) W/L Score
2008-2009 (N) W 93-54
Last time vs. Austin Peay - (Dec. 19, 2008 - Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville, Ark.)
Eddie Williams scored 25 points as SFA notched a resounding 93-54 victory over Austin Peay in the Arkansas Jim Thorpe Classic. The victory was SFA's sixth straight and moved the Lumberjacks to 7-2 on the season.
Series vs. Brown: 1st meeting
Series Notes
• Thursday's game will be the 10th meeting between SFA and Prairie View A&M, also marking the second consecutive meeting at a neutral site. The `Jacks and Panthers played in Eugene, Oregon in the 2011-12 year.
-SFA-
