Stephen F. Austin
UTRGV
’Jacks Welcome UTRGV for Opening SLC Slate
12/2/2025 4:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Vaqueros make their trip to Nacogdoches for the sixth time, as SFA posts a 5–0 home record against UTRGV.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin men's basketball returns to action on Wednesday night with their opening Southland Conference matchup set against in-state opponent UTRGV. Tip-off from inside William R. Johnson Coliseum is set for 6 p.m. The action will be streamed live on ESPN+, and additional live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
LAST TIME OUT
SFA was unable to overcome UTA in a 66-61 final on Saturday. Heading into the last two minutes, the 'Jacks trailed the Mavericks by just two before a scoring drought by both sides kept the game close in the final seconds. UTA was able to then find four points coming off free-throws. Chrishawn Christmas was able to find two points in the paint for SFA, as those were the only points coming inside the two-minute mark, to bring the UTA lead back down to two.
Not long after, UTA found themselves at the free-throw line to close out the night with a 66-61 final. Keon Thompson and Lateef Patrick highlighted the score sheet, combining for 36 of the Lumberjacks points. Jerald Colonel continued his glass-cleaning dominance with seven rebounds and five blocks on the night.
ACTION 'JACKS
- The 'Jacks have connected on nine or more shots from beyond-the-arc in each of their first six games this season, with ten or more in five games, highlighted by a season-high 13 against ACU
- SFA has won the battle on the glass in the last two of three games this season
- The 'Jacks are 4-1 when leading in the rebound category
- Delivered a dozen assists or more in all six games, with 14+ in five
- The 'Jacks have allowed no more than eight made attempts from beyond-the-arc by their opponents this season
- SFA protects home court advantage with a +62 margin of victory in the Piney Wood
- First-year 'Jack Narit Chotikavanic has proven an immediate impact for SFA through six games
- The Plano, Texas native ranks 20th nationally in three-pointers per game with 3.43 and holds a top 50 three-point percentage nationally at 45.3%
- His 24 total three-pointers made are inside the top 105 in DI, and he has made multiple three-pointers in each of his last five games
- Among his six games played, all off the bench, Chotikavanic hit a go-ahead three with less than a second remaining to complete SFA's comeback in the win over Pepperdine
- In SFA's hard-fought home victory over ACU, he shot 80% from beyond-the-arc, becoming the first 'Jack since 2017, the second since 2000, and just the fifth all-time, to hit eight three-pointers in a game
- He hit 5-of-7 from range in the first half against the Wildcats and netted all three of his attempts in the final twenty minutes
- His eight made threes are currently tied for the most by a player in the Southland Conference this season
- Chotikavanic has scored in double figures in four games, including his last three games of which include 20-point efforts against ACU and Pepperdine
- He leads SFA in steals with ten
- Jerald Colonel ranks first nationally in blocks (27) and blocks per game (3.86)
- Colonel ranks second in the Southland with 55 total rebounds, ranks second in the SLC with 7.9 rebounds per game, and leads with 3.29 offensive rebounds
- Colonel has grabbed 23 offensive rebounds this season
- Thompson's 51 made field goals are the second-most in the SLC
- Three 'Jacks carry double-digit scoring averages with Thompson leading at 18.7 ppg, Patrick following with 16.9 ppg, and Chotikavanic adds 12.6 ppg
- Through six games and as of December 1, the 'Jacks are rated 150th in the Pomeroy Ratings
- SFA is the second-highest ranked SLC team behind McNeese, which rates at 81st
- Among the metrics, the 'Jacks are 79th in adjusted defensive efficiency with a 101.8 rating
- UTRGV is in at 192nd in the Ken Pom rankings
- The Mavericks are 2-4 on the season, coming off an 87-73 loss at #13 Illinois
- UTRGV currently ranks first in the SLC for three-point percentage at 43.5
- Marvin McGhee III sits at 12th in the SLC for points per game with 13.7
- McGhee III also holds the eighth spot in the SLC for defensive boards per game with 4.50
- McGhee III and Dane Christinsen both rank sixth in the SLC for double-doubles
- SFA and UTRGV meet for the 12th time in a series that has the Vaqueros currently holding an 8-3 advantage with a perfect 5-0 mark at home
- SFA has a 7-1 record when playing UTRGV in conference matchups, with SFA taking the last game in an 85-75 victory
- For the fourth-consecutive week, the Lumberjacks are receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.Com Men's Mid Major Top 25
- That's the second-highest ranking of any Southland Conference team behind No. 16 McNeese, and in front of Lamar (17)
Keon Thompson vs. Abilene Christian (11/14/25) – 15 pts, 12 reb
BUCKET GETTER
- Senior guard Keon Thompson was honored by the Southland Conference as the league's first men's basketball player of the week following the first week of action this season, an honor that followed Thompson's tabbing as the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Week
- In two wins, Thompson averaged 23.0 points, including a 26-point performance against Arkansas State
- He shot 57.6% (19-of-33) from the floor and .333 (3-of-9) from three-point range
- Thompson averaged 5.0 boards, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 steals
- The 'Jacks scored 193 points through the first two games of the season, marking the most through two contests to start a campaign since the 2010-11 season
- The 'Jacks eclipsed 80+ points in each of the first three games of the season for the first time since 2020-21
- The 'Jacks have now won nine straight season openers since their last season-opening loss at #2 Kentucky to tip off the 2016-17 season
- The win, in the first meeting all-time with Millsaps, pushed the Lumberjacks' win streak in home openers to 27 games
- SFA's 103 points are the most in a season opener since dropping 114 on Howard Payne to begin the 2010-11 campaign
- Eleven Lumberjacks made their SFA debuts in the season-opening win against Millsaps
- Patrick scored 18 points, all from beyond-the-arc, in his first action for SFA and Jerald Colonel followed with 13 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, one assist and a steal
- Of the 11 new 'Jacks that saw the court, Marcus Scurry and Bryceson Melvin made their collegiate debuts
- Scurry dropped 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting with two made threes in 21 minutes of work to go along with an assist
- Melvin saw nine minutes of action and delivered his first career bucket in addition to grabbing four rebounds
UP NEXT
The 'Jacks ready as they bring in the Warhawks of ULM on Sunday, December 7, inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. It'a the first meeting since the 2021-22 season when the Warhawks took a 82-69 victory. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
BRAEUER GETS HIS FIRST
First-year head coach Matt Braeuer earned his first career win against Millsaps, knocked off Arkansas State for his first win over a Division I opponent and then the 'Jacks handled Rice for Braeuer's first road win.
99 SEASONS FAST FACTS
*70 seasons with an overall record north of .500
*31 seasons of 20 or more wins
*5 NCAA Tournament appearances
*2 seasons of 30 or more wins
AXES SHARPENED IN PINEY WOODS BATTLE
An exhibition edition of the hardwood version of the Battle of the Piney Woods took place in Houston on October 25 and it was the Lumberjacks that outlasted their Conference USA opposition in overtime beating longtime foe Sam Houston State 105-100 in the extra period. SFA shot over 51% from the floor, withstood a 59-point second-half effort by the Bearkats who erased a 15-point deficit at the intermission and used a 43-point outburst, including a perfect 19-of-19 from the stripe, by Thompson to claim the unofficial victory in a series that was first contested in 1925.
SLC VIRTUAL MEDIA DAY
Head coach Matt Braeuer and senior guard Keon Thompson joined the Field of 68 on October 27 as part of the SLC's Virtual Media Day. The interview is available on-demand here.
CUE THE MUSIC
CBS Sports announced a slate of five Southland Conference men's basketball matchups that will be featured on the network this coming season and among the showcased contests is a January 26 matchup between the 'Jacks and cross-border rival Northwestern State inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
SEASON THEMES & PROMOTIONS
A dozen dynamic nights designed for fan engagement and to pack out WRJ with Lumberjack spirit are on tap during the 2025-26 season. From classic promotions like "Cram the Coliseum" and "Purple Out" to new favorites such as "Dance Hall Night" and "Social Media Night," this season's lineup promises a high-energy experience for fans of all ages. For a full list of game themes and promotions, visit here.
SECURE YOUR SEATS TODAY
Single game tickets and five-game flex plans for the remaining 13 SFA men's basketball home matchups are available for purchase now. Fans interested in purchasing season ticket packages can secure their seats here. Don't miss out on all the exciting action inside William R. Johnson Coliseum this season!
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA men's basketball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
#AxeEm x #WinTogether
