‘Jacks Close Out ’25 Portion of Campaign in SLC Tilts at East Texas A&M, Northwestern State

Monday, December 29

Commerce, Texas

6:30 P.M.

Stephen F. Austin

East Texas A&M

Buy Tickets

Photo by: Sarah Williams

‘Jacks Close Out ’25 Portion of Campaign in SLC Tilts at East Texas A&M, Northwestern State

12/28/2025 4:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball

SFA carries four-game win streak, 2-0 league start into league-only schedule to close out regular season

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin men's basketball is back in action this coming week with two Southland Conference matchups that will close out the 2025 portion of the schedule, while two more SLC road tilts open up the '26 portion of the campaign as the 'Jacks put a four-game winning streak and a 2-0 mark in league play on the line in Monday night action at East Texas A&M; the first stop on a four-game road trip for the Lumberjacks.

SFA meets the Lions at 6:30 p.m. on January 29, before traveling across state lines into the Pelican State to contest Northwestern State at 3:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The 'Jacks usher in 2026 in Hammond, Louisiana for a 3:30 p.m. tip against Southeastern Louisiana on January 3. The first Monday of the new year puts the 'Jacks in Lake Charles for a 6:30 p.m. start against defending league champion McNeese. All the action will be streamed live on ESPN+ and additional live coverage links, including live stats and Chase Merrell's radio call, are available at www.SFAjacks.com.

LAST TIME OUT
Stephen F. Austin men's basketball finished its pre-Christmas schedule in dominant fashion handling the University of Dallas. SFA used a 16-0 run to open its final non-conference tilt of the '25-26 season and led by as much as 32 points in the first twenty minutes of action on the way to a 103-55 win. The victory moved the 'Jacks' overall record to 9-2 and 7-0 inside WRJ.

Nine different Lumberjacks found a spot in the first-half scoring column, while 11 touched the floor prior to the intermission. SFA controlled the glass at +23 including a dozen boards on the offensive end of the floor, while cashing in on 14 second-chance points in the first half. Second-half action was much the same for SFA with Marcus Scurry leading the 52-point effort with ten points on 3-of-4 shooting from range. Tichque Musaka led with five rebounds and Harris Dar recorded a pair of blocks. The 'Jacks' largest second-half lead was 53 points with just under three minutes remaining.

ACTION 'JACKS

SFA leads the SLC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.65; a mark that ranks 31^st nationally
No team in the Southland is corralling more offensive rebounds per game than SFA at 13.36
The Lumberjacks are active along the perimeter on both ends of the floor producing a league-leading 10.0 made three-pointers per game, while boasting the league's top three-point percentage defense at 27.8%; a mark that ranks 14^th nationally
The 'Jacks protect possessions as good as any team in the country with an SLC-best 9.5 turnovers per game: the 12^th fewest per night in Division I basketball
SFA holds the league's second-highest marks in blocks per game (5.0), rebounds per game (39.64), scoring defense (66.6) and scoring margin (14.5)
Lateef Patrick and Kam Burton join Narit Chotikavanic inside the league's top 10 in three-pointers per game
Patrick is second on the team in scoring at 15.8 points per game behind 63 field goals, a 42.3% effort from the floor and a team-leading 149 shots taken all of which rank inside the league's top 10

NEON KEON

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
Thompson has since earned a second SLC Player of the Week honor in addition to being named to the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year Midseason Watch List
Thompson has bucketed the fourth-most points in the SLC at 194, holds the league's second-highest scoring average at 17.6 points per game and is shooting at a team-best 48.6% clip from the floor which rates as the sixth-highest percentage league-wide
He rates inside the league's top 10 in defensive rebound average (4.36) and rebound average (5.9)
Thompson has scored in double figures in ten of 11 games with five 20-point efforts
He has recorded 5+ assist in seven games and is coming off a season-high eight against Dallas

BLOCKS & BOARDS

Jerald Colonel leads the country in blocks per game (3.82) and ranks third nationally in total blocks (42)
He has recorded three or more blocks in a game nine times this season with a season-best six coming against both Arkansas State and UTRGV
Colonel leads the Southland with 87 total rebounds at 7.9 rebounds per game and ranks second in the SLC with 4.91 defensive rebounds per game and 3.00 offensive rebounds per game
On the glass, Colonel has registered seven or more rebounds ten times

SHOWTIME-IKANVANIC

Narit Chotikavanic native ranks 17^th nationally in three-pointers per game with 3.45 and holds a top 20 three-point percentage nationally at 48.7%
His 38 total three-pointers made are inside the top 50 in DI and he has made multiple three-pointers in each of his last five games
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 third-most by a player in the Southland Conference this season
Chotikavanic has scored in double figures in seven games, including 20-point efforts against ACU and Pepperdine

KEN POM + NET RANK

Through 11 games and as of December 27, the 'Jacks are rated 141^st in the Pomeroy Ratings
SFA is the second-highest ranked SLC team behind McNeese which rates at 65^th
Among the metrics, the 'Jacks are 116^th in adjusted defensive efficiency
The NCAA's NET Rankings, as of December 27, has the 'Jacks at 105^th behind top 50 McNeese at 48^th overall

EAST TEXAS A&M RUNDOWN

The Lions rate 251^st in the NCAA NET and 296^th in the KENPOM
ETAM enters Monday's action at 6-6 overall, 1-1 in SLC play and unbeaten in three games at home inside The Field House
The Lions' six losses include New Mexico, Hawaii, Rice, UCONN, Texas A&M and McNeese
East Texas A&M leads the SLC in assists per game (18.1) and three-point attempts per game (28.2) and rate second with 33.0 bench points per game
ETAM's 9.7 three-pointers per game rank third in the SLC as do the squad's 15.17 turnovers per game
Ronnie Harrison leads the team in scoring at 14.5 ppg behind a 51.6% FG%
Vinny Sigona is the top shooter from range ranking fourth in three-point attempts (73), three-point percentage (42.5), three-pointers per game (2.58) and total three-pointers made (31) all of which rank fourth in the SLC

NORTHWESTERN STATE RUNDOWN

The Demons rate 314^th in the NCAA NET and rank 293^rd in the KENPOM
NSU begins the week at 3-8 overall, 1-1 in SLC play and 2-1 at home inside Prather Coliseum
The Demons play host to Lamar on Monday night prior to welcoming in the 'Jacks on Wednesday
NSU leads the SLC in free attempts per game with 23.0, ranks second in free throw percentage at 74.7% and second in free throw makes at 17.2
The Demons rely on nearly 33 bench points per game which rates third in the SLC
Micah Thomas leads NSU in FT% at 91.3% which rates inside the DI top 30
Thomas' 16.3 ppg rate fifth in the Southland

NATIONAL CONVERSATION

For the sixth-consecutive week, the Lumberjacks are receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.Com Men's Mid Major Top 25
SFA accounts for the fifth-most points (39) among teams not in the top 25 putting the 'Jacks at No. 30 nationally if the poll extended out
That's the second-highest ranking of any Southland Conference team behind No. 17 McNeese

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TRACKER
Chrishawn Christmas vs. UTRGV (12/3/25) – 11 pts, 10 reb
Keon Thompson vs. Abilene Christian (11/14/25) – 15 pts, 12 reb

LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD

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
SFA has crossed over the century mark in scoring twice this season (103 vs. Millsaps, Dallas) marking the first season with multiple 100+ scoring outputs since the 2020-21 campaign

SEASON-OPENER SUCCESS

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

NEW 'JACKS ON THE BLOCK

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

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 nine 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