Posted: Feb 22, 2012
LEVELLAND - The South Plains College Texan and Lady Texan basketball teams are each only one win away from clinching, though what each team is trying to clinch is slightly different. For the NJCAA top-ranked Texans, defeating Howard College Thursday night would clinch their first Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) championship since the 2006-07 season and 11th in school history. A win for the Lady Texans would put them into the post-season.
Losses by either team, however, could set-up a very interesting final week to the regular season.
The Texans (26-0, 11-0) currently own a two game lead over the Hawks (20-5, 9-2) in the WJCAC standings with three games remaining for both teams. A Howard win would decrease the Texan lead in the conference to only a single game entering the final week of league play.
South Plains narrowly defeated Howard 65-62 when they hosted the Hawks at the Texan Dome January 30. Both teams have been red hot since that match-up as Howard has reeled off six consecutive wins and the Texans have not scored less than 83 points since being held to their second lowest scoring output of the season against the Hawks.
Stingy defense has been the key to Howard's success; while a steady dose of offensive and defensive success has helped the No. 1 ranked Texans remain undefeated.
SPC's 12th year head coach Steve Green says Howard's style of play could pose some problems for the Texans.
"They've got very good players and they play a methodical style which we don't necessarily like," Green said. "We struggled with it (Howard's play) here but were fortunate to get ahead and hold on for dear life."
Through 11 conference games the Texans average a WJCAC best of 86 points per game - 10 points better than anyone else in the conference and nearly 13 better than Howard - and rank second behind the Hawks in scoring defense allowing only 66 points per game. Howard's opponents have scored an average of only 62 points per contest.
Green has had mixed results against the Hawks, posting a 14-13 record as head coach of the Texans. His team was involved in a tight contest against New Mexico Thursday night before ending the game on a 17-0 run to win 85-60.
Thursday will mark the ninth game the Texans have played as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA.
The Lady Texans (8-18, 5-5) played conference leading New Mexico tough for the first half before succumbing to the Lady T-Birds Thursday night at the Texan Dome. The loss did little to hurt South Plains' post-season opportunities as they remain 11/2 games ahead of Western Texas College (14-12, 3-6) after the Lady Westerners were thumped 75-50 to Midland College Monday night in Midland.
Not only is South Plains facing a Howard team already eliminated from post-season play, they defeated the Lady Hawks 43-36 late last month. A win or a Western Texas loss would ensure the Lady Texans a return to the Region 5 tournament for the 10th consecutive season.
The Lady Texans hold a 14-2 record over the Lady Hawks in Michelle Wyatt's seven seasons as head coach. SPC has won the last two matchups, but lost the last time they traveled to Big Spring January 10, 2011.
A live video broadcast of both the Texan and Lady Texan games will be available at www.spctexans.com with KLVT's Michael Wiiest calling the courtside action. Wiiest can also be heard by turning the radio dial to KLVT 1230 AM or by visiting www.klvtradio.com.
GAME NOTES
South Plains College Texans and Lady Texans at Howard (Big Spring, Texas)
5:45 p.m. Lady Texans (8-18, 5-5) at Howard (16-11, 2-7)
7:45 p.m. No. 1 Texans (26-0, 11-0) at Howard (20-5, 9-2)
Live video streaming available at www.spctexans.com
Live stats available at www.spctexans.com.
Radio: KLVT 1230 AM and www.klvtradio.com
The SPC Texans are off to their best start ever at 26-0. Thursday's game will be their ninth playing as the No. 1 team in all of the NJCAA and they can clinch their first WJCAC championship since the 2006-07 season with a win. South Plains has 10 conference crowns to their credit.
12th year Head Coach Steve Green
Overall Record: 435-126 (.775)
SPC Record: 291-83 (.778)
Vs Howard (at SPC): 14-13 (.519)
Players to Watch
No. Name Ht. Year Pos. Stats
2 Yanick Moreira 6-10 FR Fwd 12.1 points/game, 7.3 rebounds/game
10 Devonte Smith 5-10 FR PG 3.6/1 Assist/Turnover ratio
11 Stanton Kidd 6-7 SO Fwd 11 points/game, 6.3 rebounds/game
12 Marshall Henderson 6-2 SO G 19.3 points/game, 90-209 (.431) 3-pt FGA
The Lady Texans can clinch a berth to the Region 5 tournament with a victory or Western Texas loss.
7th year Head Coach Michelle Wyatt
Overall Record: 153-56 (.732)
Vs Howard: 14-2 (.875)
Players to watch
No. Name Ht. Year Pos. Stats
11 Ashley Roberts 5-7 SO G 16.6 points/game
51 Sydney Hearn 5-9 FR P 5.7 points, 4.8 rebounds/game
55 Stephanie Moore 6-1 SO P 9.4 points, 7.2 rebounds/game
Losses by either team, however, could set-up a very interesting final week to the regular season.
The Texans (26-0, 11-0) currently own a two game lead over the Hawks (20-5, 9-2) in the WJCAC standings with three games remaining for both teams. A Howard win would decrease the Texan lead in the conference to only a single game entering the final week of league play.
South Plains narrowly defeated Howard 65-62 when they hosted the Hawks at the Texan Dome January 30. Both teams have been red hot since that match-up as Howard has reeled off six consecutive wins and the Texans have not scored less than 83 points since being held to their second lowest scoring output of the season against the Hawks.
Stingy defense has been the key to Howard's success; while a steady dose of offensive and defensive success has helped the No. 1 ranked Texans remain undefeated.
SPC's 12th year head coach Steve Green says Howard's style of play could pose some problems for the Texans.
"They've got very good players and they play a methodical style which we don't necessarily like," Green said. "We struggled with it (Howard's play) here but were fortunate to get ahead and hold on for dear life."
Through 11 conference games the Texans average a WJCAC best of 86 points per game - 10 points better than anyone else in the conference and nearly 13 better than Howard - and rank second behind the Hawks in scoring defense allowing only 66 points per game. Howard's opponents have scored an average of only 62 points per contest.
Green has had mixed results against the Hawks, posting a 14-13 record as head coach of the Texans. His team was involved in a tight contest against New Mexico Thursday night before ending the game on a 17-0 run to win 85-60.
Thursday will mark the ninth game the Texans have played as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA.
The Lady Texans (8-18, 5-5) played conference leading New Mexico tough for the first half before succumbing to the Lady T-Birds Thursday night at the Texan Dome. The loss did little to hurt South Plains' post-season opportunities as they remain 11/2 games ahead of Western Texas College (14-12, 3-6) after the Lady Westerners were thumped 75-50 to Midland College Monday night in Midland.
Not only is South Plains facing a Howard team already eliminated from post-season play, they defeated the Lady Hawks 43-36 late last month. A win or a Western Texas loss would ensure the Lady Texans a return to the Region 5 tournament for the 10th consecutive season.
The Lady Texans hold a 14-2 record over the Lady Hawks in Michelle Wyatt's seven seasons as head coach. SPC has won the last two matchups, but lost the last time they traveled to Big Spring January 10, 2011.
A live video broadcast of both the Texan and Lady Texan games will be available at www.spctexans.com with KLVT's Michael Wiiest calling the courtside action. Wiiest can also be heard by turning the radio dial to KLVT 1230 AM or by visiting www.klvtradio.com.
GAME NOTES
South Plains College Texans and Lady Texans at Howard (Big Spring, Texas)
5:45 p.m. Lady Texans (8-18, 5-5) at Howard (16-11, 2-7)
7:45 p.m. No. 1 Texans (26-0, 11-0) at Howard (20-5, 9-2)
Live video streaming available at www.spctexans.com
Live stats available at www.spctexans.com.
Radio: KLVT 1230 AM and www.klvtradio.com
The SPC Texans are off to their best start ever at 26-0. Thursday's game will be their ninth playing as the No. 1 team in all of the NJCAA and they can clinch their first WJCAC championship since the 2006-07 season with a win. South Plains has 10 conference crowns to their credit.
12th year Head Coach Steve Green
Overall Record: 435-126 (.775)
SPC Record: 291-83 (.778)
Vs Howard (at SPC): 14-13 (.519)
Players to Watch
No. Name Ht. Year Pos. Stats
2 Yanick Moreira 6-10 FR Fwd 12.1 points/game, 7.3 rebounds/game
10 Devonte Smith 5-10 FR PG 3.6/1 Assist/Turnover ratio
11 Stanton Kidd 6-7 SO Fwd 11 points/game, 6.3 rebounds/game
12 Marshall Henderson 6-2 SO G 19.3 points/game, 90-209 (.431) 3-pt FGA
The Lady Texans can clinch a berth to the Region 5 tournament with a victory or Western Texas loss.
7th year Head Coach Michelle Wyatt
Overall Record: 153-56 (.732)
Vs Howard: 14-2 (.875)
Players to watch
No. Name Ht. Year Pos. Stats
11 Ashley Roberts 5-7 SO G 16.6 points/game
51 Sydney Hearn 5-9 FR P 5.7 points, 4.8 rebounds/game
55 Stephanie Moore 6-1 SO P 9.4 points, 7.2 rebounds/game