LSC Roundup 11-5

Triple Threat
3 senior roommates lead WT's defensive revival
It is no secret the return of running back Keithon Flemming has ignited the West Texas A&M offense - 43.8 points a game and four wins in a row can't be ignored.

There's another reason, though, the Buffs are the hottest team in the Lone Star Conference.
After picking up one sack in their first three games, the Buffs are sacking like a grocery store bagger - 27 in their past seven contests. That dramatic turnaround starts up front with three experienced starting defensive linemen - three seniors who are the heart and soul of a defense that barely resembles what it was in late August.

Defensive ends Eugene Sims and Broderick Marshall and nose tackle Marcus Rowe - three roommates - have one regular-season game left before they go their separate ways. And they have left their mark on the Buffs' program.

Basey is looking to lead MSU's charge to playoffs
Midwestern State defensive tackle Sharod Basey says he likes playing in big games. And he would like to think he has played pretty big in those games. Saturday afternoon may provide Basey with the biggest game of his career, and the Mustangs will need a big game out of their 6-2, 310-pound senior. That’s because No. 12 Abilene Christian will come calling for a 1 p.m. game against the No. 9 Mustangs at Memorial Stadium with the NCAA Division II playoffs on the line.

“I like games like this,” Basey said. “This is our type of game. It gives us a chance to show what we can do. My best game so far was West Texas. I really played well that game. I like playing in big games.”

Angelo State struggling with youth
For all of the strides Angelo State has made in Dale Carr’s fifth season as coach, the Rams have stayed pretty much on an even keel. With the exception of their run defense — at 79.1 yards allowed per game, they rank eighth nationally — and sacks (3.9, third), the Rams have straddled the road this season. To a large degree, that explains Angelo State’s 6-4 record that it will take into Saturday night’s regular-season Lone Star Conference South Division finale against 17th-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville.

“We’ve done all right. I guess you’d say pretty consistent. In the big games, we’ve had three losses that were pretty convincing losses,” Carr said. “I think we’re a better team than what we’ve played in those losses. I think a lot of our younger players, our inexperienced players, have really tried to play outside their ability. They made mistakes in those games that they haven’t been doing in other games,” Carr added. “I think where we’re green, that really hurt us in those games, where we could’ve done better. I don’t know whether it would’ve made a difference in the outcome but it certainly would have been closer games.”

ASU MIDWEEK: Javs could tie for South title with win over Rams
With one weekend left in the NCAA Division II football regular season, only one thing is certain in the Lone Star Conference — Tarleton State will win at least a share of the overall and South Division championship. The Texans secured that spot when they defeated Angelo State 21-14 last Saturday to move to 9-1 overall, 7-1 in the LSC and 4-1 in the South. With a win at home against West Texas A&M on Saturday, TSU will win the titles outright.

That isn’t as easy as it sounds, however. WTAM has won its last four games since getting running back Keithon Flemming back from injury, including a win against then-No. 1 Abilene Christian. If the Texans lose, however, there are three teams that could tie TSU for the South title and three teams that could tie them for the overall championship.

One of those teams is Texas A&M-Kingsville, which hosts Angelo State on Saturday.

LSC rankings (from the Abilene Reporter News)
1. Tarleton State (9-1, 7-1) — The Texans have clinched at least a share of the LSC title, their first since 2001, and have a chance to win it outright right Saturday. They’ll have to earn it since they’re facing the hottest team in the LSC right now — West Texas A&M.

2. Midwestern State (8-2, 6-2) — The Mustangs are 5-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 205-45. Now, they face a must-win game — at home — against Abilene Christian.

3,4,5,6.....????


Terry Mayo to join Roughnecks
Indoor Football League: Roughnecks add new QB

Bronchos 12th In Women's Poll
EDMOND (Nov. 4) – Two-time defending Lone Star Conference North Division champion Central Oklahoma came in No. 12 in the USA TODAY/ESPN Division II Women’s Coaches’ Poll that was released Wednesday.

The Bronchos, who have eight players back from last year’s record-setting 27-6 team, received 297 points in balloting of 30 head coaches from around the country.

Michigan Tech topped the poll, followed by Franklin Pierce, California (Pa.), Delta State and Fort Lewis. West Texas A&M, which beat UCO in both the LSC Tournament and South Central Regional finals last year, came in 10th as the only other league team in the rankings.

Javs volleyball can clinch playoff berth against Abilene Christian
Texas A&M-Kingsville travels to Abilene looking to get LSC playoff spot

After already having pocketed the most victories in 11 seasons, Texas A&M-Kingsville’s volleyball team goes after a berth in the Lone Star Conference postseason playoffs when the Javelinas close the regular season on the road at Abilene Christian and Angelo State.

With a victory over either ACU or ASU, the Javelinas would cinch their second tournament berth in Shannon Alvarado’s three seasons as coach. The top eight teams advance to the tournament. A&M-Kingsville is 17-10 and 6-5 in the LSC. The 17 victories are the most since the Javelinas posted a school-record 22-12 record in 1998.

NATHAN WRIGHT: ASU's Brasfield ready to face new challenge
Former Angelo State University volleyball coach and current Athletic Director Kathleen Brasfield has never been one to back down from a challenge.

She took over an ASU volleyball program in just its third year of existence in 1978 and guided it to 647 wins and the NCAA Division II national tournament four times in 27 seasons. She left volleyball behind in 2004 to become the school’s AD and has seen the volleyball team return to the top of the Lone Star Conference, the men’s basketball team return to the regional tournament and the softball and baseball teams reach the national tournament.

But she is about to embark on her biggest challenge yet — and she couldn’t be more excited about it.