TAMIU Sports Notes
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TAMIU will play its final two road games before returning to campus to close-out the 2005-06 regular season with a four-game home stand. The Dustdevils will travel to Oklahoma to play a non-conference game at Langston on Saturday before playing a conference contest at Bacone College next Monday.
Both schools defeated TAMIU earlier this season in Laredo. Langston holds a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series with TAMIU while Bacone leads the series against the Dustdevils, 3-2.
The Program & Head Coach
The TAMIU men’s basketball team is competing as a third year program as members of the NAIA and Red River Athletic Conference. Tarvish Felton (Southern Utah, 1999) was hired as the University’s first coach in September 2002. After finishing 10th in the RRAC regular season standings in 2003-04 the Dustdevils finished fifth in the final conference standings last season, qualifying for the conference postseason tournament for the first time. Felton has a career and school record of 28-58.
A Noteworthy Comeback
Monday’s game against Southwestern Assemblies marked the first time in the three-year history of the program that TAMIU has fought back from a double-digit halftime deficit to record a win. SAGU led at halftime, 46-30, extending that lead to 17 points less than two minutes into the second half. The previous biggest comeback was recorded last season when the Dustdevils recovered from a 44-37 halftime deficit to record a 100-95 win over UT-Permian Basin.
TAMIU Basketball-Paul Young Chevy Shootout Continues
There are four more dates scheduled for the TAMIU Basketball-Paul Young Chevy Shootout. One fan will be selected for a shooting contest at each of the next three men’s games and the women’s game on Feb. 27th. If that fan sinks a lay-up, free throw, 3-pointer and half court shot in 25 seconds they will win a 2006 Chevy Aveo.
If no one wins the car a three-point shooting contest will take place at halftime of the men’s game on Feb. 27 against Jarvis Christian with the winner receiving a check for $500 from Paul Young. Those chosen to shoot for the car will automatically qualify for the 3-point contest. Those already participating in the contest have been TAMIU international student Yugandar Movva and Dustdevil assistant volleyball coach Mickey Mendoza.
WOMEN
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TAMIU will play its final two regular season road games for the 2005-06 season during a road-trip to Oklahoma. The Dustdevils will play a non-conference contest at Langston on Saturday before facing conference foe Bacone College on Monday.
TAMIU split with the two teams earlier this season in Laredo, losing by five points to Langston before defeating Bacone by the same margin. Langston holds a 4-1 lead in the all-time series with TAMIU while the Dustdevils hold a 5-0 advantage in the all-time series with Bacone College.
TAMIU will enter play this weekend alone in second place in the Red River Athletic Conference standings with a 12-3 league mark. Bacone and Texas Wesleyan are tied for third place with identical 9-3 conference records. A win over Bacone on Monday and Texas Wesleyan on Feb. 16 would all but ensure TAMIU of a second place finish in the regular season standings.
The Program & Head Coach
The TAMIU women’s basketball team is competing as a third year program as members of the NAIA and Red River Athletic Conference. Head coach Marc García (Trinity, 1993) began the task of building a new program in September 2002. He has guided the Dustdevils to Red River Athletic Conference postseason tournament berths in each season of the program’s two-year existence. García has a career and school record of 47-42.
Noteworthy
Senior Nyibol Bior grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds in Saturday’s win over Paul Quinn College. It marked the third time in her career she has finished with double-figure rebound totals. Bior recorded a career-high 11 rebounds in a win over UT-Permian Basin during the 2002-03 season ... Freshman Cindy Sierra dished out a season-high seven assists in Monday’s win over Southwestern Assemblies. She ranks second on the squad with a 2.8 assists per game average … TAMIU received 14 points in this week’s NAIA top-25 poll, which would equate to a 32nd ranking in an expanded poll. The Dustdevils are vying to become the second TAMIU team sport to be nationally ranked in a NAIA top-25 regular season poll, joining the volleyball program.
Source: TAMIU Athletics Office
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