WATCH: Angelo State Rams Look to Stop the Skid

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Angelo State men’s basketball team will look to snap a three-game losing streak Thursday evening against UT Permian Basin, the last team the Rams defeated. Angelo State earned an 80-77 victory over the Falcons on Jan. 13 inside the Junell Center–Stephens Arena.

The Rams dropped both games of a home-and-home series against Texas A&M-Kingsville last week, falling 67-64 last Wednesday in San Angelo before the Javelinas claimed a 58-56 win Saturday in Kingsville.

In Wednesday’s contest, Texas A&M-Kingsville closed the game by making its final five field-goal attempts. Saturday’s matchup was decided in the final second when Bryce Smith converted a no-look layup with 0.9 seconds remaining to secure the win for the Javelinas.

Scouting Report

UT Permian Basin enters the matchup 8-11 overall and 4-7 in Lone Star Conference play. After opening league play winless through six games, the Falcons have won four of their last five contests, with their lone loss during that stretch coming against Angelo State on Jan. 13.

UTPB is 3-5 at home this season inside the Falcon Dome. The Falcons average 77.4 points per game and feature five players scoring in double figures. Tash Lunday leads the team with 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and recorded a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Rams earlier this season.

Reigning LSC Offensive Player of the Week Sharrod Taylor has scored in double figures in each of the past six games, including a career-high 35 points in his most recent outing against Texas A&M International. The Falcons shoot 43.8 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from 3-point range, while defensively forcing 12.1 turnovers per game and holding opponents to 46.1 percent shooting overall and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.

ASU's Ashraf Barsham and Quadir Pettaway provided a major spark off the bench in Saturday’s loss at Kingsville, each scoring 19 points and accounting for 68 percent of the Rams’ total offense.

Barsham shot 7 of 11 from the field and recorded seven steals, becoming the second Ram in the past two weeks to notch seven steals in a game, joining Jordan Crawford, who accomplished the feat against UT Dallas. Pettaway, who had missed the previous 10 games due to injury, finished 6 of 12 from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point range in 24 minutes of action.