Men's Basketball Heads to MSU, Hosts Biblical Colleges of Houston

Saturday, November 18 • Midwestern State • 3 p.m.
St. Mary's (2-0)
Head Coach: Bubba Meyer (2-0)
at Midwestern State (2-0)
Head Coach: Justin Leslie (276-142)
Arena: D.L. Ligon Coliseum

Tuesday, November 21 • Biblical Studies - Houston • 5 p.m.
Biblical Studies-Houston (4-3)
Head Coach: Danny Evans (4-3)
at St. Mary's (2-0)
Head Coach: Bubba Meyer (2-0)
Arena: Bill Greehey Arena

Opening Tip

•    St. Mary's gets its first road test on Saturday as they play a non-conference game at Midwestern State at 3 p.m. The Rattlers then return home for a rare Tuesday contest against first-year program College of Biblical Studies - Houston.

•    St. Mary's owns a slight 19-17 edge in the all-time series against Midwestern State. The Rattlers dropped a 74-61 contest a season ago in Wichita Falls. This will be the fourth-straight meeting between the two teams in Wichita Falls. The Mustangs will play in Bill Greehey on December 6, playing at StMU for the first time since 2017.

•    Senior transfer Davion Coleman earned the first-ever Lone Star Offensive Player of the Week honors for the Rattlers after helping lead the team to a 2-0 start. Coleman averaged 25.5 points, scoring a career-best 29 in the win over Regis.

•    The 81-78 win over Regis in the season opener was the first victory in the series for the Rattlers after dropping the first six. 

•    Head Coach Bubba Meyer did something neither his father, legendary coach Buddy Meyer, or his mentor, Jim Zeleznak was able to do in winning his first game at the helm of the Rattlers. In fact, the 2-0 start for St. Mary's is the best since the 2012-13 season when the Rattlers reached the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

•    St. Mary's jumped to No. 3 in the D2CSC All-Region poll after winning the first two games. West Texas A&M is No. 1 with all five first-place votes, while DBU is second.

•    St. Mary's currently leads the nation with 27.5 free throws made per game. The Rattlers are also fourth with 34.5 attempts per game and 30th in free throw percentage (.797).

•    A win at Midwestern State would mark the first 3-0 start for St. Mary's since the 2001-02 season. That team finished 11-15 overall.

•    Junior college transfer Micah Jones had the hot hand for the Rattlers in the second half against #18 Colorado School of Mines. Jones was a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and 4-for-4 at the free throw line for 16 points in 10 minutes.

•    Senior Lachlan Bofinger posted the second double-double of his career with 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in the win over Regis. Bofinger also had two blocked shots in his first game in the Gold and Blue. 

•    The Rattlers won the battle of the paint in both games, outscoring Regis by 12 and Colorado School of Mines by four from inside.

•    St. Mary's made 29-of-32 from the free throw line in the win over Colorado School of Mines. Five Rattlers made all their attempts, while Jalon Johnson was 5-for-6 and Davion Coleman was 10-for-12. The 29 free throws are the second-most in the league this season behind the 31 made by St. Edward's against Western Washington and the .906 free throw percentage is the top mark in the Lone Star.

•    With his three three-pointers in the first two games this season, senior Tyler Caron climbed into a tie for 10th place on the St. Mary's career charts with 113. He ties Jarvis Lee (2006-07) and with two more will move into a tie for ninth with Albert Gant (1994-97). Caron is 53 shy of the all-time record of 176 by Tyrell Whisenton (1995-98).

•    Bubba Meyer was named the team's 17th head coach on March 21, taking over for long-time head coach Jim Zeleznak. Meyer is no stranger to the program, serving as the assistant coach for 22 seasons and playing for StMU from 1998-2001. 

•    St. Mary's has made at least one three-pointer in 164 consecutive games, dating back to Jan. 14, 2017. A year ago, the Rattlers averaged 6.1 triples per game.

•    Senior Tyler Caron returns for his senior season after earning Lone Star All-Conference Third Team honors a season ago. Caron averaged 12.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 2022-23, making 56 three-pointers and shooting 88.7 percent from the free throw line.

•    Several Rattlers are closing in on career milestones:
    Lachlan Bofinger: 7 field goals shy of 200
    Tyler Caron: 7 offensive rebounds shy of 100; 29 points shy of 800
    Davion Coleman: 10 points shy of 200
    Jalon Johnson: 7 rebounds shy of 100; 6 points shy of 250
    Ed Manuel: 18 rebounds shy of 100