ODESSA, Texas (October 21, 2024) – Heading into the 2024-25 University of Texas Permian Basin men's basketball season, the Falcons were projected to finish ninth in the Lone Star Conference, receiving 338 total points in the preseason polling of league head coaches, media and sports information directors and announced by the conference office Monday (Oct. 21).

NCAA Division II semifinalist and Lone Star Conference West Division champion West Texas A&M University is picked to win the 2024-25 LSC men's basketball title.

Winners of 10 LSC championships, the Buffs totaled 687 points and 28 of the possible 45 first-place votes to lead the 16 LSC teams. West Texas A&M enters the new season coming off a 30-5 year which included the South Central regional title in addition to the trip to the national semifinals.

Defending LSC East Division champion DBU totaled 671 points and 12 first-place votes for the No. 2 spot in the preseason poll. Lubbock Christian collected four first-place votes and 628 points to land at No. 3 in the poll while Angelo State was voted fourth (555 pts.). St. Edward's came in at No. 5 (545 pts.) followed by Texas A&M International at sixth (427 pts., 1 first-place vote).

Winner of last season's LSC Tournament, Eastern New Mexico is slated No. 7 (291 pts.) followed by Cameron (386 pts.), UT Permian Basin (338 pts.) and Oklahoma Christian (324 pts.) predicted at eight, nine and 10, respectively.

Midwestern State, St. Mary's, Texas A&M-Kingsville, UT Tyler, Western New Mexico and LSC newcomer Sul Ross State complete the predicted order of the LSC 2024-25 men's basketball standings.

The Falcons finished their 2023-24 season with a record of 12-10 in the Lone Star Conference and 17-11 overall, but were sixth in the LSC West Division (6-8).

UTPB Head Men's Basketball Coach Kyle Tolin said, "I have never really taken too much stock in the preseason poll. I think if anything this should motivate us. We have worked hard on trying to make this program better. I feel like we have a chance to do that. We have seven returners who have all made huge strides and have added several good pieces.  Hopefully this poll motivates us to continue to get better every day."

Senior guard Alex Matthews, a communication major from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was named to the LSC Players to Watch list. In his first season with the Falcons in 2023-24, Matthews was named Third-Team All-LSC, led the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and was second in rebounding (4.9 rpb). He shot 51.2 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. Matthews led the team with 102 made free throws and was second on the squad with 130 made field goals.

The men's basketball season gets underway over the Nov. 1-3 weekend with five teams playing in D2CCA Tip-Off Classics. The remainder of the league start the new season the Nov. 8-10 weekend with inter-region matchups vs. Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents. Conference play begins in late November.

The Falcons open their season in the South Central Region Challenge in Alamosa, Colorado, where they will face host Adam State University on Friday, November 8 (2 p.m. CT), followed by Westminster University (Utah) on Saturday, November 9 (12 p.m. CT). Their home opener will be on Wednesday, November 13 (5:30 p.m.), against Navajo Technical University.

The Lone Star Conference presents its 51st men's basketball tournament March 7-8-9, 2025, played at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. The eight-team bracket includes the East and West Division winners, who automatically receive berths, with the remaining qualifiers and seeding based on results versus all LSC teams. The Division II Men's Basketball Championship starts with regionals March 14-18 at campus sites and continues to the Elite Eight March 25-29 in Evansville, Indiana.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FALCONS 2024-25 SCHEDULE
2024-25 LSC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll/Players to Watch