Men’s Basketball Drops Tight Conference Opener at LSUS

SHREVEPORT, La. – The Texas A&M University–Texarkana men's basketball team battled wire-to-wire in their first Red River Athletic Conference matchup of the season, Thursday night but came up just short in a 79–76 road loss to the RV Pilots of LSU Shreveport. 

The Eagles opened the matchup with confidence, shooting over 53% from the field in the first half and knocking down seven three-pointers to take a 40–32 lead into the break.

LSUS responded with a strong second half, shooting nearly 55% from the floor and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities to swing momentum late. Despite the Pilots' surge, TAMUT remained within striking distance until the final horn in what proved to be a high-energy conference opener.

Deovaunta Williams led the Eagles with an all-around standout performance, posting 25 points on 8-of-19 shooting—including seven three-pointers—while adding five rebounds, four assists, and three steals across 39 minutes. Jarren Cook followed with 15 points and knocked down all five of his three-point attempts, providing timely buckets to keep the Eagles in rhythm offensively.

Inside, Daryl Houston delivered a strong two-way outing with 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Jason Bush Jr. added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting while contributing three rebounds and a steal. Alex Orr rounded out the starting unit with seven points, five boards, and three assists.

Off the bench, Kaden Keal supplied three points and four rebounds in 29 minutes, while the Eagles combined for 15 made three-pointers and finished the night shooting 46.4% from the field. TAMUT's defense forced 15 LSUS turnovers and converted them into 19 points, but the Pilots' 18 second-chance points proved to be a key difference late.

With the loss, A&M–Texarkana moves to 1–3 on the season and 0–1 in Red River Athletic Conference play. The Eagles will look to bounce back as they continue their early-season stretch, traveling to Marshall, Texas, to take on the Wildcats of Wiley University. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.

Stay tuned to @TAMUT_Athletics for updates, highlights, and coverage throughout the 2025–26 campaign.