Men's Basketball Season Ends in NAIA Opening Round Against Ave Maria

WICHITA, Kan. – The Texas A&M University–Texarkana men's basketball team saw its season come to a close on Friday evening in the first round of the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship, falling to Ave Maria University by a final score of 84–62.

The Eagles wrapped up the 2025-26 campaign with a 20-11 overall record after earning a berth in the national tournament.

Ave Maria opened the contest with a strong first half, building a 47-33 advantage at the break. The Gyrenes maintained their momentum in the second half to secure the 84-62 victory.

Senior Daryl Houston led the way for the Eagles with a double-double, recording 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds while shooting 7-of-11 from the field.

Jason Bush Jr. and Jakari Livingston each added 11 points, while Deovaunta Williams chipped in nine points and three assists. Payton Chism facilitated the offense with a team-best seven assists to go along with six points.

As a team, TAMUT shot 39.7 percent from the floor and finished with 32 rebounds. Ave Maria held the edge on the glass, 47-32, and capitalized with 15 second-chance points.

The appearance marked another milestone for the Eagles program as Texas A&M–Texarkana competed on the national stage for only the third time in program history and closed the season with 20 wins.