PANTHERS CLOSE OUT THEIR ROAD TRIP IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPIPrairie View A&M closes out its two-game weekend road trip with a match-up at Jackson State on Monday night. The Panthers will try to end their three-game SWAC slide as they're coming off a disappointing loss at Grambling State on Saturday evening. The Panthers will return to Texas and play on their home court for the first time in 19 days following Monday's contest.
NEW FACES IN ABUNDANCEThe Prairie View A&M men's basketball program was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of the SWAC's head coaches and sports information directors, the Panthers have spent non-conference play trying to mold a unit which returned one starter and seven lettermen from the previous season. Junior guard
Tevin Bellinger leads the Panthers in scoring with 11.3 points per game and is tied for the team lead in steals with 22. Junior forward
Admassu Williams ranks second on the team in scoring with 10.6 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. Williams ranks 17th in the SWAC in scoring, fifth in rebounding, ninth in field goal percentage (46.4%) and fifth in blocked shots with 0.8 per game while Bellinger ranks 11th in steals (1.4). Returnees Zach Hamilton and
Jayrn Johnson average 9.1 points and 7.4 points per game.
THE SERIESSince 1980, Jackson State has dominated the Panthers as they hold a 55-22 record. However, the Panthers have begun to slowly chip away as they've won eight of the past 10 and six consecutive match-ups versus the Tigers. PVAMU's six-game winning streak over JSU is the longest in series history.
ABOUT THE PANTHERSHead coach
Byron Rimm II has a major task ahead of him with the departure of four talented senior starters from last year's squad. With a roster full of newcomers, guard
Tevin Bellinger and
Admassu Williams have emerged as the team's top two scoring threats while returning guard
Jayrn Johnson has moved into a starting role. Two-year letterwinner
Karim York and sophomore Zach Hamilton has emerged as threats off the bench. With the team trying to gel still, the Panthers have used nine different starting lineup combinations this season.
