MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello men's basketball team will play a trio of games in Honolulu, Hawaii starting on Thursday. The Weevils will first play the University of Alaska Anchorage Thursday, Hawaii Pacific University on Friday and conclude their trip with a game against Saint Martin's University on Saturday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE LINKS
UAM VS. UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE – 12/19 – 8:15 P.M. (CST) – LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO
UAM VS. HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY – 12/20 – 5:15 P.M. (CST) – LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO
UAM VS. SAINT MARTIN'S UNIVERSITY – 12/21 – 5:15 P.M. (CST) – LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO
 
GAME 1 DETAILS
Opponent: Alaska-Anchorage
Date: December 19, 2019
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii – Hawaii Convention Center
In-Game Updates: Twitter (@UAMsports)
Last Played: N/A
 
GAME 2 DETAILS
Opponent: Hawaii Pacific
Date: December 20, 2019
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii – Hawaii Convention Center
In-Game Updates: Twitter (@UAMsports)
Last Played: 2006-07 (Lost in OT, 84-75)
 
GAME 3 DETAILS
Opponent: Saint Martin's
Date: December 21, 2019
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii – Hawaii Convention Center
In-Game Updates: Twitter (@UAMsports)
Last Played: N/A
 
UAM PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 8-2
2019-20 GAC Record: 3-1
Head Coach: Kyle Tolin, Sixth Season (81-63)
 
SCOUTING THE WEEVILS
 
Last time out, UAM defeated Henderson State at home in Monticello. It was an impressive come-from-behind victory after the Weevils were behind, 42-26, at halftime. UAM then outscored HSU, 60-40, to go on to win the contest, 86-82.
 
The Boll Weevils enter the game outscoring opponents, 89.5-74.0 through 10 games. UAM is shooting 51.1 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from downtown, averaging 40.7 rebounds per game to have a +7.5 rebounding margin and averaging 18.3 assists per game on offense. UAM is also shooting 71.8 percent from the free-throw line.
 
Defensively, the Weevils are holding opponents to shoot 43.0 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from downtown, have totaled 99 steals and 35 blocks.
   
With UAM's high-powered offense, the Weevils have five players averaging over 10.0 points per contest in Marcus Gilbert (15.0), KJ Lesure (14.8), Justin Slocum (14.0), Austin Hardy (13.1), Denzel McDuffey (11.2) and Wanya King (10.4).
 
The top shooters thus far in 2019-20 for the Weevils have been Slocum (56.6%), McDuffey (53.9%) and Gilbert (53.4%).
 
Lesure is shooting 47.6 percent from the field and is averaging 7.3 assists per game and has totaled 22 steals.
  
Hardy is coming off another impressive game in which he tallied a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Also coming off the bench very well has been Kwame McBean. He's averaging 6.5 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game and is shooting 61.4 percent from the floor.
 
ALASKA ANCHORAGE PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 8-2
2019-20 GNAC Record: 2-0
Head Coach: Rusty Osborne, 16th Season (277-168)
 
SCOUTING THE SEAWOLVES
The Seawolves stand No. 4 in this week's D2SIDA West Region poll and leads the GNAC in assists per game (21.1) and 3FGs per game (11.8), while ranking 2nd in scoring defense (70.2), turnover margin (2.20) and assist/turnover ratio (1.8).
 
In the NCAA Div. II national stats, the Seawolves are 5th in assists, 7th in A/T ratio, 14th in 3FGs per game and 29th in turnovers per game.
 
Niko Bevens is one of four players in Div. II currently shooting at least .500 from long range with at least 3.75 made per game ... the Beaverton, Ore., native leads the GNAC with 3.8 3FGs  per game (12th nationally), along with ranks of 15th in scoring (13.8 ppg), 4th in 3FG% (11th nationally) and 8th in A/T ratio (3.0)
 
HAWAII PACIFIC PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 3-5
2019-20 PACWEST Record: 1-2
Head Coach: Darren Vorderbruegge, 11th Season (154-156)
 
SCOUTING THE SHARKS
The Sharks are currently 3-5 and their first matchup in the tournament this week will be against UAM.
 
Hawaii Pacific is averaging 70.8 points per game while opponents are scoring 69.4 points per game. They are shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 39.2 percent from three-point range.
 
HPU's top scorer is Ronald Blain who is averaging 15.8 points per contest, 2.8 assists per game and 7.1 rebounds per contest.
 
Lachlan Viney is second on the roster in scoring at 7.8 points per contest coming off the HPU bench.
 
SAINT MARTIN'S PRIMER
2019-20 Record: 4-4
2019-20 GNAC Record: 2-0
Head Coach: Aaron Landon, First Season (4-4)
 
SCOUTING THE SAINTS
In preseason, the Saints played two Division-I teams on the road, but that did not affect the freshman Cole Alton and Alex Schumacher. Alton light up Seattle U, scoring 21 points, and grabbing eight rebounds in 28 minutes of action. Schumacher proved to be difficult for Cal as the guard scored 21 points in only 26 minutes of action.
 
Anchoring the middle for the Saints is Marky Adams. In eight games, Adams has five double-double. He enters the week second the GNAC in rebounding at 9.4 boards per game, and leading in blocks at 2.1 per game, and leads in field goal percentage at 68.3 percent.
 
The Saints have proven to be a force on the glass in 2019-20, leading the GNAC with over 40 rebounds per game. Saint Martin's is the lone team in the conference above the 40-rebound mark.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will return to conference play in 2020 when it hosts Southwestern Oklahoma State on January 2nd. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.