Reigning Lone Star Conference champion West Texas A&M University is picked to win the 2023-24 LSC men's basketball title in the preseason poll of league head coaches, media and sports information directors and announced by the conference office Monday (Oct. 23).
The Buffs totaled 703 points and 34 of the possible 45 first-place votes predicted to lead the 16 LSC teams. West Texas A&M enters the new season coming off a 27-7 year, a sixth straight and 12th overall conference championship, and a NCAA Division II South Central Regional runner-up finish.
Angelo State totaled 675 points and nine first place votes for the No. 2 spot in the LSC preseason poll. The Rams posted a 26-7 record last season. Defending LSC East Division champion St. Edward's (600 pts.) was voted third and South Central Regional qualifier Lubbock Christian (564 pts.) fourth with each receiving one first place vote. Dallas Baptist completes the LSC preseason top five with 522 points.
Texas A&M-Kingsville, who qualified to last year's South Central Regional tournament, was voted sixth (497) ahead of St. Mary's (443), Eastern New Mexico (377), Midwestern State (298) and UAFS (282) listed seven through 10, respectively.
Texas A&M International, Western New Mexico, UT Permian Basin, Oklahoma Christian, UT Tyler and Cameron complete the predicted order of the LSC 2023-24 season standings.
LSC men's basketball seasons get underway during the first weekend in November with West Texas A&M, Lubbock Christian and St. Edward's playing in D2CCA Tip-off tournaments. The remainder of the league starts play the November 10-11 weekend with eight LSC teams playing against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents in South Central region challenges while five teams have season-opening single games that weekend.
The Lone Star Conference presents its 50th men's basketball championship tournament March 7-10 with the 2024 edition played at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. The eight-team bracket includes the East and West Division winners, who automatically receive berths, with the remaining qualifying teams and all seeds based on results versus all LSC teams. The Division II Men's Basketball Championship starts with regionals March 15-19 and the Elite Eight March 26-30 in Evansville, Ind.
Preseason Player Accolades
Angelo State guard
Kevon Godwin was voted LSC 2023-24 Preseason Player of the Year. A 6-2 senior from Blountstown, Fla., Godwin averaged 19.7 points in the 22 LSC league games, including a conference-game best .433 three-point field goal percentage. For the 2022-23 season, Godwin averaged 16.9 points in leading ASU to a runner-up finish at the 2023 LSC Tournament and a spot in the Division II South Central Region tournament. Godwin was named to the All-LSC First Team and was a second team pick on South Central Region lists by D2CCA and the NABC.
Godwin headlines a list of 16 Lone Star Conference Players to Watch in the 2023-24 season. Named by the head coaches, returners include individuals who earned conference, regional and national athletic and academic awards for the 2022-23 season.
LSC Men's Basketball 2023-24 Preseason Poll
| No. |
Team (1st votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
West Texas A&M (34) |
703 |
| 2. |
Angelo State (9) |
675 |
| 3. |
St. Edward's (1) |
600 |
| 4. |
Lubbock Christian (1) |
564 |
| 5. |
DBU |
522 |
| 6. |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
497 |
| 7. |
St. Mary's |
443 |
| 8. |
Eastern New Mexico |
377 |
| 9. |
Midwestern State |
298 |
| 10. |
UAFS |
282 |
| 11. |
Texas A&M International |
278 |
| 12. |
Western New Mexico |
216 |
| 13. |
UT Permian Basin |
208 |
| 14. |
Oklahoma Christian |
183 |
| 15. |
UT Tyler |
176 |
| 16. |
Cameron |
93 |
LSC Players to Watch in 2023-24
Players listed alphabetically; # Preseason POY
|
Player
|
Cl
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Major
|
Hometown
|
|
Lathaniel Bastian
|
Gr.
|
F
|
UT Permian Basin
|
MBA
|
Nassau, Bahamas/Doris Johnson HS
|
|
Payton Brown
|
So.
|
G
|
UAFS
|
Organizational Leadership
|
Waldron, Ark./Waldron HS
|
|
Olaverr Camacho
|
Jr.
|
F
|
Texas A&M International
|
Business Administration
|
Santa Rosa, Guatemala/Ribet Academy
|
|
Tyler Caron
|
Sr.
|
F
|
St. Mary's
|
Business
|
Longview, Texas/Spring Hill HS
|
|
Jahcoree Ealy
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Eastern New Mexico
|
University Studies
|
Conway, Ark./Guy Perkins HS
|
|
Moun'Tae Edmundson
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Oklahoma Christian
|
Sports Management
|
Oklahoma City, Okla./Centennial HS
|
|
Sean Elkinton
|
So.
|
F
|
St. Edward's
|
Business Administration
|
Crosby, Texas/Crosby HS
|
|
# Kevon Godwin
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Angelo State
|
Interdisciplinary Studies
|
Blountstown, Fla./Blountstown HS
|
|
Cameron Kahn
|
Sr.
|
G
|
DBU
|
Sports Management
|
Sulphur Springs, Texas/Sulphur Springs HS
|
|
Najeeb Muhammad
|
Jr.
|
G
|
Lubbock Christian
|
Mass Media
|
Las Vegas, Nev./Democracy Prep
|
|
Reggie Prudhomme
|
Jr.
|
PG
|
Cameron
|
Sports & Exercise Science
|
Missouri City, Texas/Ridge Point HS
|
|
Bryce Roberts
|
Jr.
|
G
|
UT Tyler
|
History
|
Bossier City, La./Parkway HS
|
|
Pierre Sanders
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Midwestern State
|
Accounting
|
Hutto, Texas/Hutto HS
|
|
Cortaviaus Seales
|
Jr.
|
G
|
Western New Mexico
|
Marketing
|
Rock Island, Ill./North Scott HS
|
|
CJ Smith
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Texas A&M-Kingsville
|
Kinesiology
|
Mansfield, Texas/Timberview HS
|
|
Larry Wise
|
Sr.
|
G
|
West Texas A&M
|
Sports Management
|
Waxahachie, Texas/Waxahachie HS
|