The University of St. Thomas men's basketball team will take is No. 27 national ranking on the road this weekend for a pair of games at Paul Quinn College and Texas College Friday and Saturday. The Celts tip off at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 7 p.m. Saturday.
This will mark the third and fourth consecutive road game game for the Celts, who received votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll this week. St. Thomas (12-6, 4-3 Red River Athletic Conference) is in fifth place in the league. Paul Quinn is 3-14, 1-6. Texas College is 3-16, 1-6.
Paris Marquez (SR/Atascocita, Texas) is shooting 46.4 percent from three-point range, which ranks 28th in the country. He has scored in double figures in the past 10 straight games, and is averaging 11.9 points per game.
Orowo Eleyae (SR/Houston, Texas) leads the Celts in scoring at 18 per game, which ranks 35th in the nation. He ranks 19th in the country in field goal percentage (58.3) and 39th in total blocks (18). Kennard Robinson (JR/Houston, Texas) ranks 15th in the country in total steals (34) and 16th in total assists (82).
Paul Quinn has lost its last three games – two by a combined 85 points and another by eight to Jarvis Christian. Shakeel Hoffman is averaging 13.1 points, and Spencer McElway 12 points and 10 rebounds in the last three games. Tyrese King is scoring 11.2 points per game.
Texas College has lost five straight, including two overtime games. Jerry Murphy is averaging 15.5 points, while shooting 40 percent from three-point range. James Martin is averaging 11.9 points and 5.1 rebounds. Christian Bryant and Dominique Phelgm are both scoring over 10 points per game.
The Celts currently sit just outside the Top 25 in the national poll. They rank seventh in the country in total assists and eighth in three-point field goals made per game. UST owns the 25th-ranked scoring offense in the nation at 85.6 points per game.
