UNT DALLAS at Nelson
 
When: January 25, 2025
Tip-off: 4:00 PM
Location: Waxahachie, Texas
Watch: SAC Sports Network
Livestats: untdathletics.com
Social Media: UNTD Athletics on X and Instagram
 
OPENING TIP
- UNT Dallas finishes a three-game road stint on Saturday, although it will be a quick trip down the highway to Nelson.
- The Trailblazers started the road swing with a pair of double-digit victories, with the latest a 74-62 result against University of Science and Arts.
- It was a season sweep for UNTD against the Drovers, the first of the campaign after splitting with Texas Wesleyan and Oklahoma City. The team was swept by Mid-America Christian and capped a four-game slide.
- The Trailblazers are 9-10 overall and look to reach .500 after falling beneath the threshold for the first time against College of the Ozarks.  
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH/TEAM NOTES
- Junior Greg Crawford (Houston, Texas) continues his monster season leading the team with 18.3 points-per-game and 348 points total, which is more than any individual UNTD player had in 2023-24. Senior Vernon Johnson (DeSoto, Texas) was last season's top scorer with 334 points. Crawford is averaging 9.8 rebounds to lead the SAC.
- Senior Darion Jones (Austin, Texas) ranks second in scoring average with 14.4 points-per-game and is fourth on the team in scoring with 158 points. He has combined for 47 points in three games back since January 16.
- Junior Daniel Sohn (Aledo, Texas) continues his stellar run with 168 season points. He is on a six-game double-digit scoring streak with 10 made three-pointers on the season after only hitting one through the first 13 contests.
- Johnson sits second on the team with 175 points and is the leader on the team with 34 steals. 17 of his 19 games this season, Johnson has recorded one steal, while last Monday's game was one of the two without one and ended an 11-game streak.
- Senior Ashton Howard (Cedar Hill, Texas) builds his record-setting season in the program for blocked shots at 41. That leads the conference.
- Seven players are in double figures for scoring with senior Jayden Johnson-Blair (Dallas, Texas) and junior Sergio McClain (Peoria, Ill.) having 139 and 117, respectively.
 
UNT Dallas Season Stats
 
SAC STANDINGS
- UNT Dallas enters Saturday tied for the eighth spot in the SAC Standings, which is the final seed for the tournament at the end of February. It is a three-way tie with Oklahoma City and Science & Arts the other teams matched at 6-10.
- Nelson is tied for first in the conference standings with a 12-4 record and coming off a victory against Texas Wesleyan on Monday, 76-71.  
 
A LOOK AT THE LIONS     
- Nelson holds a 14-6 record and is 7-1 at home overall on the year.
- Nelson is receiving votes (43) in the latest NAIA Top 25 Rankings.
- The Lions are 6-1 since the calendar flipped to 2025 and their lone setback was at Mid-America Christian.
- CJ Hall is averaging 20.5 points and has 390 to rank second in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
- Other triple-digit scorers on the year are JJ Boling (161), Noah Jonker (153), Justin Collins (127), Preston Lawrence (125), Trace Boling (111), and Jordan Jenkins (100).
- Boling and Jenkins are leaders on the boards with 88 and 82, respectively.
- Alerick Hall has dished 87 assists for the team-high.
 
Nelson Season Stats
 
EARLIER MEETING IN DALLAS
- Nelson earned a 78-74 victory at Ellis Davis Field House in December. UNT Dallas outscored the Lions by 10 in the second half (45-35), it was mostly due to a explosive run in the last 1:47 to cut an 11-point deficit to two with 10 seconds left. Nelson made two more free throws to prevent a comeback.
- Crawford led the Trailblazers with a double-double, 17 points and 12 rebounds.
- Sohn had 16 points, while Johnson and Howard scored 13 and 11, respectively.
- The Lions got a game-high 23 points from Hall and 12 from Jenkins, while the rest of the scoring was single-digits, but from nine additional players.