Come celebrate Texas Wesleyan University’s National Championship Men’s Basketball team on Thursday, Nov. 2. Players from the NAIA National Championship team will receive their championship rings prior to the tip-off of the 2017-18 season.

The ring ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the Sid Richardson Center, and Texas Wesleyan’s title defense will begin at 7:30 p.m. when they take on Southwestern Adventist University in their season opener. 

Ryan Harris and Jeremy Crane are back for their senior campaigns while the team features nine new faces including NCAA Division I transfer Branden Jenkins (guard, LSU) as well as Juwan Jones, a sophomore transfer from Essex County College, the same institution that produced Texas Wesleyan All-Americans Dion Rogers (National Tournament MVP) and Sam Akano.

Last season, the Rams produced a second consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference championship before ripping off five consecutive wins in the NAIA National Tournament to secure the program’s second National Championship. The title run included a thrilling 83-82 overtime victory in the Fab Four over second-ranked William Penn University and an 86-76 romp over Life University in the title game.

Dion Rogers was named 1st-team NAIA All-American and NAIA National Tournament MVP. Naiel Smith and Najeal Young earned All-American status as well, giving the Rams three All-America selections for the first time in program history. In addition, Head Coach Brennen Shingleton was named both SAC Coach of the Year and NAIA National Coach of the Year.

Admission for Texas Wesleyan basketball games is just $5. Texas Wesleyan students, faculty and staff (with ID) as well as children 12 and under are free. All seats are general admission and may be purchased in cash only at each game.

Games can also be viewed at ramsports.net/coverage at a cost of $7.95 per game or $29.95 for a season pass. Mark Warde and Cam Irvine will call the action from the Sid Richardson Center.