| MATCHUP | Texas A&M Commerce Lions | New Orleans Privateers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 6-10 | 5-10 |
| Where | Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, LA | |
| When | Monday, January 5, 2026 | |
| Time | 08:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
East Texas A&M Commerce Lions Betting Preview
The East Texas A&M Commerce Lions enter Monday evening’s contest with a 6–9 win-loss record, including a 2-7 mark on the road and a 1-4 record in conference play. The Lions have compiled wins over Army, Southeast Louisiana and the Farleigh Dickinson Knights, while losing games to Rice, Connecticut, Hawaii, Stephen F. Austin and the Texas A&M Aggies. Earlier this season, in the East Texas A&M Commerce Lions 84-67 victory over the Army Black Knights, East Texas A&M Commerce guard Damian Garcia tallied 20 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block illustrating his ability to lead the Lions backcourt.The East Texas A&M Commerce Lions average 66.2 points on 41 percent shooting from the field and 32.3 percent from three-point range per game. Through 13 games played in 2025, the Lions are allowing opponents 80.2 points per game which ranks a dreadful 285th in the country.
Junior forward Ronnie Harrison leads the East Texas A&M Commerce Lions frontcourt averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Senior guard Damian Garcia provides the Lions with quality backcourt play averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals a game.
New Orleans Privateers Betting Preview
The New Orleans Privateers enter Monday’s matchup with a 4–10 overall record, including a 2–2 conference mark and a 1-1 road record. The Privateers have amassed wins over Tulane, TCU, and UT Rio Grande Valley, while dropping games to LSU, Fresno State, Mississippi State and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In the New Orleans Privateers convincing 85-69 win over UT Rio Grande Valley six days ago, New Orleans guard Jakevion Buckley accumulated a rather impressive 32 points (12 of 20 shooting from the field), 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.The New Orleans Privateers are averaging 72.4 points on 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 31.1 percent shooting from behind the arc per game. On the defensive side of the basketball, the Privateers are allowing opponents 81.9 points per game which ranks 313th in the nation.
Senior guard Jakevion Buckley leads the New Orleans Privateers with 15 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Senior guard Coleton Benson contributes 13.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest, giving the New Orleans Privateers a second scoring option in the backcourt. Junior center Churchill Abass provides New Orleans with a presence in the paint averaging 5.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Why the East Texas A&M Commerce Lions Will Win
• Balance scoring. Harrison and Garcia have the potential to perform at a high level from an offensive perspective.• Frontcourt play. Junior forward Ronnie Harrison leads the East Texas A&M Commerce Lions frontcourt averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game
Why the New Orleans Privateers Will Win
• Backcourt play. Senior guard Jakevion Buckley leads the New Orleans Privateers with 15 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game.• Enhanced motivation. The Privateers have lost eight of the team’s last 11 games played in 2025.