2/6/2010 Game Day: Mustangs, Texans battle for LSC South supremacy
Senior forward Rashad Austin recorded a season-high 16 points to lead No. 7 Midwestern State past Tarleton State Wednesday night in Stephenville. (Photo by Keith Owens/KO Photo) |
No. 7 Midwestern State takes on Tarleton State in a Rivalry Week rematch Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. or 25 minutes are the conclusion of the women's game which begins at 6. Where to find the game- 100.9 BOB FM - The broadcast features the play-by-play voice of former Lone Star Conference Broadcaster of the Year Bill Powers. The Taco Casa Pregame Show begins immediately following the women's broadcast.
- On the Web - BOB FM's audio broadcast simulcasts on bobradio.fm and on MSUMustangs.com.
- Live Stats - Live stats are available free of charge courtesy of MSUMustangs.com.
For the recordMidwestern State battles Tarleton State for the outright lead in the Lone Star Conference South Division Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Thus far, the Mustangs lone loss came to Angelo State on Jan. 13th at Stephens Arena. If MSU can grind through a second-half sweep of the LSC South Division, the Mustangs will become the seventh team to post a one-loss ledger during South play since the league implemented the divisional format in 1997-98. No team has ever run the table in the 13 years of divisional play; however, Central Oklahoma is halfway through a North Division sweep this season as the Bronchos have won 13-straight games. Midwestern rolled through the South with a 13-1 record in 1999-2000 with its lone loss coming -- at Angelo State. The streaks keep following for the Mustangs, who increased its current winning streak to six games with Wednesday night's victory in Stephenville. Midwestern has been all about the streak in the past two seasons as it has posted winning streaks of 10, 9, 14 and now 6 games since the beginning of the 2008-09 season. The Mustangs are owners of NCAA Division II's fifth longest home court winning streak at 22 games. MSU last loss on Gerald Stockton Court came in the 2008-09 season opener against Dallas Baptist. Findlay (48), C.W. Post (38), West Liberty (28) and Augusta State (23) are the lone teams with longer runs of success on its respectively home floors. About the opponentMidwestern State cooled off the red-hot Texans by snapping their six-game winning streak Wednesday night at Wisdom Gym. Tarleton had won 12 of their last 13 games with their only loss during the run coming at Dallas Baptist by a score of 76-67 on Jan. 11. Tarleton (18-3) used its home floor to race off to an 11-2 start while playing 11 of its first 13 games at Wisdom Gym where they are 13-1 this season. The Texans will be playing just their seventh game in 22 contests outside of Stephenville Saturday at Ligon Coliseum and own a 4-2 record on the road. The Texans are led by junior guard Devon Hills who is averaging 12.8 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field, while junior point guard Corin Henry scores 11.3 points and dishes out 4.7 assists per game. Senior guard Effran Bryant gives Tarleton its top perimeter option by hitting 56 3-pointers with a 43.2 percent success rate from the arc. He averages 11 points per game. Senior forward Jeremiah Wilson adds 10.4 points a game, while reigning Lone Star Conference South Division Defensive Player of the Donta Smith gives the Texans inside muscle with 7.5 points and 7.0 rebounds a contest. Tarleton scores 70.9 points per game and allows 55.9 a game for an LSC-best +15-point scoring margin. Who's hotSenior forward Rashad Austin splashed in a season-high 16 points to lead Midwestern State to win over Tarleton State Wednesday night at Wisdom Gym. Austin has been a beast since in his six games since returning from a calf injury on Jan. 20 against West Texas A&M. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. native is averaging 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting a stellar 70.6 percent from the field (24-for-34). Junior guard Chris Hagan muscled his way to a 14-point, four-rebound and five-assist performance Wednesday night against Tarleton for his fifth-straight 10-plus point outing. Senior forward Anthony Moore is averaging 9.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and four assists over his last three games. During the Mustangs' current six-game winning streak, five players are carrying averages of 10.8 points or better. Only two of them are starters. About the seriesMidwestern State meets Tarleton State for the 54th time on the hardwood Wednesday night at Wisdom Gym. The Mustangs own a commanding 36-17 edge in the series and have won five of the last seven meetings. Midwestern is 14-8 against the Texans at Wisdom Gym and 12-9 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. | 
