The No. 25 Mustangs carry their first-ever national ranking as an NCAA Division II program into their final game before the holiday break and face their final non-conference opponent of the regular season as they take on the Bronchos of Central Oklahoma.
Midwestern State (7-1, 2-1) is coming off last Saturday's 76-61 win over Texas-Permian Basin, their third straight victory. Central Oklahoma (6-2, 1-1 MIAA) is coming off an 11-day break after having its six-game win streak snapped at Southwest Baptist 75-71 on Dec. 8.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday at Hamilton Field House in Edmond.
WHERE TO FIND THE GAME
100.9 BOB-FM - The broadcast features the play-by-play voice of two-time Lone Star Conference Broadcaster of the Year Bill Powers. The Taco Casa Pregame Show begins at 5:15 pm.
On the Web - BOB-FM's audio broadcast simulcasts on bobradio.fm. LINK
Video Webcast - The University of Central Oklahoma will provide a Pay-Per-View video webcast for $8.00. LINK
Live Stats - Live stats are available courtesy of the Central Oklahomas Media Relations office. LINK
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State is off to its best start in a 16 years. MSU has matched it's best eight-game start in history at 7-1 and is aiming to to become one of just two teams to have the program's best nine-game record.
The Mustangs also received their first-ever national ranking as a Division II program, as MSU was tabbed No. 25 in the WBCA's USA Today Sports Division II Coaches Poll on Tuesday.
The Mustangs are paced by the powerful duo of junior Kirsti Degelia and sophomore Andrea Carter.
Degelia leads the Mustangs offensively. The honorable mention All-Lone Star Conference performer a season ago is a junior from Denton, Texas/Krum who's third in the LSC in scoring with 15.0 points a game, and averages 3.6 assists a contest while grabbing 4.0 rebounds a game.
Carter, who has won the LSC Defensive Player of the Week award twice this year and the LSC Offensive Player of the Week award once, has posted five double-doubles in eight games this season. The sophomore from Angleton is second on the team and fifth in the LSC with a 14.5 scoring average. She leads the squad, is second in the LSC and fifth nationally with 12.1 rebounds and is second in the conference with 2.8 steals a contest.
Sophomore Shatoia Gober of Waco, Texas/Midway contributes 10.8 points a contest to go with her 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals an outing. She is also shooting 54.7 percent from the floor (35-of-67).
Sophomore Diana Jones of Hewitt, Texas/Midway is averaging 8.4 points a game, adds 3.6 assists an outing. She has nailed 10-of-24 three point attempts (.417) to go with her 2.1 steals a contest.
MSU is averaging 74.8 points with 39.4 rebounds a game. The Mustangs allow opponents 61.5 points a contest.
ABOUT THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is receiving votes in the WBCA's USA Today Sports Division II poll after posting a six-game winning streak that included a 70-62 upset of No. 11 Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, Kan. Then the Bronchos fell 75-71 at Southwest Baptist.
The Bronchos of coach Guy Hardaker are at 6-2 on the season, having lost their season opener against Minnesota-Duluth and their last game at Southwest Baptist. UCO has been idle since the SBU game on Dec. 8. The MSU contest is just the Bronchos second game at home this season.
UCO is paced by senior forward Alyssa Fuxa of Garber, Okla. Sitting out last season with an injury, Fuxa has come back strong averaging 15.1 points and 6.9 rebounds a game to lead the Bronchos in both categories. She also averaged 2.3 assists.
Junior guard Jill Bryan of Copan, Okla., is the only other UCO player to average double digits in scoring, with 11.0 points to go with 5.5 boards a contest. She dishes out 2.7 assists while grabbing 1.3 steals an outing. She also shoots 38.2 percent from the 3-point arc (13-of-34), hitting 1.6 treys a contest.
Junior guard Britney Morgan of Pawnee, Okla., scores 7.9 points and leads the team with 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals a game.
The Bronchos average 69.8 points a game, while allowing just 61.6.
ABOUT THE SERIES
This is just the 37th meeting between the teams, with the series is tied 18-18.
UCO holds a 9-5 advantage at Hamilton Field House in Edmond, while Midwestern is 11-5 against the Bronchos at Ligon Coliseum. UCO up 3-2 on neutral floors.
MSU won last season's contest between the teams 61-60 at Ligon Coliseum on Jan. 4, 2012, on a Skyler Warrick free throw with 17 seconds to play.
Kirsti Degelia led the contest with 10 points and six rebounds.
UCO was a member of the Lone Star Conference until last season, when it spent the year as an independent before joining the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
