ALLEN, Texas - No. 6 Midwestern State hit Cameron with a first half flurry then held on for a 59-50 win in the Lone Star Conference semifinals Friday night at the Allen Event Center.
 
The win sets up a rematch with rival Tarleton State in Saturday night's final after the Texans came away with a 59-37 win over West Texas A&M in the other semifinal. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
"I don't think we or Tarleton would have it any other way," MSU coach Nelson Haggerty said.
 
Michael Loyd also weighed in on the rivalry, which will see its 11th rendition in the last three seasons.
 
"That's always a fun rivalry game for us," he said. "This will be no different. It's a chance to win a championship and host a regional."
 
Loyd buried a pair of 3-pointers in each half on his way to a team-high 12 points as the Mustangs pushed the lead to as many as 14 points and had to keep the Aggies at arm's length to close out the win to improve to 25-3 on the season and to 20-6 all-time in LSC postseason play.
 
"This was a tough game," Haggerty said. "Give credit to Cameron, they turned up the pressure and got back in the ball game. Fortunately, we were able to make some free and Mike was able to keep us in the game."
 
MSU got help from different players as junior Kevin Grayer stepped into the forefront to bury a pair of treys for the second consecutive game to finish with nine points and six rebounds.
 
"We have a deep team," Grayer said. "Our first, second and third go at each other constantly in practice. We have 18 good players. We're just going to execute and do what we have to do to win."
 
Michael Loyd hit a pair of early 3-pointers as the Mustangs scored the first nine points of the game and led by as many as 10 points in the opening half.
 
The Mustangs defensive rotation of JaMichael Rivers and DeJuan Plummer frustrated LSC Player of the Year Milton Garner into a 2-for-11 shooting night. The senior guard finished with four points and didn't score until he converted a transition layup at the 18:20 mark of the second half.
 
MSU would lead by as many as 14 points in the second half as the Aggies were unable to pull closer to within seven points down the stretch.
 
The Mustangs will play in the LSC postseason title game for the fourth time in the last six years. Midwestern is 5-0 in the championship rounds with wins in 1999, 2000, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
 
Cameron fell to 15-11 on the season.