The Mustangs look to equal the longest winning streak of the season and edge closer to the top of the Lone Star Conference standings as they host LSC leading Tarleton State on Saturday.
Midwestern State (10-3, 5-2) is coming off their best defensive contest of the season, beating Texas A&M-Commerce 54-41 on Wednesday to record a three-game win streak. Tarleton State (10-2, 6-0) has won nine straight after rolling Cameron 80-53 in Stephenville on Wednesday night.
Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls.
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 2:45 pm.
On the Web - BOB-FM's audio broadcast simulcasts on bobradio.fm. LINK
Live Stats - Live stats are available courtesy of the Midwestern State Athletic Communications office. LINK
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State closes its longest road swing of the season, five games, with Wednesday's game at Texas A&M-Commerce.
The Mustangs have won three straight, but by suffering consecutive losses after attaining a No. 25 ranking in the Dec. 18 WBCA's USA Today Sports Division II Coaches Poll, MSU has dropped out of receiving votes in the poll.
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 second in the LSC in scoring with 15.8 points a game, and averages 2.9 assists a contest (seventh in the LSC) while grabbing 5.2 rebounds a game (18th in the LSC).
Carter won the LSC Defensive Player of the Week award for the third time this week to go with the LSC Offensive Player of the Week award she has also collected earlier this season. She has posted six double-doubles in 13 games this season. The sophomore from Angleton is second on the team and ninth in the LSC with a 12.2 scoring average. She leads the squad, is second in the LSC and 16th nationally with 10.5 rebounds and is second in the conference with 2.7 steals a contest (56th in Division II).
Sophomore Shatoia Gober of Waco, Texas/Midway contributes 9.8 points a contest to go with her 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals an outing. She is also shooting 49.5 percent from the floor (53-of-107).
Sophomore Diana Jones of Hewitt, Texas/Midway is averaging 8.3 points a game, adds 3.5 assists an outing, second in the LSC. She has nailed 12-of-34 3-point attempts (.353) to go with her 1.8 steals a contest (sixth in the LSC).
MSU is averaging 70.2 points with 41.5 rebounds a game. The Mustangs allow opponents 61.2 points a contest.
ABOUT THE TEXANNS
Tarleton State has won eight straight games, after falling at St. Mary's in the fourth contest of the season. The TexAnns are receiving votes in the WBCA's USA Today Sports Division II Coaches Poll after being ranked as high as 21st during the season.
The TexAnns of coach Ronnie Hearne are 10-2 overall, 6-0 in the LSC. The TexAnns are coming off an 89-50 win over Cameron in Stephenville.
Tarleton is paced by junior center Kiara Wright who leads the Lone Star Conference in scoring and rebounding with 15.8 points (87th in Division II) and 12.0 rebounds (fifth in DII) a game.
Junior guard Peyton Adamson is third in the LSC in scoring with 15.4 points to go with her league leading 3-point shooting (45.6 percent, averaging 3.0 a game) and free throw shooting (88.7 percent, 47-of-53).
Junior center Shanae Lowrance adds 10.4 points and 4.3 boards with 1.7 blocks a game.
The TexAnns average 75.0 points a game (tops in the LSC), while allowing 63.4.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State takes on the Tarleton State TexAnns for the 57th time when they meet Saturday.
Midwestern State leads the series 29-27, and holds the lead in the series at D.L. Ligon Coliseum 16-10.
Midwestern is 12-14 against the TexAnns at Wisdom Gym in Stephenville, and trails 1-3 in games where the site is unknown.
Tarleton State has won the last 14 meetings against Midwestern State, dating to MSU's last win, an 80-74 double-overtime triumph at Ligon Coliseum on Jan. 5, 2005.
The TexAnns won both games last season with a 77-62 win in Stephenville on Jan. 28, 2012 and a 66-61 victory at Ligon Coliseum on Feb. 13, 2012.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
