TIPOFF
Midwestern State hits the road to compete in its second of four classics this season beginning with a showdown against Northwest Missouri State Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. before closing the weekend against host Missouri Western Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.
 

---

Midwestern State vs. Northwest Missouri State
Friday, Nov. 15 | 4 p.m.
MWSU Fieldhouse | St. Joseph, Mo.
Records: Midwestern State (2-0); Northwest Missouri State (1-1)
Live Video: None
Live Audio: MSUMustangs.com  
Live Stats: GoGriffins.com  
 
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri State opened the 2013-14 campaign by splitting a pair of contests last weekend at the SMSU Classic in Marshall, Minn. The Bearcats rolled to a 91-78 win over Upper Iowa before falling to host Southwest Minnesota State by a 72-50 count. NWMSU are paced by a trio of double-digit performers including freshman guard Conner Crooker (16.5 pts, 3.5 ast), senior guard DeShaun Cooper (15.0 pts) and junior guard Bryston Williams (12.5 pts, 4.0 rpg). Northwest Missouri State posted a 21-10 mark in 2012-13 advancing to the MIAA Championship game before bowing on out to Central Missouri.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Northwest Missouri State meet for the fourth time on the hardwood Friday afternoon at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Mustangs own a 2-1 advantage in the series which dates back to the 1999-00 season as all games have been played on neutral courts. The Bearcats claimed a 78-67 win in the first meeting at the 1999 Hillyard Classic, but the Mustangs came back to claim wins on Dec. 20, 2006 (72-70) and Dec. 20, 2008 (84-78) at the River City Classic in San Antonio.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
Midwestern State senior guard Nolan Richardson poured in 32 points to lead the Mustangs to an 84-78 win over Northwest Missouri on Dec. 20, 2008 at the River City Classic in San Antonio. It was the second of three consecutive 30-point performances the All-American from Tulsa as Marcus Anderson connected on a pair of 3s and was 5-for-5 from the floor for 15 points and Earl Rabb added 13 points, six assist and five rebounds. NWMSU's Hunter Henry notched a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds to paced five Bearcats in double figures.
 

---

Midwestern State at Missouri Western
Saturday, Nov. 22 | 8:30 p.m.
MWSU Fieldhouse | St. Joseph, Mo.
Records: Midwestern State (2-0); Missouri Western (2-1)
Live Video: GoGriffins.com  
Live Audio: MSUMustangs.com  
Live Stats: GoGriffins.com  
 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western split its games last weekend at the Sanford Pentagon Basketball Showcase in Sioux Falls, S.D. edging Augustana 65-64 before falling to host Northern State 87-78. The Griffons rebounded with an 86-68 win over NAIA No. 8 Midland (Neb.) Wednesday night at home. MWSU is paced by 6-2 junior guard Cortrez Colbert (14.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.0 apg) and 5-9 junior guard Ryan Devers (14.7 ppg, 4.0 apg) while 6-2 junior guard Adarius Fulton adds 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. The Griffons posted a 10-17 mark in 2012-13 falling 66-46 to Northwest Missouri State the MIAA semifinal round.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Missouri Western meet for the second time on the hardwood Saturday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons claimed the first meeting by a 102-87 count on Nov. 26, 1999 as part of the Hillyard Classic.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
Senior guard Terrence Thomas ripped the nets for 29 points and grabbed six rebounds while Rodney Beasley hit 10 of his 13 shots from the field to finish with 23 points and seven rebounds in a 102-87 loss to Missouri Western State on Nov. 26, 1999 in St. Joseph. MSU was whistled for 32 personal fouls including three technical fouls as the Griffons connected on 35-of-46 shots from the charity stripe.
 

---

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State rolled to a pair of season opening wins last weekend at the SWOSU Classic in Weatherford, Okla. as the Mustangs claimed a 68-60 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State before upending East Central (Okla.) 81-67. Senior guard DeJuan Plummer came off the bench to lead the team averaging 18.5 points, four rebounds and four assists per game while connected on 12-of-24 shots from the field with two 3-pointers.  Senior point guard Monzaigo Williams adds 17.0 points per game with 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds a game, while junior swingman Xavier Blackburn scores 11 points and pulls down six rebounds a game. Senior guard Cam Adderley (8.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg), senior forward Eddie D'Haiti (7.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and junior guard Derrell Gibbs (6.5 ppg) add to an MSU offense averaging 74.5 points per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Senior guard DeJuan Plummer came off of the bench to pour in a career-high 21 points to lead Midwestern State to an 81-67 win over East Central (Okla.) Saturday afternoon at Rankin Fieldhouse in Weatherford, Okla. The Mustangs used a 20-4 run spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second to turn a slim 3-point lead into a 44-25 advantage after Derrell Gibbs hit his second straight trey with 17:11 to play. Senior guard Monzaigo Williams added 17 points and dished out five assists while junior Xavier Blackburn and senior guard Cam Adderley added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
MSU UNDER NELSON HAGGERTY
Nelson Haggerty enters his third year as head coach of the Mustangs. He boasts a 53-13 mark (.803) over the two seasons leading MSU to a pair of Lone Star Conference titles. The Mustangs advanced the Elite Eight in 2012 before falling to Metro State in the South Central Region finals last season. Haggerty served the previous two seasons as the top assistant at Midwestern as the Mustangs rolled to the Elite Eight in each of those campaigns.
 
MSU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Midwestern State carries three different preseason rankings into the 2013-14 campaign. The Mustangs rank 13th in the NABC Division II Coaches' Poll, but were seventh in The Sporting News Preseason Top 10 and 12th in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25.