WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State scored the first 10 points of the game and jumped out to a 20-3 lead Tuesday night against Henderson State.
 
Then the Mustangs never let up in rolling to a 78-46 victory to claim their third consecutive win to improve to 4-1 on the season.
 
"This was our best defensive effort of the season," MSU coach Nelson Haggerty said. "I was proud of the guys for coming out ready to play. It was a good team effort."
 
Six different players connected on 3-pointers as 11 Mustangs found the score column while turning the game into a laugher in the early going.
 
Senior forward Xavier Blackburn hit 6-of-9 shots including a pair of 3-pointers for a game-high 14 points, while junior guard Bretson McNeal also hit a pair of treys on his way to 10 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists.
 
"We wanted Xavier to get comfortable with taking more shots," Haggerty said. "Bretson helped us in a lot of areas and added two steals, but he's been doing that for us every game."
 
Senior forward Tavarion Nix added 10 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes to lead a strong bench effort as Devante Pullum went for nine points in 23 minutes and Thad Rideau pitched in six points and dished out four assists.
 
The Mustangs led by as many as 20 points in the opening half, then put the game away with a 17-0 spurt at the start of the second half highlighted by 3-pointers by Hershell Grant, Derrell Gibbs, Rideau and Blackburn to push the lead to 58-28 with 12:59 to play.
 
MSU limited the Reddies to 31.1 percent shooting from the field while scoring in the 20s in both halves.
 
Grant added to the all-around effort with nine points, four rebounds and four assists while Gibbs had eight points, three rebounds and three assists.
 
Midwestern tips off the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic Saturday against Missouri Southern at Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio before taking on host St. Mary's (Texas) on Sunday. Both games tip at 3 p.m.
 
Senior center Reggie Murphy had 10 points to lead Henderson State which dropped to 2-3 on the season.