Midwestern State vs. Missouri Southern
Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014 | 3 p.m.
Greehey Arena | San Antonio, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-1); Missouri Southern (3-3)
Video: RattlerAthletics.com 
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com  
Live Stats: RattlerAthletics.com 
 
Midwestern State vs. St. Mary's (Texas)
Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 | 3 p.m.
Greehey Arena | San Antonio, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-1); St. Mary's (1-2)
Video: RattlerAthletics.com 
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com  
Live Stats: RattlerAthletics.com 
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State heads to San Antonio to compete in the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic this weekend at Bill Greehey Arena. The Mustangs take on Missouri Southern on Saturday before battling the host Rattlers on Sunday. Both games tipoff at 3 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
- Missouri Southern evened its season record at 3-3 taking a 63-48 win over NAIA Benedictine (Kan.) Tuesday night in Joplin.
- The Lions are 1-2 against NCAA Division II opposition with a win over Arkansas-Fort Smith (91-81) and losses to Northern State (S.D.) (74-69) and Sioux Falls (S.D.) (88-83/OT).
- Junior guard Taevaunn Prince leads a group of four Lions averaging in double figures at 13.2 points per game while pulling down 4.3 rebounds. The transfer from South Dakota State has scored in double figures in four of six games this season including campaign high of 19 against Mid-America Christian.
- Senior guard Cameron Cornelius nets 12.6 points per game and has scored at least 12 points in each of his last five games with a season-high 18 against Sioux Falls.
- Senior Lane Barlow nets 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The 6-foot guard erupted for a team season best 25 points against Sioux Falls.
- Junior guard Austin Wright drops in 11.3 points per game while shooting 50 percent (17-for-34) from the 3-point line. He netted matching season highs of 19 in consecutive games against Arkansas-Fort Smith and Saint Mary.
- The Lions score 79.5 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 40 percent from the arc. MSSU allows 76.3 points per game.
- A former standout guard at Kansas, Jeff Boschee is in his first season at the helm at Missouri Southern after serving the last four as an assistant and associate head coach for Robert Corn.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets Missouri Southern for the 11th time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon at Greehey Arena.
- The Lions own a 6-4 edge in the series which dates back to the 1971-72 season.
- Midwestern claimed the last meeting between the programs rolling to a 75-52 win over the Lions in the semifinal round of the NCAA II South Central Regional on March 13, 2011 in Edmond, Okla.
 
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
- St. Mary's (1-2) is coming off of a nine-day layoff falling 76-71 to Texas A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 19 on the road. The Rattlers split games at the season opening Skyhawk Classic falling to host Fort Lewis (70-57) before thumping Western New Mexico (77-52).
- Senior Marvin Whitt paces the Rattler attack averaging 16 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. The 5-9 guard from Birmingham, Ala. is coming off of a season-best 20-point effort against Texas A&M-Kingsville and has connected on seven of his 16 attempts from 3-point range.
- St. Mary's boasts a balanced attack with five other players averaging between 6-9 points per game including junior guard Kriston Minor (9.0 points, 3.7 rebounds), senior guard Marvin Binney (7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists), senior forward Ryan Thomas (7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds), senior forward Isaiah Matthews (7.0 points, 2.3 rebounds) and senior guard J.J. Bolton (6.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists).
- The Rattlers average 68.3 points per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from the arc. St. Mary's allows 66 points per game.
- Jim Zeleznak is in his 10th season as head coach at St. Mary's posting a 158-103 record (.605). He piloted the Rattlers to three Heartland Conference titles and four trips the NCAA Division II South Central Regionals.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets St. Mary's (Texas) for the 29th time on the hardwood Sunday at Greehey Arena.
- The Mustangs and Rattlers have each won 14 times in the series, but MSU has claimed the last four meeting and six of the last seven including a 62-54 win the last time out in the NCAA II South Central Region opening round on March 10, 2012 in Wichita Falls.
- Midwestern snapped a nine-game skid against the Rattlers on the home floor taking an 89-71 win on Nov. 28, 2009. It was their first win against St. Mary's on its home floor.
- St. Mary's last win in the series came by a 75-71 count on Dec. 15, 2003 in San Antonio.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State extended its winning streak to three games by rolling to a 78-46 win over Henderson State (Ark.) Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. It was the Mustangs' eighth consecutive home win dating back to last season.
- All five of MSU's game have been decided by 10-or-more points.
- The Mustangs' average margin of victory is 19.5 points this season.
- Junior guard Bretson McNeal (Minneapolis, Minn. / DeLaSalle HS (North Dakota State Science)) has scored in double figures in each of his five outings this season and is coming off of an all-around 10-point, 5-rebound and 5-assist effort in 22 minutes Tuesday against Henderson State.
- McNeal has connected on 44.8-percent of his 3-point attempts burying at least two triples in all five games.
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn (Verdunville, La. / St. Thomas More HS (North Dakota State Science)) fired in a game-high 14 points going 6-of-9 from the field with two 3-pointers Tuesday against Henderson State. He was also active on the defensive end with a blocked shot and three steals.
- Junior guard Hershell Grant (Washington, D.C. / Roosevelt HS (Clarendon College)) is averaging 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds a game in three games as a starter.
- Redshirt-freshman guard Devante Pullum (Little Elm, Texas / Little Elm HS) erupted for a season-high 19 points against Colorado State-Pueblo then followed it with a 9-point effort against Henderson State. The aggressive guard has made his way to the charity stripe an average of five times per game.
- Senior forward Tavarion Nix (Havelock, N.C. / Havelock HS (Redlands CC)) matched season highs with 10 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes off of the bench Tuesday against Henderson State.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
- Midwestern State continues to receive votes in the NABC Division II Coaches' Poll.
- The Mustangs are sixth in the D2SIDA South Central Region Rankings trailing Metro State (Colo.), Tarleton State, Colorado-Colorado Springs, Fort Lewis (Colo.) and Angelo State.
 
THE HAGGERTY ERA
- Nelson Haggerty enters his fourth season at the helm for Midwestern State as one of the top young coaches in college basketball.
- Haggerty boasts a 79-22 mark (.782) leading the Mustangs to Lone Star Conference championships in each of his three seasons as head coach.
- Haggerty earned NABC South Central Region and Lone Star Conference coach of the year honors in his rookie season of 2011-12 piloting the Mustangs to their third consecutive Elite Eight showing.
- With Haggerty on the bench (including two seasons as top assistant), MSU has advanced to three Elite Eights (2010, 2011, 2012) and to the NCAA Division II postseason five consecutive years.
 
UP NEXT
- Midwestern State heads home to take on McMurry on Thursday and College of Faith (Ark.) Friday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Both games tipoff at 7 p.m.