Midwestern State vs. Nova Southeastern
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 | 6:30 p.m.
NSU Arena at Don Taft University Center | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Records: Midwestern State (6-3); Nova Southeastern (4-2)
Video: NSUSharks.com 
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com 
Live Stats: NSUSharks.com 
 
ON THE COURT
- Midwestern State embarks on one of the longest regular season road trips in recent memory.
- The Mustangs will log 4,564 miles to play three games in a six-day stretch beginning with Saturday afternoon's contest against Nova Southeastern. That leg is 1,475 from Wichita Falls to Fort Lauderdale.
- MSU tool 20 miles up the road to Boca Raton for Monday's contest against Lynn (Fla.).
- Midwestern then goes 2,131 miles from Boca Raton, Fla. for Thursday night's matchup with South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City.
- The return from Rapid City to Wichita Falls is another 938 miles.
 
ABOUT THE SHARKS
- Nova Southeastern rattled of its third consecutive win taking an 86-82 win over Sunshine State Conference rival Tampa (Fla.) last Saturday in Fort Lauderdale.
- The Sharks also claimed victories over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (86-75) and Seton Hill (85-55) at the NSU Thanksgiving Classic to run its record against NCAA Division II competition to 3-0.
- Nova Southeastern took losses against NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast (63-51) and NAIA powerhouse Embry Riddle (Fla.) (79-63) in November.
- The Sharks are fifth in the latest D2 Media South Region rankings behind Florida Southern, Barry (Fla.), Christian Brothers (Tenn.) and Lynn (Fla.).
- Reigning Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week Chris Page leads the Sharks in scoring at 24 points per game while dishing out five assists a contest. The junior transfer guard from Albany poured in 25 against Seton Hill then topped it with 28 in the SSC opener against Tampa. He is 10-of-20 from 3-point range this season.
- Sophomore forward Harrison Goodrick, an Aussie transfer from Metropolitan State, drops in 12 points per game while hitting on 55.8 percent of his shots from the field.
- Nova Southeastern boasts a deep scoring base with six players averaging at least 7.3 points per game including senior guard Justin Jeangerard (9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg), senior guard Stian Berg (8.7 ppg, 2.3 apg), freshman guard Troy Spears (7.5 ppg) and senior guard Brian Cahill (7.3 ppg).
- Gary Tuell is in his 11th season at the helm at Nova Southeastern where he has posted a 133-151 record (.468). He is in his 28th season as a collegiate head coach with stops at Cincinnati Christian (89-29), Georgia Regents Augusta (113-89), Milligan (19-11) and St. Thomas (Fla.) (88-76) equaling an overall mark of 442-356 (.568).
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets Nova Southeastern for the first time on the hardwood Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State claimed victories in a pair of home games over McMurry (Texas) (77-49) and College of Faith (Ark.) (105-62) to extend its winning streak at D.L. Ligon Coliseum to 10 games dating back to last season.
- MSU's 43-point win over College of Faith was the Mustangs' largest margin of victory since beating Mid-America Christian 104-55 on Dec. 30, 2010 at Ligon Coliseum.
- The Mustangs eclipsed the 100-point barrier with a 105-62 win over College of Faith (Ark.) for the first time since beating Paul Quinn (Texas) 105-77 on March 3, 2013.
- MSU has scored 100-or-more points three times in the Nelson Haggerty era.
- Each of MSU's six wins this season has been by 10-or-more points.
- The Mustangs' average margin of victory in their six wins is 24.8 points per game.
- Midwestern shot over 50 percent in both games last week going for 53.4 percent against McMurry and 57.7 percent against College of Faith.
- The Mustangs assisted on a campaign-high 26 of 41 made field goals Friday against College of Faith.
- Six different Mustangs scored in double figures and three others scored at least eight points Friday against College of Faith.
- Senior forward Abiodun Adegoke (Buford, Ga. / Mill Creek HS (Western Texas)) needed just 30 minutes over two games to average 12 points and five rebounds last week while shooting 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the floor.
- Adegoke scored a team-high 15 points going 7-for-8 from the floor while pulling down eight rebounds Thursday against McMurry.
- Redshirt-freshman Devante Pullum (Little Elm, Texas / Little Elm HS) averaged 10.5 points and seven assists in 22 minutes a game against McMurry and College of Faith last week.
- Pullum dished out a career-best 10 assists against McMurry before notching 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting including three 3-pointers while handing out four assists against College of Faith.
- Pullum has scored in double figures in three of his last four games.
- Sophomore forward Trevor Fuller (Dallas, Texas / Episcopal School (San Diego)) produced his best two offensive games of the season going for 10 points in six minutes against McMurry then notching a season-best 11 points in 11 minutes against College of Faith.
- Fuller has made 10 of his last 11 field goal attempts over his last three games.
- Junior guard Thaddeus Rideau (Port Arthur, Texas / East Ascension HS (UAB)) erupted for a season-high 15 points knocking down three 3-pointers with a blocked shot and two steals Friday against College of Faith.
- Senior forward Tavarion Nix (Havelock, N.C. / Havelock HS (Redlands CC)) averaged 9.0 points and 9.5 rebounds last week against McMurry and College of Faith.
- Nix notched double-double at Midwestern with 10 points and 10 rebounds Thursday against McMurry.
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn (Verdunville, La. / St. Thomas More HS (North Dakota State Science)) scored in double figures for the fourth consecutive game with 12 points and eight rebounds Thursday against McMurry.
- Blackburn has connected on a 3-pointer in each of his last five games going 9-for-19 (.474) from the arc over the span.
- Senior guard Hershell Grant (Washington, D.C. / Roosevelt HS (Clarendon College)) scored nine points to go along with season bests of eight rebounds and six assists Friday against College of Faith.
- Senior guard Kevin Wagner (Lubbock, Texas / Estacado HS (McLennan CC)) scored a season-high 10 points while dishing out five assists in 17 minutes Friday against College of Faith.
- Junior forward Khapri Alston (Chicago, Ill. / Thornwood HS (Northeast CC (Neb.))) scored in double figures for the second time this season going for 10 points and six rebounds against College of Faith.
- Senior guard Derrell Gibbs (Wichita Falls, Texas / Burkburnett HS) dropped in a season-high 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting against College of Faith.
- Sophomore guard Pat Smith (Houston, Texas / Jones HS) notched a campaign-best eight points against McMurry.
 
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 81-24 mark (.771) 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 takes on Lynn (Fla.) Monday night at De Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center in Boca Raton. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. (Texas Time).