TIPOFF
Midwestern State travels to South Texas for its next to last game of the regular season when the Mustangs visit Texas A&M-Kingsville. Tipoff against the Javelinas is set for 1 p.m. at the Steinke Center.
Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
Saturday, Feb. 22 | 1 p.m.
Steinke Center | Kingsville, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (16-9, 8-6); Texas A&M-Kingsville (6-15, 4-10)
Live Video: SouthTexanNews.com
Live Audio: MSUMustangs.com
Live Stats: JavelinaAthletics.com
On the Air: 95.5 ESPN Wichita Falls
SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS
Texas A&M-Kingsville enters the game with a 9-15 overall record, in a three-way tie for seventh in Lone Star Conference play at 4-10 after losing at Cameron 83-69 on Wednesday night. Coach Michael Trujillo's Javelinas are led by junior guard Lindsey Mahone of Corpus Christi, Texas/Carroll, a transfer from Angelo State who averages 13.8 points (fifth in the LSC), to go with a team-leading 7.3 rebounds (fourth in the LSC) and 2.1 steals a game (fourth in the LSC). Sophomore guard Ashley Viera of Corpus Christi, Texas/Ray adds in 10.8 points (12th in the LSC) to go with 3.0 rebounds and adds 3.0 assists (ninth in the LSC) to go with her 1.4 3-point field goals per game (11th in the LSC). Senior guard Rosalie Cutri of Waterloo Corner, Australia, a transfer from Boise State, chips in 8.7 points (28th in the LSC), 3.9 rebounds and and LSC leading 2.5 steals. TAMUK is averaging 69.1 points a contest, while allowing opponents 72.5 points a game.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State takes on Texas A&M-Kingsville for the 37th time when the Mustangs visit Kingsville on Saturday. Midwestern State leads the series 21-15. The series is tied at 9-9 at Kingsville, but MSU holds a 12-6 record against TAMUK at Ligon Coliseum. MSU has won six straight against the Javelinas thanks to the 81-59 victory at Ligon Coliseum on Jan. 25, 2014. The streak also includes a 61-52 win on Feb. 2, 2013 at Wichita Falls and a 75-63 triumph in Kingsville on Dec. 1, 2012. The last win for TAMUK over MSU was on Jan. 26, 2011 in Kingsville when the Javelinas claimed an 85-65 win that capped a six-game win streak over the Mustangs.
LAST TIME OUT VS. TAMUK
The Mustangs allowed Texas A&M-Kingsville to control the open nine minutes of the first half and post a six-point lead only to rebound with a 13-0 run and added a 20-4 run in the second half as Midwestern State posted an 81-59 thumping of the Javelinas. Andrea Carter tallied a season-high 21 points in the contest with six rebounds, while Lisa Hampton added 12 points (connecting on four 3-pointers) and Shatoia Gober just missed a double-double with 12 points and eight boards. The Mustangs shot 51.0 percent from the floor (26-of-51), including 6-of-15 from the arc (40.0 percent) and shot 82.1 percent from the foul line (23-of-28), but were tied on the boards by the Javelinas 36-36.
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State is 16-9 on the season, alone in fourth in the Lone Star Conference at 8-6. Coach Noel Johnson's Mustangs are led by junior All-America forward Andrea Carter who is second in the LSC averaging 15.6 points and third in the conference with 9.0 rebounds, to go with 2.0 steals and shooting 52.5 percent (fifth in the LSC in both). Senior guard Kirsti Degelia adds 11.3 points (11th in the LSC) with 1.3 three-pointers a game (13th in the LSC), to go with 3.2 assists (sixth in the LSC) and 1.3 steals. Junior guard Dianna Jones adds 10.3 points a game (16th in the LSC) to go with her LSC leading 4.9 assists and 1.95 assist-turnover ratio and 1.5 steals (11th in the LSC). Junior guard Shatoia Gober chalks up 7.1 points a contest, as she pulls down 4.8 rebounds (19th in the LSC) with 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals. MSU averages 71.8 points a contest, while allowing 66.8.
LAST TIME OUT
The Mustangs never trailed in the final game of the season Under the Dome at D.L. Ligon Coliseum as they beat Angelo State 69-58. But MSU allowed a 13-point first half lead to evaporate as the Rambelles opened the second stanza on a 10-3 run to knot the game at 37. But MSU answered with a 7-0 run to regain control, then posted a 9-0 run late to put the game away. Dianna Jones led the Mustangs with 18 points to go with six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Andrea Carter recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 12 points, 11 rebounds with three assists and three steals as well. Senior Kirsti Degelia added nine points in her final home game with five assists and two blocked shots. The Mustangs shot 48.1 percent from the floor (25-of-52), including 3-of-8 from the arc (37.5 percent), and 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) from the foul line. ASU connected on 38.2 percent from the floor (21-of-55), with 3-of-12 (25.0 percent) from the arc and 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) from the charity stripe. MSU outrebounded Angelo State 38-30.
MSU UNDER NOEL JOHNSON
Noel Johnson is 88-74 in her sixth year as the head coach of the Mustangs. She was the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year in 2012 after turning the program around with a 19-8 season, then earned the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Small College Coach of the Year award for leading MSU to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 with a 26-6 record and the Lone Star Conference Championship.
MSU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Midwestern State started the season at number 10 in the WBCA's USA Today Sports Division II Top 25, but early losses dropped them to the first team receiving votes for the next three weeks. The Mustangs are currently not receiving votes in the poll.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
The first NCAA Division II South Central Regional Rankings of the season were issued on Wednesday and found Midwestern State ranked seventh in the important rankings that determine the tournament field. West Texas A&M held the top ranking, with Colorado Mesa second, Colorado State-Pueblo third, and Tarleton State fourth. Texas A&M International is fifth, with Texas Woman's sixth, MSU seventh and Fort Lewis (Colo.) eighth. St. Mary's is ninth and Angelo State 10th. There will be two more Wednesday rankings issued before the NCAA Tournament selections are made on March 9th. The postseason tournament winners of the Lone Star Conference, Heartland Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference are automatic qualifiers with the five at-large bids selected from the regional rankings.
LONE STAR CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The Mustangs will play a quarterfinal game in the Lone Star Conference Tournament in Allen on Thursday, March 6. MSU can finish no lower than fifth in the standings and with one win in the last two games would clinch the fourth seed. MSU can get to the number three seed with two wins and two losses by Tarleton State. However, since Texas Woman's and Tarleton hold tiebreakers over MSU, should the Mustangs tie either team or both, MSU would draw the lower seed. The LSC Tournament is set for March 5th through 8th at the Allen Event Center. Wednesday, March 5th quarterfinals have the No. 2 seed playing the No. 7 seed at noon, with the No. 1 seed facing the No. 8 seed at 6 p.m. On Thursday, March 6th, the No. 3 seed faces the No. 6 seed at noon, as the No. 4 seed meets the No. 5 seed at 6 p.m. The semifinals are Friday, March 7th, with afternoon quarterfinal winners playing at noon, and the evening quarterfinal winners playing at 6 p.m. The championship game is Saturday, March 8th at 3 p.m. The LSC men follow the women with the same bracketing in each session.
LIGON FINALE FOR SENIORS
The contest against Angelo State was the final game of the season for MSU under the Dome at D.L. Ligon Coliseum and the last contest at home for the Mustangs two seniors, Kirsti Degelia and Skyler Warrick. Degelia, from Denton, Texas/Krum, and Warrick, from Wellington, Texas, have played four seasons for the Mustangs. Both played as true freshmen and helped turn around the MSU program to post three consecutive winning seasons and a record of 71-39 during the four years.
THREE...DOT...THOUGHTS...
The Mustangs collected their sixth win in the last eight games with the 69-58 triumph over Angelo State … Those two losses both came in overtime, marking three overtime losses this season – the first time that's happened since the 2005-06 campaign when MSU dropped three OT contests before winning one … The 2005-06 campaign was also the last one that MSU lost more than one overtime contest in a season before this year … The win over ASU also marked the eighth time this season the Mustangs have held an opponent under 60 points. MSU is 7-1 in those games … The Mustangs have held 13 of their last 17 opponents under 70 points, with 15 of the last 17 staying under 70 during the regulation 40 minutes … However, if the Mustangs allow an opponent to reach the 70-point level, they are 3-6, and 1-2 when opponents get 80 or higher … The Mustangs outrebounded Angelo 38-30 to mark the fourth straight contest MSU has had the advantage on the glass. MSU is 10-2 when having a rebounding advantage (both losses to WT), 4-5 when being outrebounded by opponents and 2-2 when both teams have an equal number of rebounds … MSU posted the sixth-best single-game free throw performance in school history against WT, hitting 15-of-16 from the charity stripe – 93.8 percent … Senior Kirsti Degelia of Denton, Texas/Krum added to her career scoring total as she has amassed 1,348 points – seventh all-time at MSU. She is 47 points away from Lounette Adkins Decker (1978-79, 80-81, 93-95) with 1,395 points in sixth … Degelia moved to sixth at MSU with 321 career assists passing Mandy Clueley (1994-98) with 315 in sixth. She is four away tying and five from passing from Glenda Washington (1981-86) in fifth with 325 … Degelia is eighth in MSU career 3-point field goals made with 106 and needs two to tie for seventh at 108 with Lynn Buckmaster (1992-94) and J.J. Anderson (1997-2001) … Degelia is 13th on the MSU career steal's list with 150 … Junior forward Andrea Carter of Angleton, Texas is second in the Lone Star Conference in scoring, third in rebounding and fifth in steals, averaging 15.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals a game. She is also fifth in field goal percentage (52.5 percent), ninth in free throw percentage (73.7 percent) and 12th in blocked shots (0.4) … Carter became the seventh player in MSU history to record 700 career rebounds with her 11 against Eastern New Mexico. She now has 715 and needs 16 boards to tie Shannon Boase (1995-99) in sixth with 731 … Carter is 11th in career steals at MSU, with 171 passing Jennifer Butler (1994-99) with 166. Carter needs four more to join the career top 10 at MSU by equaling the 175 of Alanna Albrecht (1986-90) in 10th … Junior Diana Jones of Hewitt, Texas/Midway leads the Lone Star Conference with 4.9 assists per game and leads the league with a 1.95 assist/turnover ratio. Jones is third in the LSC with a 80.2 free throw percentage (81-of-101) and 11th in steals (1.5 per game) … Jones is 11th in MSU career assists with 241 passing Meosha Walker (2002-04) with 233. She is 15 from joining the career top 10 by matching Lindy Lombard (1998-02) with 256 …
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