INSIDE THE LANE
Midwestern State advanced to the NCAA Division South Central Regional semifinal for the sixth straight season and for the ninth time since the 1998-99 season.
 
The Mustangs are 4-4 all time in semifinal round games and are 14-8 in NCAA Division II tournament games which include appearances in 1999, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
 
Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the fourth time this season and for the 18th time since the start of the 2009-10 season. MSU owns a slim 9-8 edge in over that time frame. The teams also met four times during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 campaigns.
 

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Midwestern State vs. Tarleton State
Sunday, March 16 | 6 p.m. (Central Time)
Auraria Event Center | Denver, Colo.
Records: Midwestern State (23-7); Tarleton State (28-2)
Live Video: GoMetroState.com   
Live Audio: MSUMustangs.com   
Live Stats: GoMetroState.com  
NCAA Division II Interactive Bracket   
South Central Region Tournament Central   
Game Notes
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the 70th time on the hardwood Sunday night at the Auraria Event Center in Denver.
- The Mustangs own a 44-25 edge in the overall series which dates back to the 1961-62 season.
- MSU is 5-3 against the Texans on neutral floors.
- Midwestern claimed wins in both of the meetings between the programs in NCAA postseason play. The Mustangs beat Tarleton State 71-56 in a South Central Region semifinal round matchup on March 14, 2010, then beat the Texans 64-51 in a first round matchup on March 12, 2011 in Edmond, Okla. MSU advanced to the Elite Eight in both of those seasons.
- It's just the fourth meeting between the teams outside of the State of Texas -- MSU beat TSU 65-55 in the LSC semifinals Bartlesville, Okla. on March 6, 2010, then TSU beat MSU 74-50 in the LSC semifinals the next season in Bartlesville on March 5, 2011. The Mustangs eliminated the Texans from the NCAA II South Central Regionals a week later in Edmond.
-The Mustangs and Texans meet for the fourth time in one season for the third time in the last five seasons. The Mustangs swept the Texans in 2009-10, and then Tarleton State took three of four from the Mustangs in 2010-11.
- This is the 18th meeting between the LSC's premiere programs since the start of the 2009-10 season. Midwestern has won nine to Tarleton's seven.
- The Mustangs and Texans have met at least three times in each of the last five seasons.
 
LAST TIME OUT (vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith)
- Midwestern State stayed a perfect 7-0 all time in South Central Regional quarterfinal play ousting Arkansas-Fort Smith 72-66 Saturday afternoon.
- The Mustangs shot a season low 31.4 percent from the field shooting the ball at a 24.2-percent clip in the second half.
- MSU has limited its last six opponents to a 40-percent or less field goal percentage after holding Arkansas-Fort Smith to 34.4 percent from the field.
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn poured in a career-high 25 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to notch his seventh double-double of the season.
- Blackburn's 14 rebounds are the most for an MSU player in NCAA II postseason play bettering 11-rebound performance set previously by Eric Dawson (2007 vs. Southeastern Okla.), Michael Godwin (2010 vs. Tarleton State) and David Terrell (2012 vs. St. Mary's).
- Senior guard Monzaigo Williams snagged a career-best 12 rebounds to go along with eight points, six assists and three steals.
- Senior guard JaMichael Rivers notched his fourth double-figure scoring effort of the season with 14 points on 5-of-12 shootings including a pair of triples.
 
LAST TIME OUT (vs. Tarleton State)
- Tarleton State's De'Andre Upchurch erupted for a game-high 27 points to lift the No. 5-ranked Texans to a 71-65 win over Midwestern State in the LSC Postseason Tournament finals on March 8 at the Allen Event Center.
- Upchurch scored 10 points during a 16-2 TSU run over a 3:40 stretch to turn a six-point deficit into a 31-22 lead.
- Tarleton State controlled a 20-13 edge in the opening half and shot 47.8 percent from the floor while the Mustangs were 9-for-26 (34.6 percent).
- MSU senior guard Monzaigo Williams scored 8 of the Mustangs' first 10 points and finished with a team-high 18 points.
- Midwestern State trailed by as many as 12 points before halftime, but cut the deficit to one twice in the final four minutes. Williams' 15-foot baseline jumper would have given the Mustangs a lead with 1:28 to play but rattled out.
- Outside of Upchurch (5-for-18 FG, 3-for-6 3FG), the Texans shot 34.2 percent from the field (13-of-38) and were 0-for-12 from the 3-point arc.
- MSU out-rebounded the Texans 25-17 after halftime.
 
SOUTH CENTRAL TIDBITS
- Midwestern State is making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Mustangs are one of only six teams to qualify for NCAA II postseason play for each of the last six seasons -- and one of only two from the South Central Region.
- Midwestern State is making its ninth overall appearance in the NCAA Division II postseason which also includes appearances in 1999, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011. 2012 and 2013.
- MSU earns its third at-large berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament just as in 2011 (Elite Eight) and 2013 (region semifinalists).
- The Mustangs earned automatic bids as LSC Postseason tournament champs in 1999, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012.
- It's the second time the Mustangs play out of the No. 3 position. The first time, MSU advanced to the regional semifinals in 2007 in Warrensburg, Mo.
- Midwestern State is 36-24 all time in national tournament which includes a 21-16 mark in 15 NAIA appearances and a 15-8 mark in seven NCAA showings.
- The Mustangs (2010, 2011, 2012) matched Southeast Missouri State (1988, 1989, 1990) as the only teams to advance out of the South Central Region in three consecutive seasons.
- The Mustangs are 2-5 in teams advancing to the NCAA Division II tournament this season. MSU is 1-2 against Tarleton State and 1-0 against Northwest Missouri State. Midwestern suffered setbacks against Harding (Ark.), Arkansas Tech and California State, San Bernardino this season.
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE TIDBITS
- Midwestern State claimed the Lone Star Conference championship for the sixth time in the last eight seasons (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014) after claiming back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000.
- Midwestern State's six LSC championships in an 8-year stretch match the most any team has won in the 83-year history of the league. Only Stephen F. Austin, who won six consecutive championships from 1932-37 shares the feat with the Mustangs.
- The Mustangs became the first team since Central Oklahoma (1991-93) to win three straight Lone Star Conference championships and the eighth team in league history to accomplish the achievement joining Stephen F. Austin (1932-37, 70-72), Southwest Texas State (1950-52), East Texas State (1953-55), Lamar (1961-63), Abilene Christian (1985-87) and Central Oklahoma (1991-93).
- Midwestern State claimed its 70th Lone Star Conference victory since the start of the 2008-09 season on March 1 at Cameron. The Mustangs are a cool 70-18 (.795) during the time span which includes three Elite Eights (2010, 2011, 2012) and five Lone Star Conference titles (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014) over the last six seasons. Tarleton State is second with a 65-23 mark (.739).
- Midwestern State owns the highest all-time winning percentage in Lone Star Conference postseason history with a 25-8 mark (.758) over 13 appearances. The Mustangs are 11-3 in opening round games including wins in their last seven first round contests. MSU boasts a 8-3 record in the semifinal rounds and is 6-2 in the postseason championship round.
- The Mustangs have won 17 of their last 20 LSC Postseason Tournament games dating back to the 2007 tourney.
 
MUSTANGS TIDBITS
- Midwestern State claimed its 20th win in the regular season finale at Cameron. The Mustangs have now won 20 games in each of the last six seasons It's the second longest 20-win season streak in school history as Midwestern won at least 20 games in eight consecutive seasons under the legendary Dr. Gerald Stockton from 1973-81. The Mustangs boast a cumulative 154-39 mark over the last six seasons.
- The Mustangs boast the best record (155-39/.799) of any 4-year scholarship program in the State of Texas since the start of the 2008-09 season and its 152 wins are more than any other 4-year program in the Lone Star State. MSU is also the only scholarship program to win at least 20 games in each of the last six seasons.
- Nelson Haggerty has won more games in his first three seasons as head coach than any other mentor in the storied history of Midwestern State basketball. Haggerty is 74-20 (.787) in his first three campaigns bettering the 53 wins set by Dallas Clynch (1952-55) and Jeff Ray (1994-97). Haggerty led the Mustangs to their third consecutive NCAA II South Central Region championship last season winning the school's sixth and now seventh Lone Star Conference title along the way. Haggerty was a part of five Elite Eight runs over a six-year period while serving as an assistant at Central Missouri (2007, 2009) before moving to MSU as Grant McCasland's top assistant (2010, 2011). He then guided the Mustangs back to the Elite Eight in his first season at the helm in 2011-12.
- Midwestern State's season-best 11-game winning streak snapped in the LSC Postseason Tournament finals against Tarleton State. The streak is tied for the 17th longest in school history. It is the longest since the Mustangs won 13 games at the start of the 2011-12 season. It is the fifth winning streak of at least 10 games since the start of the 2009-10 season.
- Midwestern State ranks 17th in NCAA Division in total rebounds (1198.0) and is 14th in rebound margin (+7.5). Both of those numbers top the Lone Star Conference as the Mustangs also lead the league in offensive rebounds (14.3 per game) -- 21st in NCAA II, offensive rebound percentage (.381) and defensive rebound percentage (.717). MSU has out-rebounded 20 of its last 23 opponents by an average of 8.8 rebounds a game. The Mustangs have controlled the rebounding edge in 24 out of 30 games this season and are 18-6 when posting a positive rebound margin. MSU scores 14.5 points per game on second chances and allows 10.0.
- Midwestern State is 3-5 this season when the opposition shoots at least 44 percent as a team from the field. The Mustangs have allowed matching season highs of 50 percentage in losses to California State, San Bernardino (29-for-58), Tarleton State (28-for-56) and Angelo State (28-for-56). Harding (Ark.) was 46.2 percent from the field in a 74-70 setback for MSU while Oklahoma Wesleyan booked a 44.8 field goal percentage to beat the Mustangs 80-74. The Mustangs' three wins came against Texas A&M-Kingsville (83-62/44.1), Texas A&M-Commerce (75-63/44.4) and Angelo State (78-68/44.4). Midwestern is 14-0 in games it shoots 45 percent or better posting a season-high percentage of 52.5 against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
- Senior guard Monzaigo Williams (15.7 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds) garnered All-Lone Star Conference first-team honors.
- Williams was named to the LSC Postseason All-Tournament averaging 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
- Junior forward Xavier Blackburn (11.7 points, 7.7 rebounds) earned second-team All-LSC honors and was named to the league's inaugural all-defensive squad.
- Blackburn also garnered LSC Postseason All-Tournament honors after averaging 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds.
 
WITH A WIN, MIDWESTERN STATE WOULD...
... advance to the South Central Region finals for the fifth time in school history.
... improve to 24-7 on the season.
... improve to 15-5 (.750) in nine NCAA II South Central Region appearances.
... improve to 36-24 (.600) all time in national postseason play -- 21-16 in NAIA and 15-8 in NCAA D2.
... improve to 5-4 all time in NCAA D2 South Central Region semifinal round games.
... improve to 45-25 all time against Tarleton State.
... eliminate the Texans from NCAA II postseason for a third time (2010, 2011).
... improve to 7-3 on neutral floors this season.
... improve to 6-3 all time on neutral floors against the Texans.
... improve to 75-20 (.789) overall under head coach Nelson Haggerty.
... improve to 156-39 (.800) since the start of the 2008-09 season.
 
WITH A LOSS, MIDWESTERN STATE WOULD...
... end the season with a 23-8 record -- Sixth straight 20-win campaign.
... fall to 14-6 (.700) in nine NCAA II South Central Region appearances.
... fall to 35-25 (.583) all time in national postseason play -- 21-16 in NAIA and 14-9 in NCAA D2.
... fall to 44-26 all time against Tarleton State.
... fall to 6-4 on neutral floors this season.
... fall to 74-21 (.779) overall under head coach Nelson Haggerty.
... fall to 155-40 (.795) since the start of the 2008-09 season.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
With a win, Midwestern State advanced to face the winner of Sunday's other semifinal round matchup between No. 1-ranked Metro State and No. 13 Colorado Mines in Tuesday night's South Central Region championship game. Tipoff from Auraria Event Center is set for 8 p.m. (Central Time).