TIPOFF
Here we go again. It's Midwestern State vs. Tarleton State for the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament championship for the third straight season, for the fourth time in five years and for the first time in tournament history.
 
The Mustangs claimed titles over TSU 1999, 2010 and 2012 before the Texans broke through for a while last season.
 
It will be the 17th meeting in five seasons for the programs with the Mustangs claim nine wins and Texans taking seven.
 
MSU has posted a 17-2 record in its last six appearances in the LSC Postseason Tournament claiming titles in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012.
 
The Mustangs are 6-1 all-time in the LSC Tournament finals.
 

---

Midwestern State vs. Tarleton State
Saturday, March 8 | 5:30 p.m.
Records: Midwestern State (22-6); Tarleton State (26-2)
Live Video: CSNHouston.com  
Live Audio: MSUMustangs.com 
Live Stats: LoneStarConference.org  
Game Notes (PDF)
 
SCOUTING THE TEXANS
Tarleton State rolled to the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament finals claiming a pair of double-digit wins over West Texas A&M (89-70) and Texas A&M-Commerce (84-72). The Texans have won eight of their last nine games since taking their first loss of the season by a 77-75 count in overtime to Midwestern State on Feb. 5 in Stephenville. Tarleton State is paced by a pair of All-LSC first-team performers in seniors Chuck Guy and De'Andre Upchurch. Guy, the league's player of the year, scores 16.2 points and dishes out 6.2 assists per game while Upchurch leads the team with a 16.9-point scoring average while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range. Junior forward Tashawn Mabry adds 11.6 points and 3.0 rebounds a game while junior forward Davene Carter (9.4 points, 5.7 rebounds), junior guard Emmanuel Andrews (6.4 points), junior forward Damion Clemons (5.3 points, 4.5 rebounds) and sophomore guard Michael Hardge (5.0 points) add scoring options for the Texans. Tarleton State tops the league in scoring at 86.8 points per game and in scoring defense allowing 65.5 points per contest.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the 69th time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon at the Allen Event Center. The Mustangs own a commanding 44-24 edge in the series that dates back to the 1961-62 season including a 5-2 advantage on neutral floors. MSU is 3-4 against the Texans in the LSC postseason but is 3-1 against Tarleton State in title games. The teams have played 16 times over the last five seasons alone with the Mustangs claiming wins in nine of those games. MSU's championship round wins over the Texans came in 1999, 2010 and 2012.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. TARLETON STATE
Midwestern State senior guard Monzaigo Williams hit a 13-footer with 4.8 seconds left in overtime to lift the Mustangs to a 77-75 win in overtime on Feb. 5 in Stephenville. Williams paced the Mustangs with 18 points including three 3-pointers while junior forward Xavier Blackburn completed a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds. De'Andre Upchurch paced the Texans with 21 points, while Davene Carter and Chuck Guy added 18 and 15, respectively.
 

---

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State claimed its 11th-straight win overall and seventh consecutive victory in the LSC Postseason Tournament semifinals with a 82-63 win over Angelo State Friday afternoon at the Allen Event Center. The senior guard from Palmdale, Calif. ranks fifth in the league in scoring at 15.9 points per game, fifth in assists per game (4.5), sixth in free throw percentage (.783), fifth in steals per game (1.7), sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.416), sixth in 3-pointers per game 1.9) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0). Junior forward Xavier Blackburn earned second-team and all-defensive team honors after scoring 14.0 points and leading the LSC during league play with 9.1 rebounds a game. The Verdunville, La. native has scored 10-or-more points in each of his last five of his last six games including matching career-highs of 24 points against Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. Blackburn boasts six double-doubles this season. Senior forward Eddie D'Haiti has come on strong during conference play averaging 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 51.4 percent from 3-point range. Senior guard DeJuan Plummer provides scoring punch off of the bench averaging 10.1 points per game for the season. Senior guard Cam Adderley (7.9 points, 4.7 rebounds), senior guard JaMichael Rivers (7.1 points, 1.7 rebounds) and junior guard Derrell Gibbs (3.8 points, 3.9 rebounds) add scoring punch for the Mustangs.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Midwestern State used a 17-2 run midway through the first half to seize control Friday afternoon against Angelo State before cruising to an 82-63 win in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament semifinals at the Allen Event Center. Junior forward Xavier Blackburn led way with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting while grabbing five rebounds with two blocked shots. Senior guard DeJuan Plummer knocked three 3-pointers on his way to 13 points, while senior guard Monzaigo Williams contributed a solid, all-around game with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. Senior guard JaMichael Rivers and junior forward DeVaughn Jones chipped in nine points each off of the bench. Chantz  Chambers and Tommy Woolridge had 10 points each in a reserve role to lead Angelo State.
 
MSU UNDER NELSON HAGGERTY
Nelson Haggerty is in his third year as head coach of the Mustangs. He boasts a 73-19 mark (.793) while leading MSU to a pair of Lone Star Conference titles. The Mustangs advanced the Elite Eight in 2012 before falling to Metro State in the South Central Region finals last season. Haggerty served the previous two seasons as the top assistant at Midwestern as the Mustangs rolled to the Elite Eight in each of those campaigns.
 
HAGGERTY AMAZING THROUGH FIRST THREE 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 73-19 (.793) 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.
 
IT'S AN MSU TRADITION
- 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).
 
MSU IN THE LONE STAR CONFERENCE POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT
Midwestern State owns the highest all-time winning percentage in Lone Star Conference postseason history with a 25-7 mark (.781) 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 a perfect 6-1 in the postseason championship round. The Mustangs have won 16 of their last 18 LSC Postseason Tournament games dating back to the 2007 tourney.
 
ABOUT THE STREAK
Midwestern State's 82-63 win over Angelo State extended the Mustangs' winning streak to 11 games for the 17th time in school history. The streak 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.
 
MSU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Midwestern State returned to the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Top 25 this week at No. 24. The Mustangs carried a national ranking for the first five weeks of the season reaching as high as No. 6 before dropping out on Dec. 3. MSU has earned a national ranking at some point during each of the last five seasons.
 
MSU IN THE REGIONAL RANKINGS
Midwestern State remained at No. 3 in the NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings released Wednesday afternoon. Tarleton State retained the top spot followed by Metro State (Colo.), MSU, Colorado Mines, Arkansas-Fort Smith, St. Mary's (Texas), Texas A&M International, Angelo State (Texas), Texas A&M-Commerce and Colorado-Colorado Springs. If the regional started today, the Mustangs would face St. Mary's in the opening round. The final regional rankings are set for release on March 5, while the national tournament selection show is set for Sunday.
 
HITTING THE GLASS
Midwestern State ranks 38th in NCAA Division in total rebounds (1160.0) and is 14th in rebound margin (+7.6). Both of those numbers top the Lone Star Conference as the Mustangs also lead the league in offensive rebounds (14.3 per game) -- 13th in NCAA II, offensive rebound percentage (.381) and defensive rebound percentage (.721). MSU has out-rebounded 19 of its last 22 opponents by an average of 8.9 rebounds a game. The Mustangs have controlled the rebounding edge in 22 out of 28 games this season and are 17-5 when posting a positive rebound margin. MSU scores 14.5 points per game on second chances and allows 9.9.
 
SHOOTING 44
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.
 
BEST IN TEXAS
The Mustangs boast the best record (154-38/.802) 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.
 
MIDWESTERN STATE WINS 20... TAKE SIX
Midwestern State claimed its 20th win in the regular season finale Saturday 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 153-38 mark over the last six seasons.
 
MUSTANGS PLACE TWO ON ALL-LONE STAR CONFERENCE SQUAD
Midwestern State senior guard Monzaigo Williams (16.2 points, 4.4 assists) was the lone first-team member for the Mustangs, who claimed their third-straight Lone Star Conference championship. Junior forward Xavier Blackburn (11.4 points, 7.6 rebounds) garnered second-team honors. Blackburn was also named to the inaugural all-defensive team.
 
X-MAN GETS OFFENSIVE -- GETS FIFTH LSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (2/24/14)
Junior forward Xavier Blackburn put in matching career highs of 24 points in wins over Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville as Midwestern State pushed its season-best winning streak to eight games. He notched his sixth double-double of the season while scoring 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the Mustangs to a 78-68  win over Angelo State as he connected on 5-of-8 shots from the field with a 3-pointer to go along with a 13-of-14 effort from the charity stripe. Blackburn stayed hot by hitting 9-of-12 shots with two treys in an 83-60 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. For the week, Blackburn shot 70 percent from the field (14-of-20) with three 3-pointers and was 17-of-18 from the free throw line to average 24.0 points and 9.0 rebounds a game.
 
BLACKBURN COPS FOURTH LSC DEFENSIVE HONOR (2/17/14)
Midwestern State junior forward Xavier Blackburn notched his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a 74-63 win over West Texas A&M then followed with a 11 points, eight rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal in an 81-79 overtime victory at Eastern New Mexico. He averaged a double-double with 11.5 points and 10 rebounds a game to help MSU extend its season long winning streak to six games.
 
BLACKBURN EARNS THIRD LSC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (2/10/14)
Junior forward Xavier Blackburn notched his fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead Midwestern State to a 77-75 win over No. 2 Tarleton State on Feb. 5 at Wisdom Gym. The put a close to the Texans' 18-0 start, its longest winning streak in school history and snapped a 20-game run of wins in Stephenville. The Mustangs held TSU to its second lowest shooting percentage of the season at .379.
 
X-MAN TAKES SECOND LSC DEFENDER OF THE HONOR (1/13/14)
Midwestern State junior forward Xavier Blackburn earned Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second straight week as the Mustangs rolled to victories over West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico. Blackburn snagged a game-high 11 rebounds with two blocks and a steal as the Mustangs limited Eastern New Mexico to a 19.3-percent shooting night on Jan. 11 which ranks as the second lowest opponent shooting percentage in school history. He scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 67-60 win at West Texas A&M earlier in the week.
 
BLACKBURN TABBED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (1/6/14)
Midwestern State junior forward Xavier Blackburn garnered Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the week of Jan. 6 after averaging 16.0 points and 12.5 rebounds a game. The 6-4 forward from New Iberia, La. recorded his first double-double of the season finishing with 17 points and 16 rebounds against Oklahoma Wesleyan. The rebounds were the second most by an LSC player this season and the most for an MSU player since Corbin Thomas had 18 against Texas A&M-Commerce last February. Blackburn closed the week with a 15-point, 9-rebound effort at A&M-Commerce.
 
WILLIAMS SPURS MSU PAST TARLETON TO TAKE SECOND LSC OFFENSIVE HONOR (2/10/14)
Senior guard Monzaigo Williams rose up to hit an 18-footer with 3.8 seconds remaining in overtime to provide the difference in Midwestern State's 77-75 win over Tarleton State on Feb. 5 at Wisdom Gym. The win snapped TSU's 18-game overall winning streak and sent the Texans to defeat at Wisdom Gym for the first time in 20 games. Williams connected on 7-fo-16 shots including three 3-pointers to lead the Mustangs with 18 points against the Texans. He then poured in a team-high 18 points and dished out nine assists to go along with four steals in a 75-63 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Feb. 8 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
RED HOT Z TABBED OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (1/13/14)
Midwestern State senior guard Monzaigo Williams poured in a game-high 27 points with five 3-pointers to help the Mustangs' to their second straight win over West Texas A&M in Canyon on Jan. 8, 2014. It was the first time in series history MSU claimed consecutive wins on the Buffs' home floor. The Palmdale, Calif. product finished the week with a 13-point, 5-assist, 4-steal effort in just 26 minutes against Eastern New Mexico. For the week, Williams averaged 20 points while shooting 70 percent from the field (14-of-20) and 75 percent from 3-point land (6-of-8) while averaging 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists with five total steals.
 
THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER ON THE BENCH
Midwestern State's three-headed reserve combination of juniors Tavarion Nix (3.6 points, 3.4 rebounds), Abiodun Adegoke (2.7 points, 3.4 rebounds) and DeVaughn Jones (3.1 points, 2.3 rebounds) combine for a very productive 29.5 minutes per game. MSU's key depth supplements the tandem of Eddie D'Haiti and Xavier Blackburn at the rate of 9.2 points and 9.1 rebounds a game as a trio while shooting 57.7 percent (90-of-156).
 
MSU TAKES TWO STRAIGHT IN CANYON/AMARILLO
Midwestern State claimed its second consecutive victory for the first time in series history with a 76-70 win on Jan. 8. The Mustangs, who rolled to a 55-42 win over the Buffs last season at First United Bank Center, had one win in their first 10 tries at the facility. Midwestern State had never claimed consecutive wins on WT's home court in a series which dates back to the 1947-48 season.
 
MORE ROAD HISTORY
For the first time in school history, Midwestern State claimed road wins over West Texas A&M in Canyon and Tarleton State in Stephenville during the same season.
 
WITH A WIN, MIDWESTERN STATE WOULD...
... claim its seventh Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament title.
... improve to 23-6 on the season.
... improve to 26-7 (.788) all time in the LSC Postseason Tournament.
... improve to 7-1 all time in LSC Postseason Tournament final games.
... extend its winning streak to 12 games -- last lost 83-68 on Jan. 22, 2014 at Angelo State.
... beat Tarleton State for the fourth time in the LSC final game -- 1999, 2010 and 2012.
... improve to 45-24 all time against Tarleton State.
... win second-straight game against the Texans -- last lost 83-81 on Jan. 15, 2014 in Wichita Falls.
... improve to 6-2 on neutral floors this season.
... improve to 74-19 (.796) overall under head coach Nelson Haggerty.
... improve to 155-38 (.803) since the start of the 2008-09 season.
 
WITH A LOSS, MIDWESTERN STATE WOULD...
... fall to 22-7 on the season.
... fall to 25-8 (.758) all time in the LSC Postseason Tournament.
... fall to 6-2 all time in LSC Postseason Tournament final games.
... lose for first time since falling 83-68 on Jan. 22, 2014 at Angelo State -- 11 games.
... fall to 44-25 all time against Tarleton State.
... lose first game to Texans since falling 83-81 on Jan. 15, 2014 in Wichita Falls -- 1 game.
... fall to 5-3 on neutral floors this season.
... fall to 73-20 (.785) overall under head coach Nelson Haggerty.
... fall to 154-39 (.798) since the start of the 2008-09 season.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Midwestern State awaits NCAA Division II Postseason Championship selection set for Sunday at 8:30 p.m.