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ALLEN, Texas -- Midwestern State did all it could to battle back from a tough first half Saturday night in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament at the Allen Event Center.

The Mustangs battled back from a 12-point deficit just before the half and had a chance to take the lead in the final minute of the game, but Tarleton State senior De'Andre Upchurch proved to be the difference lifting the Texans to a 71-65 win to claim their second straight tournament title.

"They hurt us on the glass a bunch in the first half," MSU coach Nelson Haggerty said. "They beat us to some balls and did a really good job of getting into the paint. Upchurch made some big time plays throughout the basketball game."

Upchurch finished with a game-high 27 points and hit the backbreaking 3-pointer from the left wing to give Tarleton State a 6-point advantage just two possession after MSU senior guard Monzaigo Williams' 12-foot fadeaway rattled out which would have given the Mustangs their first lead midway through the first half.

MSU led by as many as six points early but a furious run by the Texans over the closing 6 minutes of the opening proved to be devastating to the Mustangs.

"The last six minutes of the first half, we didn't do a good job of keeping them out of the paint or of not fouling them," Haggerty said. "To be down 10 at that point the way things were going was a probably pretty fortunate."

Tarleton used aggression and a seven-rebound advantage to fuel a 16-1 run as Upchurch scored 10 of his points during the run which turned a 6-point deficit into a 31-22 TSU lead after Davene Carter hit a pair of free throws with 5:10 to play.

The Texans pushed the lead to 12 points before little used Patrick Smith scored a layup at the buzzer to pull the Mustangs to within 40-30 at the break.

Midwestern stayed within striking distance through the second half keeping the TSU advantage under double figures before scoring six-straight points -- all on free throws -- to narrow the margin to 61-60 on two freebies from DeVaughn Jones with 3:55 to play.

The teams exchanged buckets before the Mustangs made a stop forcing a miss from LSC Player of the Year Chuck Guy with 1:44 to play.

But Williams' jumper from the left baseman rattled out and Tarleton State squirmed off the hook as Upchurch hit his third triple of the game after pair of Carter free throws to extend the lead back out to 68-62 with 1:01 to play.

"Upchurch made some big plays and he really ended it with that 3," Haggerty said. "I thought we did a good job on Chucky (Guy) and the rest of their guys. Upchurch was the difference in the game tonight. He was able to make 3s, he was good off of the dribble and was able to get into the paint."

Tarleton big man Damion Clemons (10 points) and Carter (12 points, 12 boards) were the only other Texans in double figures, while Guy finished with 8 points on 3-of-13 shooting.

Williams led the Mustangs with 18 points, while senior forward Eddie D'Haiti chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds.

The loss snapped MSU's 11-game winning streak as the Mustangs fell to 22-7 on the season.

Midwestern awaits selection into the NCAA Division II Championships set for release via live Web stream Sunday night on NCAA.com at 8:30 p.m.