Midwestern State vs. Tarleton State
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015 | 5:30 p.m.
Wisdom Gym | Stephenville, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (14-3, 3-0); Tarleton State (13-1, 1-1)
Video: TarletonSports.com 
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com 
Live Stats: TarletonSports.com 

ON THE COURT
Midwestern State renews one of the best small college rivalries in the nation Wednesday night as the Mustangs battle Tarleton State at Wisdom Gym. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

SCOUTING THE TEXANS
- Tarleton State rebounded from its lone loss of the season to beat Texas A&M-Kingsville 59-44 Saturday night in Stephenville.
- The Texans started the season with 12-straight wins which including a 10-0 mark at home and wins over Western Washington and Drury (Mo.) at the Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas.
- TSU dropped its first true road game of the season 78-60 at Angelo State to open Lone Star Conference play.
- Junior guard Michael Hardge leads a quartet of players averaging in double figures with 11.7 point s per game.
- Hardge is averaging 17.7 points per game over his last three outings going for a season-high 20 points Saturday against Texas A&M-Kingsville. He has scored 10-or-more points in 10 games tho season.
- Senior guard Mo Lee equals Hardge in scoring at 11.7 points per game while pulling down 4.7 rebounds a contest.
- Senior forward TaShawn Mabry scores 10.5 points while knocking down 45.9 percent of his attempts from the arc while pulling down 5.2 rebounds a contest.
- Junior guard Malcolm Hamilton pitches in 10.3 points per game primarily in a reserve role.
- Senior forward Davene Carter is the Texans' top threat on the block averaging 9.7 points while pulling down a team-high 6.4 rebounds a contest.
- Lonn Reisman boasts a 571-230 record (.713) in his 27th year at the helm of the Tarleton State men's basketball program.

ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the 71st time on the hardwood Wednesday night at Wisdom Gym.
- The Mustangs own a commanding 45-25 edge in the series which dates back to the 1961-62 season.
- MSU is 15-11 all time against Tarleton State in games played at Wisdom Gym.
- The teams have split 10 decisions since the start of the Nelson Haggerty era dating back to the 2011-12 campaign.

MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State extended its winning streak to 10 games with a resounding 77-42 win over Eastern New Mexico Sunday at Greyhound Arena.
- Its the 20th winning streak of at least 10 games in school history and the seventh in the last seven seasons.
- The winning streak is the longest since the Mustangs won 11 consecutive games form Jan. 27 to March 7, 2014.
- The Mustangs have won at least 10 consecutive games three times in the Nelson Haggerty era.
- During their current 10-game winning streak, MSU is outscoring the opposition by 21.8 points per game while controlling a +18.5 rebounding margin. The Mustangs are holding the opposition to a .356 shooting percentage including a .272 mark from 3-point range.
- MSU ranks second in NCAA Division II in total rebounds (689.0) and total blocks (90.0) while ranking in primary defensive categories. The Mustangs are third in field goal percentage defense (.378), fourth in rebound margin (+11.3) and fifth in 3-point percentage defense (.272).
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn (Verdunville, La. / St. Thomas More HS (North Dakota State Science)) has come on strong over the past four games to average 14.8 points per game shooting 57.5 percent from the field while pulling down eight rebounds a game.
- Junior forward Khapri Alston (Chicago, Ill. / Thornwood HS (Northeast CC (Neb.))) notched his first double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday against West Texas A&M before going for 13 points and eight rebounds against Eastern New Mexico.
- Of Alston's 19 rebounds, 11 came on the offensive end of the floor.
- Senior forward Abiodun Adegoke (Buford, Ga. / Mill Creek HS (Western Texas)) scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season going for 13 points and six rebounds against West Texas A&M then notched his first double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds at Eastern New Mexico.
- Junior guard Bretson McNeal (Minneapolis, Minn. / DeLaSalle HS (North Dakota State Science)) scored each of his 21 points against West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico in the second half.
- McNeal has knocked down two-or-more 3-pointers in each of the 13 games in which he has played more than a minute this season.
- McNeal rates second in the Lone Star Conference in 3-point field goal percentage at 45.5 percent knocking 40 of his 88 attempts from beyond the arc.
- Junior guard Thad Rideau (Port Arthur, Texas / East Ascension HS (UAB)) scored in double figures for the fifth time this season with 11 points Sunday against Eastern New Mexico.
- Senior guard Kevin Wagner (Lubbock, Texas / Estacado HS (McLennan CC)) made his third start of the season Sunday against Eastern New Mexico. He did not score but snagged a season-high six rebounds while dishing out five assists in 21 minutes.

THE HAGGERTY ERA
- Nelson Haggerty is in his fourth season at the helm for Midwestern State as one of the top young coaches in college basketball.
- Haggerty boasts an 89-24 mark (.788) 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 enjoys a seven-day break before playing host to Angelo State on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.