Midwestern State vs. Angelo State
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015 | 7:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (15-3, 4-0); Angelo State (15-1, 3-0)
Video: MSUMustangs.com  
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com 
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State and Angelo State battle for the outright Lone Star Conference lead Wednesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMS
- Angelo State has reeled off 10 consecutive wins since taking its lone loss of the season at Colorado Mesa on Nov. 28 in Grand Junction, Colo.
- The Rams top all of NCAA Division II in scoring margin (+30.2) and field goal percentage (56.1 percent). ASU ranks third in the nation in assists per game (21.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7). Angelo also rates fourth overall in scoring offense pouring in 93.9 points per game.
- Defensively, ASU ranks fifth in field goal percentage defense (37.7 percent), is fourth in rebound margin (+11.4) and is 10th in steals per game (10.3).
- Angelo State managed to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor in 14 out of 16 games this season shooting a season worst 44.6 percent in an 18-point win over Tarleton State on Jan. 7.
- The Rams held a double figure edge on the glass in 11 games this season.
- Demario Mayfield, a senior transfer guard from Charlotte, leads ASU in scoring pouring in 16.5 points per game. He boasts six double-doubles this season including a four-game stretch from Dec. 6-20, 2014. He has scored in double figures in each of his last eight games.
- Chris Jones, another one-year transfer from North Texas, drops in 15.2 points per game and leads the Lone Star Conference dishing out 5.5 assists a contest. Jones also ranks sixth in NCAA Division II with 3.0 steals per game. He has scored in double figures in 14 of 16 games and is coming off of a 21-point effort Saturday night against Eastern New Mexico.
- Marsell Holden, another one-year transfer from Morehead State, scores 14.4 points per game while connecting at a 44.8-percent clip from the arc. Holden notched a season-high 26 points knocking down five triples the last time out against Eastern New Mexico.
- Raijon Kelly, another one-year transfer guard from Samford, adds 11.3 points per game while shooting 62.4 percent from the field and dishing out 4.0 assists per game. He is coming off of a season-high 22-point outing against Eastern New Mexico.
- Chris Beard is in his second season at the helm at Angelo State posting a 34-10 record (.773). He posted a 19-10 mark at McMurry in 2012-13 before moving on to San Angelo.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Angelo State meet for the 70th time on the hardwood Wednesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Mustangs own a commanding 45-24 edge in the series which dates back to the 1965-66 season.
- MSU has won six of the last eight matchups between the programs and is 28-4 all time against the Rams at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
Midwestern State extended its winning streak to 11 games with a 78-76 win over No. 10-ranked Tarleton State Wednesday night in Stephenville.
- The winning streak matches the 13th longest in school history.
- The Mustangs have won 10-or-more games 20 times in program history and now three times during the Nelson Haggerty era.
- The streak is the longest since MSU won 11-straight games last season from Jan. 25-March 7, 2014.
- It's the first time MSU claimed two consecutive victories over Tarleton State in Stephenville since the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
- Midwestern ranks second in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (37.4), second in total blocks (102.0), second in total rebounds (771.0), third in 3-point field goal defense (27.2), fourth in rebound margin (+11.4) and eighth in blocked shots per game (5.7).
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal (Minneapolis, Minn. / DeLaSalle HS (North Dakota State Science)) delivered his fifth 20-point effort of the season finishing with a game-high 23 points in MSU's 78-76 win over Tarleton State Wednesday night in Stephenville.
- McNeal has knocked down at least two 3s in each of his last nine games while going 32-of-68 from the arc (47.1 percent).
- Junior forward Khapri Alston (Chicago, Ill. / Thornwood HS (Northeast CC (Neb.))) scored in double figures for the third consecutive game going for 14 points and six rebounds against the Texans. It was his sixth 10-point effort of the season.
- Senior guard Thad Rideau (Port Arthur, Texas / East Ascension HS (UAB)) erupted for 14 points -- all in the first half -- Wednesday against Tarleton State.
- Rideau is averaging 10.4 points over his last five games.
- Senior guard Kevin Wagner (Lubbock, Texas / Estacado HS (McLennan CC)) scored eight points and dished out six assists in MSU's 78-76 win over Tarleton State on Wednesday.
- Wagner is averaging 4.0 points and 5.5 assists in consecutive starts against Eastern New Mexico and Tarleton State.
- Junior guard Hershell Grant (Washington, D.C. / Roosevelt HS (Clarendon College)) has sat out the last two games due to injury after making 14 consecutive starts.
- Sophomore forward Trevor Fuller (Dallas, Texas / Episcopal School (San Diego)) returned after missing three games due to injury to score one points and block five shots in 13 minutes against Tarleton State.
- Fuller leads the LSC with 2.1 blocked shots per game.
- Senior forward Abiodun Adegoke (Buford, Ga. / Mill Creek HS (Western Texas)) narrowly missed his second consecutive double-double going for nine points and 10 rebounds Wednesday against Tarleton State.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
- Midwestern State entered the NABC Division II Top 25 at No. 23, while moving up four spots in the D2 Media Poll to No. 20.
- Angelo State jumped ahead three places in the NABC Division II Top 25 to No. 11 , while posting up two spots to No. 8 in the D2 Media Poll.
 
MUSTANGS AGAINST RANKED OPPOSITION
- Midwestern State is 8-6 against nationally ranked opposition during the Nelson Haggerty era. Ten of those 14 squads have been ranked in the Top 10.
- The Mustangs are 32-49 all time against nationally ranked foes and 7-7 against teams ranked between Nos. 11-15.
- MSU is 4-1 against nationally ranked opposition at D.L. Ligon Coliseum during the Haggerty era.
 
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 a 90-24 mark (.789) 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.
 
DOME MAGIC
- Midwestern State boasts a 551-128 all time mark (.811) in the 46-year history of D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- MSU won 70 consecutive games under the dome from Jan. 5, 1973 to Jan. 24, 1977 then peeled off 41 straight victories from Nov. 18, 2008 to Feb. 16, 2011.
- The Mustangs are 45-4 (.918) at Ligon Coliseum during Nelson Haggerty's tenure at the helm (2011-present).
- Midwestern's current home winning streak is 14 games dating back to an 83-81 loss to Tarleton State on Jan. 15, 2014.
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State hits the road to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday night at Steinke Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.