Midwestern State vs. Oklahoma City
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015 | 7 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (0-0); Oklahoma City (0-0)
Video: Mustangs Digital Network  
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network  
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com  
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State opens regular season play against Oklahoma City Sunday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE STARS
- Oklahoma City opened exhibition play with a 73-70 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State Saturday night at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars are counting Sunday's contest against Midwestern State as a second exhibition.
- Oklahoma City are members of the NAIA and Sooner Athletic Conference. The Stars finished third in the conference in 2014-15 with an 18-9 overall record ranking 24th in the NAIA.
- Oklahoma City returns eight letter winners led by senior guard Evan White, who averaged seven points as the top returning scorer.
- Sophomore guard Terence Bonhomme (6.5 ppg), junior forward Dorion Gigger (5.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg), senior guard Jamil Donovan (4.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg) made significant contributions for OKC last season.
- Bonhomme poured in a game-high 19 points connecting on five 3-pointers in Oklahoma City's exhibition win over Southwestern Oklahoma State, while junior guard Jordan Mason, a transfer from Cal State-Fullerton, chipped in 10.
- Vinay Patel is in first season at head coach of the Stars. The longtime assistant at West Texas A&M served in an assistant's role in 2014-15 at Rogers State.
- Notable: Oklahoma City legendary coach Abe Lemons played one season of basketball at Midwestern before transferring to OKC.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Oklahoma City meet for the 20th time on the hardwood Sunday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Stars own a commanding 17-2 edge in the series which dates back to the 1946-47 season.
- The Mustangs have won two of the last four meetings snapping a 15-game skid to OKC with a 94-83 win on Feb. 24, 1994 in Wichita Falls.
- The teams play for just the second time since 1995 on Sunday with MSU claiming a 72-61 victory on Nov. 25, 2014.
- Midwestern State defeated Oklahoma City 112-82 in exhibition play last season in Wichita Falls.
 
IN SEASON OPENERS
- Midwestern State is 48-21 all-time in regular season openers, but 30-4 in campaign lid lifters played in Wichita Falls.
- The Mustangs claimed wins in each of their last four season openers including a 77-63 win over Western State Colorado last season.
- Midwestern opens the season at home for the first time since 2011 - a 100-63 win over Mid-America Christian - and for just the fourth time since 2005.
- It's the second time Midwestern has opened the year against Oklahoma City. The then-Chiefs beat MSU 48-43 on Nov. 28, 1947.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State is ranked in three preseason polls as The Sporting News and NCAA II Media Poll have the Mustangs seventh nationally while the NABC Preseason Top 25 has MSU 22nd.
- The Mustangs were picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference behind Tarleton State.
- MSU returns six letter winners off of last season's roster led by LSC Preseason Player of the Year Bretson McNeal. McNeal led the Mustangs in scoring at 15.9 points per game while connected on 42.3 percent of his shots from beyond arc.
- Sophomore Devante Pullum averaged 10 points over a nine-game stretch in his first collegiate season which was cut short at the winter break due to eligibility issues.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston was MSU's top option off of the bench averaging 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season.
- Senior guard Hershell Grant made 17 starts and pitched in 7.2 points and 4.1 rebounds a game.
- Junior forward Trevor Fuller (4.0 ppg, .691 FG%) and junior guard Patrick Smith (1.7 ppg, 0.8 apg) also saw significant action for the Mustangs in 2014-15.
 
LAST TIME OUT
- Midwestern State routed NAIA Huston-Tillotson 108-55 Wednesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal buried six triples on his way to a game-high 20 points while pulling down six rebounds in 20 minutes of court time.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston connected on 8-of-10 shots to bully his way to 19 points to go along with seven rebounds in 18 minutes.
- Junior forward Trevor Fuller had five dunks on his way to a 12-point night while swatting four shots.
- Senior point guard Jordan Stevens finished a solid all-around performance with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
- Junior point guard Pat Smith finished with four points while pulling down six rebounds and dishing out five assists in 23 minutes off of the bench. Smith dished out 11 assists and did not commit a turnover in 43 minutes played in MSU's two exhibition games.
- The Mustangs limited Huston-Tillotson to 33.8-percent shooting from the floor and to just 66 points. The Rams averaged 99 points in their first two outings.
 
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 97-30 mark (.764) 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.
 
NEXT TIME OUT
Midwestern State hits the road to take on Colorado State-Pueblo on Thursday before battling Adams State Saturday night in Alamosa. Both games tipoff at 8 p.m. (Central Time).