Midwestern State vs. Adams State
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 | 8 p.m. (Central Time)
Plachy Hall | Alamosa, Colo.
Records: Midwestern State (2-0); Adams State (0-2)
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM
Video: ASUGrizzlies.com 
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network 
Live Stats: ASUGrizzlies.com 
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State coach Nelson Haggerty guns for his 100th win as the head of the Mustangs Saturday night against Adams State at Plachy Hall in Alamosa, Colo.
 
SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
- Adams State kicked off the regular season with close losses to Angelo State (75-71) and Tarleton State (84-77) at the Texan Tip-off Classic in Stephenville.
- The Grizzlies are fresh off of an exhibition swing through Utah this week taking setback at Utah State (83-68) on Tuesday before falling to BYU (97-56) last night in Provo.
- Senior guard Shakir Smith leads ASU scoring 26.5 points per game including a 35-point explosion against Tarleton State going 12-of-21 from the field with seven 3-pointers against the Texans.
- Smith, who started his collegiate career at Wyoming, tallied 13 points with five assists against Utah State earlier this week and was limited to five points at BYU.
- Senior guard Joe Bell Austin is the Grizzlies' only other player scoring in double figures at 11 points per game to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
- Junior forward D.J. Morgan (6-5) presents ASU's top inside presence averaging 9.5 points and 7.5 boards per game.
- Russ Caton is in his first season as head coach at Adams State after spending six seasons as an assistant at Colorado-Colorado Springs. He was named interim head coach in May of 2015.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Adams State meet for the third time on the hardwood Saturday night at Plachy Hall and for the first time since 1974.
- LeRoy Shaw -- the father of current MSU assistant Andre Shaw -- scored 21 points to lead the then-Indians to a 97-93 victory over Adams State on Jan. 12, 1974 in Plachy Hall.
- John Atchan's double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds led Midwestern to an 88-63 rout of the Grizzlies in the return game at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Dec. 21, 1974.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State claimed its first road victory of the season with an 88-72 win over Colorado State-Pueblo Thursday night at Massari Arena.
- The Mustangs limited CSU-Pueblo a 37.9-percent shooting effort while out-rebounding the Thunderwolves, 52-33.
- Senior guard Jordan Stevens scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half burying a pair of triples while dishing out five assists.
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal knocked down 6-of-14 shots to finish with 13 points.
- Senior guard Hershell Grant went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and knocked all three free throws to finish with 11 points while pulling down four rebounds. Grant raised his season field goal percentage to .818 (9-for-11).
- Junior guard Sheldon Hagigal scored in double figures off of the bench for the second straight game finishing with 11 points while dishing out four assists.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston notched his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
- Senior guard Brandon Golden scored eight points in 12 minutes off of the bench in his MSU debut against Colorado State-Pueblo.
 
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 99-30 mark (.767) 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 returns to the dome to take on Colorado State-Pueblo Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.