Midwestern State vs. Bellarmine (Ky.)
Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 | 5:15 p.m.
USI Physical Activities Center | Evansville, Ind.
Records: Midwestern State (3-1); Bellarmine (3-1)
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM
Video: GOUSIEagles.com 
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network 
Live Stats: GOUSIEagles.com 
 
ON THE COURT
No. 11 Midwestern State takes on No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) in the opener of the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic Friday night at the Southern Indiana Physical Activities Center. Tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
- Bellarmine is coming off of its first loss of the season falling to Findlay (Ohio) Tuesday night on the road -- 70-69.
- The Knights opened the season ranked fourth in the NABC Division II Coaches' Poll, fifth in the D2 Bulletin and was picked sixth in the Sporting News preseason rankings.
- Bellarmine rolled to a 31-4 record last season reaching the NCAA Division II Final Four.
- The Knights are paced by junior Rusty Troutman with 25.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. The 6-5 guard from Mount Washington, Ky. is shooting 60 percent from the field (30-50) and 55 percent (11-20) from the arc.
- Troutman followed a 27-point effort in the opener against Northwood (Mich.) by scoring 29 against Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) and 28 versus Christian Brothers (Tenn.) before going for a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday night at Findlay.
- Senior center Yasin Kolo pitches in 13.5 points while pulling down 6.5 rebounds per game. The 6-10 Goettingen, Germany native scored a double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds in the opener for Northwood. Kolo is a transfer form Hartford.
- Bellarmine boss Scott Davenport is 235-83 (.739) in his 11th season at the helm for the Knights. Bellarmine has posted at least 23 wins in each of the last seven seasons.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Bellarmine meet for the third time on the hardwood Friday night in Evansville.
- The teams split the previous two meeting with MSU claiming an 86-74 win over the Knights on Dec. 21, 1998 in HIlo, Hawaii. Bellarmine claimed a 74-60 victory in the 2011 NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass.
 
MIDWESTERN STATE VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
- Midwestern State is 9-10 against teams ranked in the NABC Division II Poll during the Nelson Haggerty era, but were 2-5 against nationally ranked opposition in 2014-15.
- The Mustangs own five wins against teams ranked in the top five with the last two coming in the 2013-14 season against Tarleton State beating the Texans at No. 2 on Feb. 5, 2015 and at No. 3 on March 16, 2014.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State faced halftime deficits in each of its last two games before rallying to take a lead in the second half.
- Senior guard Jordan Stevens paced MSU with 21 points in a loss to Colorado State-Pueblo Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The transfer from Duquesne scored at least 20 points in three of four outings this season including a high of 29 against Adams State on Nov. 21.
- Jordan is shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range where he has connected on at least three triples in three games this season while canning two in the other.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston, who is the LSC Defensive Player of the Week, notched his second double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday against Colorado State-Pueblo.
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal struggled through a 1-for-7 shooting night against Colorado State-Pueblo but has hit a 3-pointer in each of his four outings.
- McNeal has been limited to five points in each of his last two games after connected on six 3-pointers for 22 points in the opener against Oklahoma City.
- Junior guard Sheldon Hagigal misfired on five of his six shots to finish with a season low two points against Colorado State-Pueblo. Hagigal had scored in double figures in each of his three previous games off of the bench.
- Senior guard Hershell Grant struggled to a 1-of-5 shooting night against Colorado State-Pueblo Tuesday after scoring in double figures in each of his previous three games.
- Junior forward Trevor Fuller has a blocked shot in all four games this season.
- Senior forward DeVaughn Jones erupted for a career-high 17 points while going 7-for-7 from the field with six rebounds Tuesday against Colorado State-Pueblo.
 
THE HAGGERTY ERA
- Nelson Haggerty is in his fifth season at the helm for Midwestern State as one of the top young coaches in college basketball.
- Haggerty boasts a 100-31 mark (.763) leading the Mustangs to the NCAA Division II postseason in each of his campaigns at the helm and to  Lone Star Conference championships in each of his first 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 six consecutive years.
 
NEXT TIME OUT
Midwestern State closes the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic Saturday night against host school Southern Indiana. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.