Midwestern State vs. St. Mary's (Texas)
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | 7:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (5-1); St. Mary's (4-1)
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM
Video: Mustangs Digital Network (PPV) 
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network (Free) 
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com 
 
ON THE COURT
No. 11-ranked Midwestern State battles St. Mary's (Texas) in a South Central Regional contest Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
- St. Mary's has won its last four game since opening up the season with a 70-62 loss on the road to 10th-ranked Colorado Mines.
- The Rattlers are playing just their second road game of the season and first since the loss to Colorado Mines.
- STMU brings one of the nation's top-rated defenses into the dome ranking fourth in scoring defense (59.0) and eighth in field goal percentage defense (36.5).
- The Rattlers have surrendered fewer than 60 points in each of their last three games against Texas A&M-Kingsville (63-54), Missouri S&T (62-51) and Missouri Western (60-56).
- Senior guard Kriston Minor paces the St. Mary's attack averaging 16.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while scoring in double figures in each of his last four outings. Minor hit go-ahead 3-pointers in the final minute of wins against Regis (Colo.) and Missouri Western.
- Junior point man Trey Hall averages 11.0 points a game while dishing out just under two assists. The South Grand Prairie High product is coming off of a season-high 19-point effort against Missouri Western.
- Junior guard Isaiah Parros ranks sixth in NCAA Division II with 3.2 steals per game to go along with 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists. The Aurora, Colo. native narrowly missed a double-double with 17 points, nine steals and six assists against Regis (Colo.).
- St. Mary's has advanced to NCAA Division II five times under current head coach Jim Zeleznak (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) including in each of the last four years reaching the regional finals in 2014.
- Zeleznak sports a 181-112 mark (.618) in his 11th season at St. Mary's.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and St. Mary's (Texas) meet for the 30th time on the hardwood Tuesday night in D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Rattlers own a slim 15-14 edge in the series which dates back to the 1974-75 season.
- Both teams hold solid serve in games played on their home floor as St. Mary's has won 10 of 11 games played in San Antonio including a 63-50 victory last season at Bill Greehey Arena.
- MSU enjoys an 11-3 edge in games played at D.L. Ligon Coliseum taking the last five contests over the Rattlers in Wichita Falls including a 62-54 victory in the opening round of the South Central Regionals on March 10, 2012.
- St. Mary's last victory under the dome came by a 78-76 margin on Dec. 10, 1994.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State rebounded from is lone loss of the season Tuesday against Colorado State-Pueblo to beat No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) and Southern Indiana over the weekend at the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic in Evansville, Ind.
- The Mustangs improved to 10-10 against teams ranked in the NABC Division II Poll during the Nelson Haggerty era.
- MSU is 6-6 against teams ranked in the Top 10 since the start of the 2011-12 season.
- Bellarmine (Ky.) was ranked No. 1 in the D2 Media Poll heading into last week.
- The Mustangs handed Southern Indiana its first home loss against a non-conference opponent since Northwest Missouri defeated the Screaming Eagles in 2007-08 -- a span of 51 games.
- MSU improved to No. 5 in the D2 Media Poll while moving up to No. 11 in the NABC Top 25 heading into last week.
- The Mustangs boast a scoring margin of +14.3 while out-rebounding the opposition by 14.8 boards per game.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston delivered two double-doubles last week going for 17 points and 13 rebounds against Colorado State-Pueblo on Tuesday before going for 16 points and 10 rebounds against Southern Indiana.
- Alston shot 55.6 percent from the field to average 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds for the week.
- Senior guard Jordan Stevens continued his stellar play by averaging 17 points per game while knocking down nine of his 20 shots from 3-point range.
- Stevens has scored in double figures in all six of MSU's games this season.
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal buried seven triples on his way to averages of 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists last week including a game-high 17 points against Southern Indiana.
- Senior guard Brandon Golden came alive to bury four 3-pointers to lead MSU with 16 points off of the bench in a 77-71 win over No. 3 Bellarmine on Friday the knocked down two triples to finish with 11 points against Southern Indiana.
- Senior forward DeVaughn Jones was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field to finish with a career-high 17 points with six rebounds Tuesday against Colorado State-Pueblo.
- Junior forwards Trevor Fuller (7 blocks) and Magnus Richards (5 blocks) combined to swat 12 shots over three games last week.
 
MSU IN THE POLLS
- Midwestern State ranked 5th in last week's D2 Media Poll and 11th in the NABC Division II Poll. Both rankings are due for release Tuesday afternoon.
- The Mustangs are tied for first in this week's D2 Media Poll South Central Region Rankings with unbeaten Angelo State (7-0). St. Mary's (Texas) is rated ninth.
 
MUSTANGS IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
- MSU rates third in NCAA Division II in rebound margin (+14.5), fourth in total blocks (38.0) and fifth in blocked shots per game (6.3).
- Junior forward Trevor Fuller ranks 14th with 2.67 blocked shots per game.
- Senior guard Jordan Stevens ranks 92nd in points per game (19.7) and 35th in free throw percentage (94.4).
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal ranks 67th in 3-point field goal percentage (48.4).
- Senior forward Khapri Alston is 63rd in field goal percentage (60.8), 52nd in rebounds per game (9.3) and 14th in double-doubles (3.0).
 
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 102-31 mark (.767) 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 plays host to another foe out of the Heartland Conference as Oklahoma Christian comes calling to D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Friday. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.