Midwestern State vs. Eastern New Mexico
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015 | 4 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (18-6, 7-3); Eastern New Mexico (7-16, 0-10)
Video: MSUMustangs.com  
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com  
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State battles Eastern New Mexico in Lone Star Conference play Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS
- Eastern New Mexico rides a 10-game losing streak into Saturday night's matchup against Midwestern State.
- Seven of ENMU's 10-straight losses have been by a double figure margin and each of those loses have been by 20-or-more points.
- The Greyhounds do get to the free throw line on a regular basis as ENMU ranks 19th in NCAA Division II in total free throw attempts with 619. That's an average of 13.9 charity tosses a contest.
- Junior guard John Gilliam has led the Hounds in scoring in each of the last 12 games sporting 20.2 points per game average during the stretch.
- Gilliam ranks second in the Lone Star Conference averaging 16.5 points per game while pulling down 5.6 rebounds and dishing out 2.3 assists a contest.
- Junior guard Chris Wyms drops in 12.6 points per game, but has managed double figures in just two of his last six outings. He is shooting 18-of-59 (30.5 percent) from the floor over the last six games.
- Junior forward Lawrence Domingo scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds Saturday against Cameron. It was his first double figure performance since returning from injury on Jan. 24 against Tarleton State. He is averaging 12 points and 5.2 rebounds a game for the season.
- Stott Carter is 7-16 in his first season at the helm of the Eastern New Mexico men's basketball program.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets Eastern New Mexico for the 43rd time on the hardwood Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Mustangs own a 27-15 edge in the series that dates back to the 1948-49 season.
- MSU has won the last six meetings between the programs and 15 of the 16 dating back to the 2006-07 season.
- Eastern New Mexico's only win during the stretch came by an 80-72 margin on Jan. 14, 2012 in Portales.
- Midwestern State has won the last seven meetings between the teams at D.L. Ligon Coliseum with the Greyhounds last victory coming on Jan. 25, 2007 (86-81).
- MSU is 14-6 all time against Eastern New Mexico at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. EASTERN NEW MEXICO
- Midwestern State rolled to its biggest win of the season in terms of margin of victory routing Eastern New Mexico 77-42 on Jan. 11 in Portales.
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn led a group of five Mustangs in double figures with 14 points going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field with two 3-pointers.
- Senior forward Abiodun Adegoke chipped in a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while junior forward Khapri Alston came close with 13 points and eight rebounds.
- Bretson McNeal and Thad Rideau added 10 points each.
- ENMU's John Gilliam paced the Greyhounds with 19 points.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
 - Midwestern State has dropped two of its last three to fall to 18-6 on the season and into third place in the Lone Star Conference race at 7-3.
- The Mustangs look to snap a two-game home losing streak for the first time since it lost three consecutive home games during the 2007-08 season.
- Four of MSU's six losses this season have been by 10-or-more points while 13 of its 18 wins have been by double digits.
- The Mustangs have controlled the battle on the glass in 22 of 24 games this season.
- MSU has controlled at least a +10 rebound margin in each of its last two games.
- Midwestern has struggled from the free throw line over the last three games connecting at a 37-for-69 clip (53.6 percent).
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn (Verdunville, La. / St. Thomas More HS (North Dakota State Science)) notched his fourth double-double of the season going for 10 points and matching a season-high with 12 rebounds Wednesday at West Texas A&M.
- Junior guard Bretson McNeal (Minneapolis, Minn. / DeLaSalle HS (North Dakota State Science)) battled his way to 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting while going 5-of-6 from the free throw line against West Texas A&M. McNeal has pulled down 19 rebounds over his last two outings including 11 against Texas A&M-Commerce and eight versus WT. The totals rate as his top two rebounding games of the season.
- Senior guard Kevin Wagner (Lubbock, Texas / Estacado HS (McLennan CC)) scored in double figures for the second consecutive game finishing with 10 points after going for 13 points and eight rebounds against Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Junior forward Khapri Alston (Chicago, Ill. / Thornwood HS (Northeast CC (Neb.))) scored six points and snagged 10 rebounds against West Texas A&M. It was his second game with 10-or-more rebounds this season.
 
DOME MAGIC
- Midwestern State boasts a 551-130 all time mark (.809) 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 45-6 (.882) at Ligon Coliseum during Nelson Haggerty's tenure at the helm (2011-present).
- Midwestern has lost consecutive games under the dome for the first time since losing three straight during the 2007-08 season.
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State hits the road to take on Angelo State Wednesday night the Junell Center in San Angelo. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.