Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015 | 6 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (19-7, 8-4); Texas A&M-Kingsville (8-16, 3-9)
Video: MSUMustangs.com  
Radio: ESPN 95.5
Audio: MSUMustangs.com  
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com 
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State takes on Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS
- Texas A&M-Kingsville snapped a three-game skid with a 72-67 win over Cameron Wednesday night at Steinke Center. The Javelinas had lost seven of their last eight.
-Junior guard Duan Wright poured in a season-high 23 points Wednesday against Cameron going 7-of-12 from the field and 9-of-11 from the charity stripe. He also grabbed seven rebounds.
- Wright has scored in double figures in three consecutive games and in six of the last eight.
- Senior forward Jordan Jahr recorded his second double-double of the season going for 18 points and 14 rebounds against Cameron.
- Jahr has connected on eight 3-pointers of his last three games going 8-for-16 from the arc.
- Junior forward Troy Jones leads the Javelinas in scoring at 12.4 points per game, but has been limited to a total of 13 points over his last three outings.
- Junior guard Jamar Goodwin pitches in 10.0 points per game.
- Johnny Estelle is in his first season at the helm of the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball program after spending much of the last eight seasons as head coach at Navarro College. He spent the 2013-14 season as an assistant at the University of Houston. Estelle played his final two collegiate season with the Hoggies in 1994-95 and 1995-96.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Kingsville meet for the 43rd time on the hardwood Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Mustangs own a commanding 31-11 edge in the series that dates back to the 1976-77 season.
- MSU has won the last 15 meetings between the programs dating back to the 2008-09 season with the Javelinas' last win coming by a 78-63 margin on Feb. 16, 2008 in Kingsville.
- The Mustangs have won the last six meetings in Wichita Falls dating back to an 82-72 loss on Jan. 19, 2008.
- Midwestern is 14-5 all time against the Hoggies under the dome.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal scored 10 points in the final 1:48 to lead Midwestern State to a 75-71 come-from-behind win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Jan. 24 at Steinke Center.
- The Mustangs overcame a 6-point deficit with 2:18 to play.
- McNeal splashed in a game-high 24 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists. He connected on five triples and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston chipped in with 14 points off of the bench.
- Texas A&M-Kingsville managed a total of 14 points from its starting five.
- Duan Wright led a trio of Hoggies off the bench scoring in double figures for TAMUK with 19 points while D.J. Weathers tallied 18 and Adonis Bailey had 12.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State has dropped three of its last five to fall to 19-7 on the season and 8-4 in Lone Star Conference play.
- The Mustangs remain a half-game ahead of Texas A&M-Commerce for third place in the LSC race but the teams are tied in the loss column. MSU holds the tiebreaker with a season sweep of the Lions.
- The Mustangs continue to rank amongst national leaders in numerous statistical categories as MSU is third in 3-point field goal defense (29.0), fifth in field goal percentage defense (38.8), fifth in total rebounds (1000.0), sixth in rebound margin (+9.8), sixth in offensive rebounds per game (15.33), seventh in total blocks (123.0) and 11th in blocked shots per game (5.1).
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal leads MSU in scoring average at 16.1 points per game and has scored 10-or-more points in each of his last four games and in 21 of the 23 games he has played this season.
- McNeal shooting 44.8 percent from 3-point and has connected on at least three triples in 14 games this season.
- Junior forward Khapri Alston scored in double figures for the 14th time this season finishing with 14 ponits and eight rebounds Wednesday night at Angelo State.
- Junior guard Hershell Grant battled his way to 10 points and six rebounds while making his second consecutive start Wednesday against Angelo State.
- Senior forward Xavier Blackburn notched his 15th game with at least 10 points this season going for 11 points and seven rebounds at Angelo State.
- Senior forward Abiodun Adegoke connected on each of his three shots to finish with 6 points before fouling out in six minutes Wednesday against Angelo State. Adegoke has fouled out of each of his last two games managing just 18 total minutes on the floor.
 
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 94-28 mark (.770) 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.
 
DOME MAGIC
- Midwestern State boasts a 552-130 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 46-6 (.885) at Ligon Coliseum during Nelson Haggerty's tenure at the helm (2011-present).
- Midwestern lost consecutive games under the dome earlier this season against Angelo State and Tarleton State for the first time since losing three straight during the 2007-08 season.
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State battles Cameron in a Red River Rivalry game on Saturday, Feb. 28. The regular season finale tips off at 6 p.m.