Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
Saturday, January 16, 2016 | 6 p.m.
A&M-Commerce Fieldhouse | Commerce, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (14-1, 3-0); Texas A&M-Commerce (12-3, 2-1)
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM
Video: LionAthletics.com
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network  
Live Stats: LionAthletics.com 
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State hits the road to take on Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday afternoon at the A&M-Commerce Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
BEST START IN PROGRAM HISTORY... Midwestern State matched its best start in program history by improving to 14-1 with its 11th consecutive win Wednesday night against No. 6 Tarleton State. The only other time an MSU team started the season at 14-1 was the 2009-10 season when the Mustangs advanced to the first NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
ALONE AT THE TOP OF THE LSC... Midwestern State opened up LSC play with three consecutive wins for the fifth straight year with Wednesday's win over Tarleton State. The Mustangs stand alone at the top of the league standings opening up a one-game lead in the loss column over Tarleton State (3-1) and Texas A&M-Commerce (2-1).
MUSTANGS WWWWWWWWWWWIN... Midwestern State rides an 11-game winning streak into Saturday's contest at Texas A&M-Commerce. It's the 19th time in program history the Mustangs have won 11 consecutive games and the fourth time during the Nelson Haggerty era (2012-present). Under Haggerty, MSU boasts a 13-game winning streak (Nov. 11, 2011-Jan. 11, 2012) and now three 11-game streaks.
TOP D2 WINNING STREAKS... Midwestern State boasts the fourth longest winning streak in NCAA Division II with 11 consecutive victories. Eckerd (Fla.) has won 14 straight while West Liberty (W. Va.) and Augustana (S.D.) own 13-game streaks.
LIONS STREAK SNAPPED... Texas A&M-Commerce's nine-game winning streak was snapped with a 66-57 loss Wednesday night at Cameron. The Lions have won their last 11 home games dating back to last season's 85-83 overtime loss -- to Midwestern State.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
- Texas A&M-Commerce had its nine-game winning streak snapped in a 66-57 loss Wednesday at Cameron. It was the Lions' first loss since falling on the road to Colorado Mesa 85-76 on Nov. 28 in Grand Junction. The nine-game winning streak was A&M-C's longest since the 2004-05 season.
- Texas A&M-Commerce ranks second in NCAA Division II in rebound margin (+11.3) and fourth in blocked shots per game (5.7).
- Senior transfer Bryant Crowder leads the Lions and ranks sixth in the LSC averaging 15.9 points per game. The transfer forward from Hofstra shoots 63.2 percent from the floor while grabbing 7.4 rebounds per game. He has swatted 43 shots this season.
- Senior guard Anthony Adams scores 12.4 points per game while dishing out 3.9 assists per game.
- Senior point guard Jeremy Jones scores 10.6 points per game while ranking second in the LSC with 4.7 assists per game.
- Senior forward Everrett Pleasant has scored in double figures in each of his last six games to up his season average 10.6 points per game. He shoots 48.1 percent from the field while pulling down 7.5 rebounds per game.
- Sam Walker is in his 16th season as A&M-Commerce's all-time coaching wins leaders boasting a 261-183 record (.588).
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce meet for the 85th time on the hardwood Saturday night at the A&M-Commerce Fieldhouse.
- The Mustangs control a solid 53-31 edge in the series which dates back to the 1947-48 season.
- MSU has won the last six games between the programs and 16 of the last 17 dating back to the 2005-06 season. Texas A&M-Commerce's lone victory in the stretch came by a 74-66 count on Jan. 9, 2013 in the A&M-Commerce Fieldhouse. They cut down the nets in that game as coach Sam Walker became the program's all-time wins leader.
- The Mustangs have won the last two meetings between the teams in Commerce and six of the last seven dating back to the 2004-05 season. MSU is 18-20 all-time against the Lions in Commerce.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern improved to 3-0 in LSC play for the fifth straight season after defeating No. 6 Tarleton State 66-63 Wednesday in Wichita Falls.
- With a win over Texas A&M-Commerce, the Mustangs would improve to 4-0 in LSC play for the fifth since joining the league in 1996-97. MSU started 4-0 last season, were 6-0 in 2011-12 and 2012-13 and 13-0 in 1999-00.
- MSU's current 11-game winning streak is the longest since the Mustangs won 11 straight from Dec. 4, 2014-Jan. 14, 2015. The Mustangs have strung together 11 consecutive wins in four of Nelson Haggerty's five seasons at the helm.
- With a win over the Lions, MSU would extend its winning streak to 12 games which is the longest since the Mustangs won 13-straight contests to start the 2011-12 season -- Haggerty's first year.
- The Mustangs are a perfect 6-0 away from D.L. Ligon Coliseum this season which include five road wins and a neutral site victory. MSU won eight consecutive road games last season sandwiched between two losses to start the year and two setbacks at the end of the regular season.
- MSU improved to 11-10 against ranked opposition during the Nelson Haggerty era (since 2011-12) taking a 66-63 win over Tarleton State Wednesday night at Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs are 2-0 against nationally ranked foes also taking a 77-71 victory over No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) earlier this season.
- Senior guard Bretson McNeal connected on three 3-pointers for the eighth time this season and needed just five shots to score 15 points in 23 minutes Wednesday against Tarleton State.
- McNeal is shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 47.3 percent from the 3-point arc connecting on 2.3 triples per game.
- Junior guard Pat Smith dropped in a career-high 11 points while dishing out four assists in 21 minutes Wednesday night against Tarleton State. Smith is averaging 7.3 points and dishing out 3.3 assists per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor during conference play.
- Senior guard Jordan Stevens connected on two 3-pointers to score 11 points in 19 minutes Wednesday against Tarleton State. Stevens has scored in double figures in 11 of 15 games this season.
- Junior forward Trevor Fuller scored seven points on 3-of-3 shooting with two dunks Wednesday against Tarleton State. Fuller has swatted multiple shots in 11 games this season.
- Senior forward Khapri Alston struggled to an 0-for-9 shooting night against Tarleton State, but impacted the game with a season high 14 rebounds.
 
MSU IN THE POLLS
- Midwestern State moved ahead two spots to No. 4 in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches' Division II Poll released Tuesday afternoon. It's the Mustangs' highest ranking since taking the No. 3 rating into the 2010 Elite Eight.
- The Mustangs remained at No. 2 for the second consecutive week in the D2 Media Poll with two first-place votes. MSU is just six votes back of No. 1 West Liberty (W. Va.) which received 10 first-place votes.
- Texas A&M-Commerce is receiving votes in the NABC Division II Poll and No. 17 in the D2 Media Poll.
 
MUSTANGS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
TEAM RANKINGS
- Blocked Shots Per Game -- 2nd -- 6.1
- Field Goal Percentage Defense -- 2nd -- 37.0
- Rebound Margin -- 4th -- +9.9
- Scoring Margin -- 4th -- 18.5
- Total Blocks -- 4th -- 91.0
- Defensive Rebounds Per Game -- 8th -- 31.13
- Field Goal Percentage -- 28th -- 49.4
- Total Rebounds -- 16th -- 661.0
- Scoring Offense -- 30th -- 86.9
- Scoring Defense -- 30th -- 68.3
- Three-Point Field Goal Percentage -- 34th -- 39.9
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
- Free Throw Percentage -- Jordan Stevens -- 13th -- 91.5
- Total Blocks -- Trevor Fuller -- 13th -- 36.0
- Blocked Shots Per Game -- Trevor Fuller -- 15th -- 2.40
- Double-Doubles -- 29th -- Khapri Alston -- 6.0
- Offensive Rebounds Per Game -- Khapri Alston -- 34th -- 3.27
- Rebounds Per Game -- 35th -- Khapri Alston -- 9.3
 
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 111-31 mark (.782) 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 returns to D.L. Ligon Coliseum to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.