Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 | 4 p.m.
A&M-Commerce Field House | Commerce, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (3-11, 2-2 LSC); Texas A&M-Commerce (8-7, 2-2 LSC)
Live Stats: LionAthletics.com
Video: LionAthletics.com
Streaming Audio: MSUMustangs.tv
Radio: 95.5 ESPN Wichita Falls
 

FOR STARTERS
Following back-to-back wins over Lone Star Conference opponents inside D.L. Ligon Coliseum, Midwestern State goes for its third-straight victory Saturday with a 4 p.m. tipoff on the road against Texas A&M-Commerce at the A&M-Commerce Field House.

LAST TIME OUT
– The trio of senior guard Kathryn Odom, junior post Jennifer Sissel and sophomore guard Whitney Taylor combined for Midwestern State's final eight points in an 8-0 spurt to propel the Mustangs to a 56-52 victory over rival Tarleton State Wednesday evening at Ligon Coliseum
– Sissel led the Mustangs with her second-straight double-double with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds while Odom and Taylor each added 14 points in the win
– MSU put together another quick start Wednesday, taking its largest lead of the game at 14-3 with 2:26 remaining in the first quarter
– Tarleton went in front for the first time in the contest with 4:43 to play, grabbing its largest advantage at 52-48 before the Mustangs began their run
– Odom and Taylor combined for 6-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final 3:20 while a layup by Sissel put the Mustangs in front for good at 54-52 with less than two minutes to play
– MSU committed more than 20 turnovers for the first time since Dec. 18 as the TexAnns scored 15 points off 25 MSU turnovers
– The Mustangs held a 14-7 advantage in second chance points with Sissel grabbing five offensive boards to lead the team
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
– Texas A&M-Commerce moved to 8-7 overall and 2-2 in Lone Star Conference play Thursday night following an 81-74 loss to Texas Woman's in Denton
– The Lions are 4-1 at home this season with their lone defeat coming in their home opener on Nov. 17 to Southern Arkansas, 76-74
– A&M-C comes in averaging 70.2 points per game while allowing the opposition to 64.1 points
– The Lions have been strong on the glass this season, averaging 42.5 rebounds per game with 14.3 offensive rebounds for second in the LSC
– Five Lions are averaging more than 9.0 points per game this season with sophomore forward Artaejah Gay leading A&M-C with 9.9 points on a 60.9 (39-of-64) shooting clip
– Senior forward Amari Jones has been the top defensive player for the Lions on the year with 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks
– Jason Burton is in his second season leading the Lions women's basketball program after a 14-14 record in 2014-15
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
– Midwestern State has dominated the series with Texas A&M-Commerce, owning a 42-18 record against the Lions since the 1976-77 season
– MSU has won four straight in the series and 10 of the last 11 meetings with the Lions just coming away with a 71-64 overtime win back on Jan. 4, 2014 in Commerce
– The Mustangs are 15-12 inside the A&M-C Field House and have won four of the last five road contests by double figures
– Under head coach Noel Johnson, the Mustangs are 10-2 against the Lions
 
A LOOK AT THE MUSTANGS
– Midwestern State comes into Saturday's matchup with a 3-11 record and 2-2 mark in the LSC to tie for fourth place
– The Mustangs ended a nine-game losing skid with a win over Eastern New Mexico in MSU's first home game in 46 days last weekend before following it up with Wednesday's rivalry win over Tarleton State
– Jennifer Sissel has been the go-to player for the Mustangs in LSC play with the Wichita Falls native averaging 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 51.1 percent (23-of-45) from the field in 32.8 minutes during MSU's four league games
– The junior post ranks third in the LSC in minutes played, fourth in field goal percentage, sixth in scoring and seventh in rebounding during league play
– Whitney Taylor has also been a consistent offensive contributor for the Mustangs, averaging 9.3 points and a team-high 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals over the last four games
– Taylor currently leads the Mustangs with 8.4 points per game while Sissel has climbed to 7.6 points on the season while ranking second with 5.0 boards per game
– Freshman forward Kendriana Washington has been the leader on the glass for the Mustangs this season with 5.4 rebounds
– MSU is averaging 53.1 points per game this season but has scored an average of 57.5 points in LSC action
– Opponents are averaging 68.6 points this season while LSC teams are recording 65.8 per contest
 
MSU SCHEDULE AMONG TOUGHEST IN NCAA DIVISION II
– Midwestern knew it faced an early season challenge with a young squad and a competitive non-conference schedule that featured four teams that were coming off NCAA Tournament appearances in 2015
– MSU's 10 non-conference opponents have not disappointed with a combined record of 96-44 (.686) as of Jan. 15
– After coming away with just one win through their non-conference slate, the tough schedule to open the season looks to have prepared the Mustangs for the LSC as the Maroon and Gold currently see themselves in the middle of the pack in the LSC race following their two home wins
– Before making their return to Ligon Coliseum, the Mustangs were handed losses to LSC leaders No. 1 West Texas A&M (85-68) and Texas Woman's (71-45) on the road to open league play, but battled the Lady Buffs to within single digits late in the contest
– MSU's schedule is currently ranked the second-toughest in NCAA Division II with opponents combining for a 125-48 mark (.723)
– The Mustangs will battle Texas A&M-Commerce for fourth place in the LSC Saturday to sit behind West Texas A&M (4-1), Texas Woman's (4-1) and Angelo State (2-1)

MUSTANGS THIRD IN LSC PRESEASON POLL
– Midwestern State was tabbed third in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, voted on by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media representatives
– The Mustangs totaled 157 points behind preseason favorite West Texas A&M (220) and Texas Woman's (171)
– West Texas A&M collected 23 of the 25 first place votes while Texas Woman's and Cameron each tallied one vote
– The Mustangs went 12-4 to earn the No. 2 seed in the LSC postseason tournament last season
 
THE JOHNSON ERA
– Noel Johnson is in her eighth season at the helm of the Mustangs women's basketball program in 2015-16
– Johnson has led MSU to a 116-95 record (.550) with four-straight winning seasons and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances
– During Johnson's tenure, the Mustangs claimed their first NCAA Tournament wins in 2013 with victories over rival Tarleton State and Metro State (Colo.) before falling to No. 4 Colorado Mesa in the regional final
– That season, Johnson guided the Maroon and Gold to a 26-6 record, the second-most wins in school history, and a Lone Star Conference Championship, the first in 12 seasons
– Johnson garnered Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2012 before earning Texas Association of Basketball Coaches' Small College Coach of the Year accolades in 2013
 
LOOKING AHEAD
– Midwestern State returns to the friendly confines of D.L. Ligon Coliseum Wednesday with a 5:30 p.m. matchup against Texas A&M-Kingsville