Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016 | 5:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (3-12, 2-3 LSC); Texas A&M-Kingsville (5-9, 0-4 LSC)
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com
Video: Mustangs Digital Network (PPV)
Streaming Audio: Mustangs Digital Network (Free)
Radio: 95.5 ESPN Wichita Falls
 

FOR STARTERS
After suffering a road loss to Texas A&M-Commerce last weekend, Midwestern State looks to bounce back Wednesday when the Mustangs return to D.L. Ligon Coliseum for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff against Lone Star Conference foe Texas A&M-Kingsville.

LAST TIME OUT
– Midwestern State saw its two-game win streak snapped Saturday in a 75-53 defeat to Texas A&M-Commerce
– The Lions dominated MSU in the transition game, totaling a 20-0 fastbreak advantage while registering a 38-16 edge in points in the paint
– Turnovers also hurt the Mustangs as the Lions turned 24 MSU turnovers into 24 points
– A&M-C shot 41.9 percent from the field while holding the Mustangs to 30.5 shooting for the afternoon
– Sophomore guard Whitney Taylor notched double figures for the fourth-straight contest with a team-high 15 points and two shy of her career high of 17
– Sophomore guard Krishawn Crockett added 12 points and a career-high six rebounds while junior post Jennifer Sissel finished with eight points and six boards
 
SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS
– After a 5-1 start to the season, Texas A&M-Kingsville comes into Wednesday's contest having lost its last eight games for a 5-9 overall record and 0-4 mark in the LSC
– Junior guard Kaylin Roher is the lone Javelina to average double figures in scoring this season with 11.4 points per game for seventh in the LSC
– Roher leads TAMUK with 31 three-pointers on a 34.8 clip on the year, ranking third in the conference with 2.2 triples per game and fourth in three-point percentage
– Senior forward Kyra Bauer is averaging 7.7 points per game while junior guards Jamesha Wade and TaSheena Moore are each coming away with 7.6 points per game
– Wade leads the Javelinas with 2.4 assists per game while junior forward Joslyn Smith is pulling down a team-high 4.9 rebounds
– Wade Scott is in his second season leading the TAMUK women's basketball program with a 5-35 record
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
– Midwestern State takes a 23-16 series advantage over Texas A&M-Kingsville into Wednesday's matchup
– The Mustangs are winners of eight of the last nine contests dating back to Feb. 16, 2011
– TAMUK reeled off six-straight wins from Feb. 16, 2008 to Jan. 26, 2011 before MSU answered with six consecutive wins
– The Mustangs are 13-6 against TAMUK inside D.L. Ligon Coliseum and have won five in a row at home
– MSU recorded a season sweep over the Javelinas in 2014-15 with two double-figure wins including a 78-63 victory in Wichita Falls
 
A LOOK AT THE MUSTANGS
– Midwestern State is 3-12 overall and 2-3 in the LSC to tie for fifth place in the league standings after Saturday's loss to Texas A&M-Commerce
– Junior post Jennifer Sissel (12.6 ppg) and sophomore guard Whitney Taylor (10.4 ppg) have led the Mustangs in league play, both averaging double figures in more than 30 minutes on the court
– Sissel has also been dominant on the boards with an average of 7.2 rebounds per game, averaging 10 in MSU's two games last week
– During conference play, Sissel leads the LSC with 33.0 minutes played while ranking fifth in field goal percentage (.474) and seventh in scoring and rebounding
– On the season, Taylor paces the Mustangs offense with 8.9 points and a team-high 1.7 assists, ranking second in the LSC with a 78.9 free-throw percentage (30-of-38)
– Sissel is adding 7.6 points for second while leading the squad with 5.1 rebounds
– Midwestern is averaging 53.1 points per game on the season while putting up an average of 56.6 points in league action
– Opponents are scoring 69.1 points this season and 67.6 in LSC competition
 
MSU SCHEDULE 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 101-51 (.664) as of Jan. 18
– The always competitive Lone Star Conference has added to the strength of MSU's schedule this season with No. 1 West Texas A&M and Texas Woman's, who has received votes in the national poll
– MSU's schedule is currently ranked the toughest in NCAA Division II with opponents combining for a 155-79 mark (.662)

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 116-96 record (.547) 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 is back on the road Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip against Angelo State at the Junell Center in San Angelo