Midwestern State vs. Angelo State
Saturday, January 23, 2016 | 4 p.m.
Junell Center/Stephens Arena | San Angelo, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (16-1, 5-0); Angelo State (14-3, 2-3)
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM
Video: AngeloSports.com (PPV)  
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network (Free)  
Live Stats: AngeloSports.com 
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State hits the road to take on No. 11-ranked Angelo State Saturday afternoon at Junell Center/Stephens Arena. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
BEST START IN PROGRAM HISTORY... Midwestern State is step-for-step with the 2009-10 squad for the best start in program history. The Mustangs opened the 2009-10 season with 14 consecutive wins, lost at Angelo State then won the next seven games for a 21-1 mark on the way to MSU's first NCAA Division II Elite Eight showing. This season, Midwestern won its first three games and lost to Colorado State-Pueblo before starting its current 13-game winning streak.
ALONE AT THE TOP (OF THE LSC)... Midwestern State (5-0) is the early leader at the top of the Lone Star Conference with a one-game lead over Tarleton State (4-1). With a win over Angelo State, the Mustangs would start LSC play 6-0 for just the fourth time since joining the league for the 1996-97 season. Midwestern claimed LSC titles after starting 6-0 in 2011-12 and 2012-13 and went 13-0 in a near sweep of the league in 1999-00.
HELLO WIN COLUMN... Midwestern State rides a 13-game winning streak into Saturday's contest at Angelo State. It's the eighth time in program history the Mustangs have won 13 consecutive games and it matches the longest streak in the Nelson Haggerty era (since 2011-12). Haggerty's Mustangs won 13 straight games from Nov. 11, 2011 to Jan. 11, 2012 -- his first 13 games as a head coach. MSU has won at least 11 consecutive games in four of Haggerty's five seasons at the helm. With a win over the Rams, MSU would match the 2009-10 squad which won the first 14 games of the season.
TOP D2 WINNING STREAKS... Midwestern State owns the second longest winning streak in NCAA Division II at 13. Augustana (S.D.) dropped its season opener, but has won its last 15 games. It's third longest in NCAA scholarship basketball (D1/D2) as only the Mustangs of SMU boast a longer streak at the D1 level posting a perfect 18-0 mark.
3-BALL ON THE WAY... GOOD... The Mustangs are en fuego from the 3-point arc in Lone Star Conference play. The Mustangs have knocked down 47.5 percent of their shots from beyond the arc while shooting just 46 percent on 2-point attempts. MSU has recorded 10-or-more triples in seven games this season.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMS
- Angelo State let a 12-point lead with 4:57 to play get away Wednesday night at Cameron taking an 80-79 loss to the Aggies to fall to 14-3 on the season and 2-3 in Lone Star Conference play.
- The Rams ran out to a 12-0 start behind first-year head coach Cinco Boone -- all prior to the Christmas break.
- Angelo State trailed Eastern New Mexico by 8 points with 1:01 to play Saturday in Portales battling back to edge the Hounds 70-68.
- ASU ranks 12th in NCAA Division II and leads the LSC in scoring at 90.1 points per game and is also 12th in scoring margin at 14.6 points per game.
- Senior forward Stedman Allen ranks third in the LSC in scoring at 16.8 points per game while pulling down 4.9 rebounds. He has scored in double figures in 14 of 16 games this season and is coming off of a 21-point, 7-rebound effort Wednesday at Cameron.
- Senior guard Tre Bennett, a transfer from Indiana State, rates fourth in the LSC in scoring at 16.5 points per game dishing out 4.1 assists a contest. Bennett has come off of the bench in each of the last three games, but has scored in double figures in each of his last eight games.
- Junior guard Shelton Boykin gives the Rams a third double-figure scorer at 13.5 points per game. The Antelope Valley College (Calif.) transfers shoots 47.7 percent from the field.
- Cinco Boone is in his first year as head coach at Angelo State. Boone helped guide the Rams to a 47-15 mark over the previous two seasons as the top assistant to Chris Beard. ASU advanced to the Round of 16 in 2014-15.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Angelo State meet for the 72nd time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon at Junell Center/Stephens Arena.
- The Mustangs control a 44-27 edge in the series which dates back to the 1965-66 season, but Angelo State has claimed wins in five of the last seven contests.
- The Rams claimed a regular season sweep over MSU last season, then eliminated the Mustangs 66-49 in the second round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional in Stephenville.
- Midwestern is 7-6 against the Rams all-time at Junell Center/Stephens Arena but has lost in its last two trips to San Angelo falling 83-68 on Jan. 22, 2014 and 78-59 on Feb. 18, 2015.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
MUSTANGS ROUT TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE... Midwestern State's 95-50 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville Wednesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum represented the largest margin of victory for MSU over a Lone Star Conference team. Previously, Midwestern enjoyed a 104-63 win at Eastern New Mexico on Feb. 9, 2000.
BEATING THE BEST... Midwestern State will face a team ranked in the NABC Top 25 for the third time this season Saturday facing off against No. 11-ranked Angelo State. The Mustangs already own wins over No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) (77-71/Nov. 27) and No. 6 Tarleton State (66-63/Jan. 13) this season. MSU is 11-10 against nationally ranked opposition during the Nelson Haggerty era with wins in three of the last four national showdowns.
RECLAIMING THE GLASS... Midwestern State owned the glass in 13 of its 14 games this season before experiencing deficits against Tarleton State (-8) and Texas A&M-Commerce (-4). The Mustangs took out the aggression with its largest rebounding margin of the season (+26) Wednesday against Texas A&M-Kingsville (57-31). MSU is back to second in the nation in rebounding margin at +10.2.
DOING IT AND DOING IT WELL... The Mustangs rank amongst national leaders in numerous categories this season ranking second in rebound margin (+10.2), second in blocked shots per game (6.6), second in total blocks (113.0), third in field goal percentage defense (36.9), third in scoring margin (+19.9), sixth in defensive rebounds (30.94), 10th in total rebounds 756.0) and 11th in 3-point field goal percentage (41.2).
CAN I BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE...  Midwestern State assisted on a season-high 26 of 36 made field goals Wednesday against Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Mustangs have surged to the top of the LSC in team assists at 15.88 per game.
DENIED... Midwestern State ranks among the elite (2nd) in NCAA Division II swatting 6.65 shots per game. The Mustangs matched a season high with 12 blocked shots against Texas A&M-Kingsville also blocking 12 against Oklahoma City in the season opener.
 
MSU PROBABLE STARTERS
Bretson McNeal | G | SR | Minneapolis, Minn. / North Dakota State Science
PPG: 13.2 | REB: 4.0 | AST: 1.9
- Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year.
- started each of MSU's 17 games.
- leads LSC in 3-point field goal percentage knocking down 49.4 percent of his shots from the arc.
- connected on at least three 3-pointers in 10 games this season.
- on a tear from the arc knocking down 11 of 17 over his last three games (64.7 percent).
 
Jordan Stevens | G | SR | Columbia, Mo. / Duquesne
PPG: 15.8 | REB: 3.1 | AST: 3.7
- Division I transfer from Duquesne.
-  started in 16 of 17 games this season.
- ranks sixth in the LSC in scoring at 15.8 points per game and fifth in assists at 3.7.
- explosive scorer has scored 20-or-more points in five games this season including a 31-point effort against Eastern New Mexico (1/9).
- ranks among national leaders in free throw percentage at 91.5 percent.
- has nine assists and one turnover over last 47 minutes of court time.
 
Hershell Grant | G | SR | Washington, D.C. / Clarendon College
PPG: 7.5 | REB: 3.4 | AST: 2.1
- strong hoops blood lines. Nephew of former NBA standouts Horace and Harvey Grant. Cousins also played collegiate basketball with Jerian Grant (Notre Dame/New York Knicks), Jerai Grant (Clemson) and Jerami Grant (Syracuse/Philadelphia 76ers).
- shooting 55.8 percent from the field, 48 percent from 3-point range and 71 percent from the free throw line.
- top defender has scored in double figures five times this season including a season 18 points against St. Gregory's (1/2).
 
Trevor Fuller | F | JR | Dallas, Texas / University of San Diego
PPG: 5.5 | REB: 5.0 | BLK: 2.8
- son of former San Francisco 49er strong safety Jeff Fuller (1984-89) whose grandfather - Cincy Powell - played pro basketball in the ABA. His brother - Jeff, Jr. - enjoyed a stellar collegiate football career as a receiver at Texas A&M before playing professionally with the Miami Dolphins and Calgary Stampeders.
- Fuller ranks amongst the best rim protectors in college basketball swatting 2.76 shots per game to rank seventh in NCAA Division II.
- shooting 70.4 percent from the floor with 25 dunks this season.
 
Khapri Alston | F | SR | Chicago, Ill. / Northeast CC (Neb.)
PPG: 12.4 | REB: 9.2 | BLK: 1.1 | STL: 1.2
- leads the Lone Star Conference in rebounding.
- boasts six point/rebound double-doubles but has finished four other games with double figure points and nine rebounds.
- scored in double figures in 14 games this season with matching highs of 18 points against West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Commerce.
- pulled down a season high 14 rebounds against Tarleton State.
- active on defense with 21 steals and 18 blocked shots.
 
TOP RESERVES
Brandon Golden | G | SR | Austin, Texas / McMurry
PPG: 8.5 | REB: 2.8 | AST: 0.8
- notched a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds in first start at MSU in place of the injured Hershell Grant against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Jan. 20.
- knocked down six 3-pointers to score a season-high 20 points while pulling down five rebounds against St. Gregory's (1/2).
- splashed in four 3-pointers to finish with 16 points in a 77-71 win over No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) (11/27).
- shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range.
 
Sheldon Hagigal | G | JR | Old Westbury, N.Y. / Trinity Valley CC
PPG: 8.5 | REB: 1.9 | AST: 1.5
- gives MSU a scoring punch off of the bench notching 10-or-more points in seven games this season.
- poured in season-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting with two 3-pointers in a 74-65 win at West Texas A&M (1/6).
- shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point range.
- has knocked down a triple in each of his last five games.
 
DeVaughn Jones | F | SR | District Heights, Md. / Lackawanna College
PPG: 6.6 | REB: 4.3
- top big off of the bench for MSU.
- scored in double figures five times this season.
- went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field to finish with a season-high 17 points while pulling down six rebounds against Colorado State-Pueblo (11/24).
- snagged season-best eight rebounds against Southern Indiana (11/28).
 
Pat Smith | G | JR | Houston, Texas / Jones HS
PPG: 4.2 | REB: 1.6 | AST: 3.1
- enjoying a breakout season as the top reserve point guard.
- tallied career-high 11 points while dishing out four assists in a 66-63 win over Tarleton State (1/13).
- dished out at least four assists on six occasions including a season-high 10 against St. Gregory's (1/2).
 
Magnus Richards | F | JR | Silver Spring, Md. / Binghamton
PPG: 2.9 | REB: 2.7
- Division I transfer from Binghamton has played in each of MSU's 17 games this season.
- scored matching season highs of seven points against St. Mary's (Texas) (12/1) and St. Gregory's (1/2).
- pulled down campaign best six boards against Oklahoma Science and Arts (12/31).
 
MSU IN THE POLLS
- Midwestern State remained at No. 4 for a second consecutive week in the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Division II Poll. It's the Mustangs' highest ranking since taking the No. 3 ranking into the 2010 Elite Eight.
- The Mustangs stuck at No. 2 for the third consecutive week in the D2 Media Poll with two first-place votes.
- West Liberty (W. Va.), who was ranked No. 1 in both rankings, fell 108-93 Monday at Concord (W. Va.).
 
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 113-31 mark (.785) 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 enjoys a 7-day break before renewing the Red River Rivalry against Cameron next Saturday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.