Game Book (PDF)

THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Nick Powell recorded a career-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor to lead five Mustangs in double figures as Midwestern State snapped a three-game losing skid with an 88-49 victory over St. Gregory's (Okla.) in a non-conference matchup Friday evening at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
Jordan Rutherford scored the first five points for St. Gregory's (4-5) to give the Cavaliers their largest lead of the contest at 5-2 one minute into the game. However, the Mustangs quickly took over with Brandon Neel recording the first three baskets for Midwestern State (7-4), beginning a 9-0 MSU run that was capped off by a Powell jumper to propel the Mustangs to an 11-5 advantage with 15:14 remaining in the first half.
 
The Cavaliers pulled within one just one minute later before the Mustangs stretched their lead to 10 midway through the opening period following a Powell triple for a 23-13 score.
 
Despite a pair of three-plus minute field goal droughts for the Mustangs, the Maroon and Gold connected on 11-of-14 from the free-throw line while holding SGU without a field goal for almost five minutes to continue to maintain a double-digit lead late in the period.
 
A basket for Magnus Richards gave MSU its largest lead of the first half at 39-22 with 2:52 to play before taking a 42-28 lead at the break.
 
A pair of three-pointers for Pat Smith extended the MSU advantage to 20 with 13:34 remaining in the game with Smith connecting on back-to-back triples for a 54-34 lead.
 
Powell scored 11 of MSU's 13 points in a 4:49 span midway through the second half to give the Mustangs a 67-41 lead with 7:45 remaining. Midwestern closed out the contest on an 11-1 run in the final 3:50 with five different Mustangs contributing on the offensive end.

NOTES
- Midwestern State has now won 58 of its last 59 games against non-NCAA Division I/II opponents dating back to 1997 and is 63-3 since making the move to Division II prior to the 1996-97 campaign
- The Mustangs are 50-1 against non-NCAA Division I/Division II opponents in games played inside Ligon Coliseum since the start of the 1996-97 season and have won the last 10 games against that competition under the dome since taking an 80-74 loss to Oklahoma Wesleyan on Jan. 1, 2014
- Nick Powell's career outing came in just 20 minutes of action Friday, firing 7-of-10 from the field with a pair of triples and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe
- Pat Smith notched double figures for the seventh time this season with 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from behind the arc
- Magnus Richards and Brandon Neel each added 14 points with Neel posting a season-high three steals and matching a season-best five assists
- Igor Ibaka recorded his team-best ninth double-figure scoring performance of the season with 10 points while adding 11 rebounds for this fourth double-double
- Midwestern posted a season-best 54 rebounds with Ibaka leading the way with 11 and Shawn Nottingham recording a season-best nine
- Nottingham flirted with a triple-double, finishing with seven points and eight assists to go along with his nine boards
- The Mustangs shot over 40 percent for the ninth time this season with a 45.2 percent clip from the field while recording their fourth highest three-point total on 9-of-26 shooting
- Midwestern State held St. Gregory's to an MSU opponent-low 28.8 percent shooting and a 13.6 shooting clip from three-point range with three triples

STAT OF THE GAME
5 – Five players scored in double figures for the Mustangs for the third time this season (vs. Our Lady of the Lake on Nov. 18, vs. St. Mary's on Nov. 19)

UP NEXT 
Midwestern State returns to Lone Star Conference action Monday with a 7:30 p.m. tip against Texas A&M-Kingsville for its final game before the holiday break at D.L. Ligon Coliseum