Midwestern State vs. Angelo State
Saturday, March 5, 2016 | 5:30 p.m.
Allen Event Center | Allen, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (23-5); Angelo State (23-5)
Video: Lone Star Conference  
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network  
Live Stats: Lone Star Conference 
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State battles Angelo State in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament championship game Saturday afternoon at the Allen Event Center. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
BATTLE FOR SOUTH CENTRAL REGION HOSTING RIGHTS... The top two teams in last week's NCAA Division II South Central Region Rankings square off in the LSC Postseason Tournament finals. The winner will most likely host the regional tournament set for March 12, 13 and 15th. The No. 3-rated team in the region -- Fort Lewis (Colo.) -- advanced to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title game with an 89-78 win over Metro State (Colo.) Friday night. The Skyhawks play second-seeded Colorado Mines -- an 84-73 winner of Colorado Mesa -- in the title game tonight at 8 p.m. (Central Time).
MSU IN LSC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES... Midwestern State goes for its seventh league postseason title in nine tries Saturday afternoon at the Allen Event Center. The Mustangs claimed championships over Tarleton State in 1999, West Texas A&M in 2000, Southeastern Oklahoma in 2007, Southwestern Oklahoma in 2009 and Tarleton State again in 2010 and 2013. MSU fell to Tarleton State in its last two title game showings in 2013 and 2014.
MSU IN THE LSC POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT... Midwestern State owns the highest winning percentage of any LSC program in the postseason tournament improving to 27-9 (.750) with an 88-72 win over Cameron in the semifinal round on Friday night. The Mustangs are just ahead of Tarleton State which fell to 28-15 (.651) losing in the other semifinal against Angelo State.
MSU VERSUS NATIONALLY RANKED... The Mustangs are 3-1 against nationally ranked (NABC D2 Poll) opponents this season claiming wins over No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) (77-71 on 11/27), No. 6 Tarleton State (66-63 on 1/13) and No. 16 Angelo State (76-71 on 2/20). MSU's lone loss came at No. 11 Angelo State (91-83 in OT on 1/23). MSU is 12-11 against nationally ranked opposition during the Nelson Haggerty era which began with the 2011-12 season.
MSU DIGS THE ALLEN EVENT CENTER... Midwestern State boasts a 9-3 mark in games played since the LSC Postseason Tournament moved to the Allen Event Center in 2012. The Mustangs advanced to the finals in the first three seasons in the venue winning the title in 2012.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMS
- Angelo State has won three straight and seven of the last eight with their only loss during the stretch coming to Midwestern State (76-71) at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Feb. 20.
- The Rams advanced to their eighth LSC Postseason Tournament final appearance with wins over Texas A&M-Kingsville (87-86) and Tarleton State (81-73).
- Angelo State is in search of its fourth LSC Postseason Tournament title and first since claiming back-to-back championships in 1988 and 1989. The Rams, whose other title came in 1984, fell to Texas A&M-Commerce (68-61) in last season's finals.
- Senior guard Tre Bennett claimed LSC Newcomer of the Year honors after leading Angelo State in scoring at 17 points per game. The Indiana State transfer dishes out 4.9 assists per game and pulls down 2.8 rebounds.
- Bennett scored at least nine points in all 28 games for the Rams this season. He delivered performances against Midwestern State of 16 points and seven assists on Jan. 23 and 23 points with six 3-pointers on Feb. 20.
- Senior forward Stedman Allen earned All-Lone Star Conference second-team honors averaging 15.6 points and 5.2 rebounds a game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field.
- Allen had a string of 17 straight double-figure performances snapped at the LSC Postseason Tournament where he has scored seven points against Texas A&M-Kingsville and eight versus Tarleton State.
- Junior guard Prince Foster earned LSC Defensive Team honors for the Rams. He scored a season-high 20 points in the opening round of the LSC tournament against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
- Junior guard Quay King (10.3 ppg) has given Midwestern State fits this season knocking down five 3-pointers in each game while scoring a season-high 21 points in the first meeting on Jan. 23 before notching 15 points on Feb. 20.
- Cinco Boone is in his first season at the helm of the Angelo State men's basketball program. He served as an assist to Chris Beard over the previous three seasons with a top at McMurry the first season before the pair moved on to Angelo State.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Angelo State meet for the 74th time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon at the Allen Event Center.
- The Mustangs own a commanding 45-28 lead in the series which dates back to the 1965-66 season.
- The teams split the regular season series with Angelo State claiming a 91-83 win on Jan. 23 in San Angelo while Midwestern State won 76-71 on Feb. 20 in Wichita Falls.
- Midwestern State and Angelo State meet for the third time in LSC Postseason Tournament play. The Rams claimed a 104-90 win in the 2001 semifinal round in San Angelo, while MSU eliminated Angelo State 82-63 in the 2014 semifinals in Allen.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
IN THE POLLS... Midwestern State moved up three spots to No. 11 in this week's NABC Division II Poll. The Mustangs are ranked seventh in the D2 Media Poll. MSU has been ranked as high as No. 4 in the NABC poll and spent a week at No. 1 in the D2 Media Poll. Angelo State is ranked 16th in the NABC Division II Poll and 11th in the D2 Media Poll.
REGIONAL RANKINGS... Midwestern State remained at the top of the NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings this week ranked ahead of Angelo State, Fort Lewis (Colo.), Tarleton State, Colorado Mines, Lubbock Christian (Texas), Arkansas-Fort Smith and Dallas Baptist (Texas).The final regular season rankings are due on Feb. 24 and March 1 with team selections and bracket announcement is set for Sunday, March 6. The top eight teams from each of the eight regions advance to the postseason play. Regional championship tournaments are set for campus sites from March 12-15. The 2016 Elite Eight is set for March 23-26 at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas.
MUSTANGS EARN ALL-LSC HONORS... Midwestern State senior forward Khapri Alston was MSU's lone first-team All-Lone Star Conference performer while senior guard Bretson McNeal earned second-team accolades. Junior forward Trevor Fuller is the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
HAGGERTY EARNS CO-COACH OF THE YEAR HONORS... Midwestern State bench boss Nelson Haggerty was named LSC Coach of the Year for the second time also earning the honor in his first season at the helm in 2012. He shared the honors with Cameron's Nate Gamet.
WINNING BIG... Midwestern State boasts the fifth largest scoring margin in NCAA Division II at 17.1 points per game. Of MSU's 22 wins, 16 have come by 10-or-more points while winning six conference contests by at least 15 points. The Mustangs have won nine games by at least 20 points.
SEVEN IN 10... MSU became the first Lone Star Conference member to win seven league titles in 10 years since Stephen F. Austin pulled off the feat between 1932-41. Howard Payne won six in 10 seasons between 1962-71 and East Texas State on seven in 11 seasons between 1948-58. The Mustangs also claimed their ninth Lone Star Conference title since joining the league in 1996-97 which is five more than any other program has won over the time as Tarleton State and Central Oklahoma won four apiece.
MSU REACHES 20 WINS AGAIN... Midwestern State claimed its 20th win with a 76-71 win over then-No. 16 Angelo State on Saturday, Feb. 20 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs have won at least 20 games in each of their last eight seasons which is the longest streak in the LSC. Tarleton State can extend their current streak to seven straight 20-win campaigns with a win at Texas A&M-Commerce today. MSU and Tarleton have combined for 14 20-win season since the start of the 2008-09 while the rest of the LSC has six including three by Angelo State, two by West Texas A&M and one by Texas A&M-Commerce.
THE .500/10 SPLIT... Midwestern State has shot at least 50 percent from the field and buried at least 10 3-pointers in five games this season. The Mustangs' average margin of victories in those games in 44.8 points.
DOING IT AND DOING IT WELL... The Mustangs rank amongst national leaders in numerous categories this season ranking second in blocked shots per game (6.6), second in total blocks (185.0), third in field goal percentage defense (38.3), fifth in scoring margin (+17.1), sixth in rebound margin (+8.4) and seventh in defensive rebounds (29.93).
RECORD SETTING PERFORMANCE... Midwestern State set a program record for points in an LSC Postseason Tournament game in a 112-68 win over Eastern New Mexico Wednesday night. The output bettered the 110 points MSU put up in a 20-point win over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Feb. 29, 2000. All of MSU's 13 players scored points as 11 players logged at least 10 minutes in the win with only junior guard Pat Smith logging more than 20 minutes off of the bench.
HITTING THE CENTURY MARK... Midwestern State scored 100 points for the fifth time this season which is the most since the 1999-00 scored in triple figures on six occasions. MSU hit the century mark against Oklahoma City (103-51), USAO (105-82), St. Gregory's (103-57) and twice against Eastern New Mexico (110-62 and 112-68) this season.
 
MSU PROBABLE STARTERS
Bretson McNeal | G | SR | Minneapolis, Minn. / North Dakota State Science
PPG: 12.1 | REB: 3.5 | AST: 1.9 | STL: 1.6
- Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year.
- earned All-Lone Star Conference second-team honors as a senior after gaining first-team accolades as a junior.
- started each of MSU's 28 games.
- leads LSC knocking down 42.3 percent of his shots from the arc.
- connected on at least three 3-pointers in 11 games this season.
- moved into sixth on MSU's all-time 3-point makes chart knocking down his 137th 3-pointer against Eastern New Mexico on March 2 moving ahead of E.J. Collins (136/1990-94) and Jeremy Ford (136/2006-08). He needs 15 to match Michael Rhinehart (143/1986-88) for fifth place.
- fourth on MSU's all-time 3-point percentage list at 42.3 percent (138-for-326) behind Drew Coffman (78-for-173 / 45.1 percent), Gume Ibarra (134-for-301 / 44.5 percent) and Michael Rhinehart (143-for-325/1986-88).
- blistered the nets for a 20-of-33 clip (60.6 percent) from 3-point range over a six-game stretch from Jan. 13-Feb. 3.
- scored 10-or-more points in 19 games this season including matching campaign highs of 22 in the season opener against Oklahoma City and at Eastern New Mexico.
- leads Lone Star Conference with 46 steals this season (1.6 per game).
- made a season-high six steals against Texas A&M-Commerce (2/6).
- slumped from the arc hitting just 6-of-34 shots (17.6 percent) over his last eight games.
 
Jordan Stevens | G | SR | Columbia, Mo. / Duquesne
PPG: 15.6 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 3.6
- Division I transfer from Duquesne.
-  started in 26 of 28 games this season.
- ranks fifth in the LSC in scoring at 15.6 points per game and sixth in assists at 3.6.
- explosive scorer has scored 20-or-more points in nine games this season including a 31-point effort against Eastern New Mexico (1/9).
- posted matching 21-point efforts against Eastern New Mexico and Cameron in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament (3/2, 3/4).
- needs 25 points to match Nolan Richardson's output of 67 total points in the 2009 LSC Postseason Tournament.
- erupted for 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting with three 3-pointers in a win over West Texas A&M (2/10).
- matched a season-high with four 3-pointers on his way to 20 points and six assists against Eastern New Mexico (2/13).
- ranks among national leaders in free throw percentage at 85.2 percent.
- has scored in double figures in each of his last 10 games averaging 16.0 points per game while shooting 41.7 percent from the field.
 
Hershell Grant | G | SR | Washington, D.C. / Clarendon College
PPG: 7.5 | REB: 4.5 | AST: 1.9
- 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 50.7 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from 3-point range and 73.5 percent from the free throw line.
- tabbed Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week after scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers to go along with nine rebounds, a block and a steal in a 79-59 win over Cameron (2/27) to clinch an outright LSC championship.
- top defender has scored in double figures 10 times this season including a season 18 points against St. Gregory's (1/2).
- connected on 5-of-6 shots including a season-high three 3-pointers to finish with 14 points and six rebounds in a 110-62 win over Eastern New Mexico (2/13).
- came off of the bench to score 13 points and pull down a season-high eight rebounds against Cameron (1/30).
- pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds in an 88-72 win over Cameron in the semifinal round of the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament (3/4).
 
Trevor Fuller | F | JR | Dallas, Texas / University of San Diego
PPG: 5.0 | REB: 4.4 | BLK: 3.3
- 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.
- earned Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 3.9 blocked shots per game during LSC play.
- Fuller ranks amongst the best rim protectors in college basketball swatting 3.25 shots per game to rank second in NCAA Division II behind Seton Hill's Spencer Casson (3.65 bpg).
- earned third Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor after setting league and school records with 11 blocked shots in a 76-71 win over No. 16 Angelo State (2/20).
- his 11 blocked shots against Angelo State (2/20) eclipsed the LSC record of 10 set by West Texas A&M's Carlos Silva in 2004 and matched by Ian Adams of East Central (Okla.) in 2005.
- the 11 blocked shots versus Angelo State (2/20) bettered the school mark of eight set by Eric Dawson (former San Antonio Spur) against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Dec. 2, 2006.
- accounted for at least four blocked in 11 games this season including a season-high 11 against Angelo State (2/20).
- had seven blocked shots against Tarleton State (1/13).
- his 135 career blocked shots are the third most in school history behind Eric Dawson (170/2005-07) and Mike E. Smith (157/1982-86).
- Fuller's 91 blocked shots this season are the second most by a single player in MSU program history trailing only former NBA'er Eric Dawson, who had 96 in 2006-07.
- shooting 67.1 percent from the floor with 41 dunks this season.
- posted a season-high 10 points going 3-of-4 from the field and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe in a win over West Texas A&M (2/10).
 
Khapri Alston | F | SR | Chicago, Ill. / Northeast CC (Neb.)
PPG: 13.3 | REB: 9.5 | BLK: 1.0 | STL: 1.0
- MSU's only All-Lone Star Conference first-team performer.
- leads the Lone Star Conference in rebounding.
- boasts 10 point/rebound double-doubles but has finished four other games with double figure points and nine rebounds. He also finished with nine points and 12 rebounds in another game and nine points and 10 boards another time.
- erupted for career highs with 27 points and 25 rebounds against No. 11 Angelo State on Jan. 23 at Junell Center. The 25 rebounds are the most in a single game in both NCAA Divisions I and II this season. The rebound total is the sixth highest in a single game in MSU program history and the most since original Cleveland Cavalier Gary Suiter snagged 27 against Dallas Baptist on Nov. 30, 1968.
- garnered Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after notching his 10th double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds to key a 76-61 win over Angelo State (2/20).
- scored in double figures in 22 games this season.
- pulled down a then-season high 14 rebounds against Tarleton State.
- active on defense with 28 steals and 28 blocked shots.
- led team with 14.1 points and tops the squad with 10.4 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per game during Lone Star Conference play.
 
TOP RESERVES
Brandon Golden | G | SR | Austin, Texas / McMurry
PPG: 8.3 | 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 37.8 percent from 3-point range.
- came on strong during Lone Star Conference play pulling averages of 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range.
- missed seven games after suffering wrist injury against Cameron on Jan. 31 scoring seven points in 17 minutes in his return in a 112-68 win over Eastern New Mexico in the LSC Postseason Tournament's first round (3/2).
 
Sheldon Hagigal | G | JR | Old Westbury, N.Y. / Trinity Valley CC
PPG: 9.5 | REB: 1.9 | AST: 1.5
- gives MSU a scoring punch off of the bench notching 10-or-more points in 12 games this season.
- poured in a season-high 22 points going 5-for-7 from the field with four 3-pointers in an 88-72 win over Cameron in the LSC Postseason Tournament semifinals (3/4).
- knocked down five 3-pointers on his way to  19 points to lead MSU to a 79-59 win over Cameron (2/27) to clinch an outright LSC championship.
- poured in a then 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 44.2 percent from 3-point range.
- knocked down a triple in eight straight games from Jan. 6-Feb. 6.
- buried two 3-pointers and went 4-for-8 from the field with four steals to finish with 12 points in a 110-62 out of Eastern New Mexico (2/13).
- splashed in three 3-pointers on 4-of-5 shooting with three free throws to score 14 points in 19 minutes against Texas A&M-Kingsville (2/17).
- connected on 18-of-30 shots (60 percent) from beyond the arc over his last six games.
 
DeVaughn Jones | F | SR | District Heights, Md. / Lackawanna College
PPG: 5.8 | REB: 4.1
- top big off of the bench for MSU.
- scored in double figures seven times this season.
- notched his first double-double for MSU with 12 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 5-of-6 from the floor in a 112-68 win over Eastern New Mexico in the LSC Postseason Tournament quarterfinals (3/2).
- scored 11 points and pulled down five rebounds in 20 minutes in the LSC Postseason Tournament semifinals against Cameron (3/4).
- 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).
- went for eight points and seven rebounds in a 110-62 rout of Eastern New Mexico (2/13).
 
Pat Smith | G | JR | Houston, Texas / Jones HS
PPG: 4.8 | REB: 1.4 | AST: 2.7
- enjoying a breakout season as the top reserve point guard.
- matched a career high with 11 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists in a 76-71 win over No. 16 Angelo State (2/20).
- 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 seven occasions including a season-high 10 against St. Gregory's (1/2).
- scored six points, dished out six assists and made three steals against Texas A&M-Commerce (2/6).
- connected on two 3-pointers to finish with eight points in a win over West Texas A&M (2/10).
 
Magnus Richards | F | JR | Silver Spring, Md. / Binghamton
PPG: 3.8 | REB: 2.6
- Division I transfer from Binghamton has played in each of MSU's 21 games this season.
- scored a season-high nine points against then-No. 3 Bellarmine (Ky.) (11/27).
- connected on 5-of-10 shots to finish with a season highs with 10 points and seven rebounds with a pair of dunks in a 110-62 rout of Eastern New Mexico (2/13).
- matched then season-highs with nine points, three rebounds and two steals in campaign-best 20 minutes against West Texas A&M (2/10).
- scored eight points in eight minutes on 3-of-5 shooting against Texas A&M-Commerce (2/6).
- pulled down a then-campaign best six boards against Oklahoma Science and Arts (12/31).
 
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 120-35 mark (.774) leading the Mustangs to the NCAA Division II postseason in each of his campaigns at the helm and to  Lone Star Conference championships in four of his five 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. He repeated as LSC Coach of the Year while piloting the Mustangs to their fourth LSC title in his five seasons at head coach in 2016.
- 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 awaits selection into the NCAA Division II Championship tournament. The field is set for release via a Web stream on NCAA.com Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. (Central Time).