Midwestern State vs. Lubbock Christian
Saturday, March 12, 2016 | 6 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (24-5); Lubbock Christian (20-9)
Video: Mustangs Digital Network (Free)  
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network (Free) 
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com  
 
ON THE COURT
Midwestern State opens NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament play against Lubbock Christian Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
MSU WELCOMES REGIONAL BACK TO WICHITA FALLS... Midwestern State plays host to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional for the fourth time in program history. MSU previously hosted regionals in 1999, 2010 and 2012. The Mustangs are 6-1 in NCAA tournament played at D.L. Ligon Coliseum advancing to the Elite Eight in 2010 and 2012 after falling in the semifinal round in 1999.
MUSTANGS IN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS... Midwestern State is 38-26 (.594) all time in national tournament games which includes a 21-16 mark in 15 NAIA appearances and a 17-10 mark in nine NCAA showings.
RETURN OF THE STANGS.... Midwestern State is making its 11th overall appearance in the NCAA Division II postseason which also includes showings in 1999, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
A POSTSEASON STAPLE... Midwestern State is one of only three teams in all of NCAA Division II to appear in the last eight championship tournaments. Only Seattle Pacific (Wash.) boasts a longer run of success advancing to national postseason play in each of the last 12 seasons. Bellarmine (Ky.) has also appeared in the last eight NCAA Division II postseason fields. Defending champion Florida Southern had an eight-year run snapped this season while 2015 national runner-up Indiana (Pa.) and Metropolitan State (Colo.) had ended strings of seven consecutive postseasons.
MSU ROLLS IN FIRST ROUND PLAY... Midwestern State is a perfect 8-0 in NCAA Division II South Central Region first-round games. The Mustangs are 5-5 in regional semifinal contests and 3-2 in the championship round.
 
ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL
- The South Central Regional returns to Wichita Falls for the fourth time and first time since 2012.
- The field consists of three teams from the Lone Star Conference (Midwestern State, Angelo State and Tarleton State), three teams from the Heartland Conference (Arkansas-Fort Smith, Dallas Baptist and Lubbock Christian) and two from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (Fort Lewis and Colorado Mines).
- Four teams received mention in the final regular season National Association of Basketball Coaches' Division II Poll including No. 4 Fort Lewis (Colo.), No. 7 Midwestern State and No. 16 Angelo State (Texas) while Colorado Mines received votes.
- Midwestern State (LSC) and Fort Lewis (RMAC) claimed regular season and postseason tournament titles while Dallas Baptist, Arkansas-Fort Smith and Lubbock Christian tied for second for the regular season Heartland Conference title behind provisional Rogers State (Okla.). Dallas Baptist claimed the postseason tournament title with an 89-83 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith in overtime.
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT NOTES
- Midwestern State claimed its league best seventh Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament championship with an 88-72 win over No. 16 Angelo State Saturday night at the Allen Event Center.
- The Mustangs rolled through the tournament winning each game by least 16 points for a scoring margin of +25.3 points per game. It was just the second time MSU claimed an LSC postseason tournament title while winning each game by double figures as the Mustangs rolled to the title with wins by 12, 10 and 10 points in 2010 (a +10.7 scoring margin).
- Senior guard Jordan Stevens earned LSC Postseason Tournament MVP honors averaging 24 points on 57.4 percent shooting (27-of-47) including six 3-pointers. He set MSU's all-time LSC single-tournament scoring mark with 72 points to better the 67 scored by former All-American Nolan Richardson III in 2009.
- Stevens erupted for 30 points in the championship game win over Angelo State after scoring 21 points against Eastern New Mexico and Cameron.
- Junior guard Sheldon Hagigal earned LSC All-Tournament honors pouring in a season-high 22 points in an 88-72 win over Cameron in the semifinal round. He averaged 12.7 points with seven 3-pointers during weekend play.
- Senior forward DeVaughn Jones also gained LSC All-Tournament accolades scoring in double figures in each of the three games against Eastern New Mexico (12 points, 11 rebounds), Cameron (11 points, 5 rebounds) and Angelo State (12 points, 7 rebounds). Jones shot 73.7 percent (14-of-19) and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe.
- Jones averaged 11.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a game during LSC tournament play to raise his all-time league bracket numbers to 10.8 points and 6.7 boards a contest. He is averaging 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 58 career games.
- Midwestern State a program tournament high mark with 112 points against Eastern New Mexico in the quarterfinal round. The output was a bucket better than the previous mark set in a 110-90 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Feb. 29, 2000.
- MSU's 16-point victory margin in the title game over Angelo State (88-72) also matched a program record for largest margin in an LSC title game. Midwestern beat Tarleton State by 16 (78-62) in the 1999 finals.
 
SCOUTING THE CHAPS
- Lubbock Christian makes its first appearance in the NCAA Division II championship field after placing second in the Heartland Conference. The Chaps last national tournament appearance came in 2004-05 as a member of the NAIA.
- The Chaps won five of their last six regular season games before falling to seventh-seeded Newman (Kan.) in the opening round of the Heartland Conference postseason tournament in Tulsa.
- At 20-9, Lubbock Christian is one of four teams in the Heartland Conference to top to the 20-win plateau this season.
- LCU squares off against an LSC opponent for the fourth time this season. The Chaps swept a home-and-home series with West Texas A&M -- winning both by double figures -- before falling to Angelo State 70-68 in overtime.
- Lubbock Christian is 2-4 against the South Central Region field this season with wins over Dallas Baptist and Arkansas-Fort Smith and losses to Colorado Mines, Angelo State, Dallas Baptist and Arkansas-Fort Smith.
- Senior guard A.J. Luckey, a first-team All-Heartland Conference performer, leads the in scoring (14.9 ppg) and rebounding (4.8 rpg) while shooting 42.3 percent from the field.
- Junior guard Tyler Rogers is the only other player averaging in double figures for LCU at 11.5 points per game while pulling down 4.0 rebounds a contest.
- Five other players scored between 7.4 and 9.5 points per game including sophomore guard Marcos Schuster (9.5 ppg), junior forward Isaac Cardona (8.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg), junior guard  Marcus Arrington (8.2 ppg), junior guard Ridrell Holman (7.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and freshman forward Brennen Fowler (7.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg).
- Todd Duncan, a 1989 graduate of Texas Tech, boasts an 83-57 record (.593) in his fifth season at the helm of the Lubbock Christian men's basketball program.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets Lubbock Christian for the 37th time on the hardwood Saturday night in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Division II South Central Regional at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Mustangs own a commanding 28-8 advantage in the series which dates back to the 1971-72 season.
- This is the first meeting between the programs since Lubbock Christian claimed an 82-76 win on Feb. 19, 1994.
- MSU is 17-2 all-time against the Chaps at D.L. Ligon Coliseum claiming a 123-87 in LCU's last trip to Wichita Falls on Feb. 12, 1994.
- Midwestern has won the last four meetings between the programs under the dome with Lubbock Christian's last win coming on Feb. 10, 1990 (70-66).
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
IN THE POLLS... Midwestern State is ranked 7th in the final regular season National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Poll and 5th in the D2 Media Poll.
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 23 wins, 17 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 (6.5), second in total blocks (189.0), third in field goal percentage defense (38.1), fifth in scoring margin (+17.1), fifth in rebound margin (+8.2) and eighth in defensive rebounds (30.03).
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: 3.6 | AST: 1.6 | 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 29 games.
- leads LSC knocking down 42.6 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 13 more to match Michael Rhinehart (143/1986-88) for fifth place.
- fourth on MSU's all-time 3-point percentage list at 42.4 percent (140-for-330) 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 20 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 8-of-38 shots (21.1 percent) over his last nine games, but went 2-for-4 in an 88-72 win over Angelo State in the LSC Postseason Tournament finals.
 
Jordan Stevens | G | SR | Columbia, Mo. / Duquesne
PPG: 16.1 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 3.5
- Division I transfer from Duquesne.
-  started in 27 of 29 games this season.
- ranks fourth in the LSC in scoring at 16.1 points per game and sixth in assists at 3.5.
- earned Lone Star Conference All-Tournament MVP honors  after averaging 24 points per game while shooting 57.4 percent from the field (27-of-47) with six 3-pointers scoring 30 points against Angelo State in the finals and 21 in wins over Eastern New Mexico and Cameron.
- set MSU LSC single-tournament mark for most points with 72 in three games to better the 67 scored by Nolan Richardson III in 2009.
- explosive scorer has scored 20-or-more points in 10 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).
- 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 85.5 percent.
- has scored in double figures in each of his last 11 games averaging 17.3 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field.
 
Hershell Grant | G | SR | Washington, D.C. / Clarendon College
PPG: 7.3 | REB: 4.4 | AST: 1.8
- 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 49.7 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from 3-point range and 74.5 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: 4.9 | REB: 4.3 | BLK: 3.2
- 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 3.21 shots per game to rank fourth in NCAA Division II.
- 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 137 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 93 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 67.4 percent from the floor with 42 dunks this season.
- of his 58 field goals this season, 42 have been dunks.
- 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: 13.2 | 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 11 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 23 games this season.
- pulled down a then-season high 14 rebounds against Tarleton State.
- active on defense with 29 steals and 30 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: 7.9 | REB: 2.6 | AST: 0.7
- 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 37.3 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: 9.4 | REB: 1.9 | AST: 1.4
- gives MSU a scoring punch off of the bench notching 10-or-more points in 12 games this season.
- earned LSC All-Tournament honors after averaging 12.7 points per game with seven 3-pointers to help MSU to double-digit wins over Eastern New Mexico, Cameron and Angelo State.
- 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 43.9 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 19-of-33 shots (57.6 percent) from beyond the arc over his last seven games.
 
DeVaughn Jones | F | SR | District Heights, Md. / Lackawanna College
PPG: 6.0 | REB: 4.2
- top big off of the bench for MSU.
- scored in double figures eight times this season.
- earned LSC All-Tournament honors scoring double figures in all three wins over Eastern New Mexico (12 points, 11 rebounds), Cameron (11 points, 5 rebounds) and Angelo State (12 points, 7 rebounds).
- 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: 4.9 | 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: 2.8
- 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).
- scored six points and matched a season high with seven rebounds in an 88-72 win over Angelo State in the LSC Postseason Tournament finals (3/5).
- 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 121-35 mark (.776) 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
With a win, Midwestern State moves on the South Central Region semifinals against either Tarleton State or Colorado Mines Sunday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.