Box Score (PDF)

THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Brandon Neel and Devante Pullum each registered a career-high 22 points to help Midwestern State erase a 20-point first half deficit and record its fourth-straight win in an 80-73 victory over UT Permian Basin Saturday evening at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.

UT Permian Basin (10-4, 2-3 LSC) posted a 22-2 run in a six-minute stretch in the first nine minutes of action as the Falcons knocked down five three-pointers, led by James McPherson's nine points, to take a 27-7 lead with 11:12 to play in the opening half. UTPB's 20-point lead was its largest of the game as Midwestern State (10-4, 3-3 LSC) slowly crept closer to the Falcons before making it a 12-point contest at halftime.

McPherson's fourth triple of the game began the second half before the Mustangs put together a quick 6-0 run to come within single digits at nine for the first time since the 15:38 mark in the first half with 17:45 remaining.

Neel scored eight of MSU's first 12 points in the second half, helping the Maroon and Gold to within eight before a layup for Josh Morris gave the Falcons another double-digit advantage at 55-45 with 15:09 to play.

Three-pointers for Pullum and Pat Smith and a layup for Shawn Nottingham brought MSU within a basket during an 8-0 run midway through the period. UTPB claimed a four-point advantage with 8:57 to play before another 8-0 spurt for the Mustangs propelled MSU to a 65-61 lead.

A trey for Daeshon Francis pulled the Falcons within a point with 6:41 remaining but the Mustangs stretched their lead out to six following a Neel layup with 2:28 left on the clock. UTPB answered back with five-straight points from Josh Lacy for a one-point game before Neel responded with another layup for a 74-71 score with 1:34 remaining.

A Smith jumper and a miss for the Falcons on the other end sealed the win for the Mustangs in the final minute, taking the 80-73 win.

NOTES
- Brandon Neel scored in double figures for the eighth-straight game with a career-best 22 points while recording his first career double-double with 13 rebounds
- Devante Pullum notched his second-straight 20-point game after 21 points vs. West Texas A&M on Thursday with 22 points and six assists
- Igor Ibaka and Pat Smith also reached double figures with 10 points apiece
- Magnus Richards added nine points and six rebounds while matching Shawn Nottingham with a team-high three steals and two blocks
- Midwestern State shot 38 percent from the floor
- The Mustangs converted 21 UTPB turnovers into 22 points while committing a season-low five miscues on the night
- MSU led 15-5 in second chance points and 13-2 in fastbreak points while UTPB held a slight 34-30 advantage in the paint
- UT Permian Basin shot 44.6 percent from the field with a 43.5 percentage from behind the arc with 10 three-pointers
- James McPherson led four Falcons in double figures with 16 points

STAT OF THE GAME
22 – Brandon Neel and Devante Pullum each recorded a career-high 22 points in the win over UT Permian Basin

UP NEXT 
Midwestern State hits the road next weekend for a pair of league games at Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico. The Mustangs first square off against WNMU in an 8:30 p.m. (CST) matchup Thursday in Silver City before taking on ENMU in a 5 p.m. tipoff Saturday in Portales.