Midwestern State vs Oklahoma Christian
MSU Texas (3-7), OC (4-6)
Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
MSU Texas leads 23-11 | MSU Texas has won the last four and six of last seven dating back to 1983 | MSU Texas is 7-3 all time against OC at Ligon Coliseum | MSU Texas won last meeting 99-66 on 12/4/15 in Wichita Falls
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM | Video (PPV) / Audio: Mustangs Digital Network | Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com
 
THE OPPONENT: Oklahoma Christian snapped a four-game slide with a 72-70 win over Maryville (Mo.) Monday night in Oklahoma City… The Eagles improved to 4-6, but are 1-4 away from their home floor at the Eagles Nest this season… OC faces its third Lone Star Conference opponent of the season Wednesday night at Midwestern State… The Eagles earned a split at the LSC/Heartland Conference Challenge in Lawton falling to Texas A&M-Commerce (89-82) on Nov. 9th before defeating Cameron (85-79) on Nov. 10th… Oklahoma Christian is one of the top rebounding teams in Division II ranking ninth with a margin of +9.8… Oklahoma State transfer Will Lienhard (6-8 forward) leads the nation with 13.7 rebounds per game… Lienhard pulled down at least 11 rebounds in nine of his 10 games this season with highs of 21 against Texas A&M-Commerce (11/9) and Southwestern Christian (12/15)… Lienhard boast four point/rebound double-doubles… Lienhard is second in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (9.3) and is fourth in offensive board per game (4.4)… Lienhard also ranks eighth in NCAA D2 blocking 2.6 shots per game with a high of six against Cameron (11/10)… Senior guard Jordan Box pours in 16.3 points per game to lead OC and is averaging 22.3 points over his last four with 12 3-pointers… Junior guard Aubrey Johnson ranks 20th in NCAA D2 knocking down 50 percent of his 3-point attempts (29-of-58) to average 13.2 points per game… Senior forward Roderick Smith averages 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds a game… Junior guard/forward Marcus Blackwell has scored in double figures in each of his last three games to raise his scoring average to 10.5 points per game… Former NAIA All-American and 1994 Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Year Cory Cole is in his third season at the helm of the OC men's basketball program with a 24-42 mark (.364)…
 
LAST TIME OUT: Senior guard JaJuan Starks ripped the nets for 25 points and seven rebounds in Midwestern State's 84-79 loss to Mid-America Christian Monday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Justin Bogle (27 points, 7 rebounds, 5-9 from 3) and Charles Beauregard (21 points, 6 rebounds, 3-7 from 3) combined for 48 points and eight of MACU's 11 3-pointers to send the Mustangs to their sixth straight loss. The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak in non-NCAA D1/D2 games for Midwestern State and was the first for the Mustangs since falling 80-74 to Oklahoma Wesleyan on New Year's Day of 2014 under the dome. The Mustangs are 64-4 against non-NCAA D1/D2 opponents since making the move to NCAA D2 prior to the 1996-97 season including a 51-2 run at Ligon Coliseum.
 
HAGGERTY GOES FOR 150TH WIN: Midwestern State boasts a 149-75 mark (.665) in Nelson Haggerty's eighth season as head coach. He has led the Mustangs to the NCAA postseason in five of his seven seasons including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2012 and four LSC championships in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016. Haggerty claimed his second LSC Coach of the Year award in 2016 sharing honors with former Cameron coach Nate Gamet. He also claimed the honor in 2012.
 
HAGGERTY'S MILESTONE WINS
First: Mid-American Christian // W, 100-63 // Ligon Coliseum // Nov. 11, 2011
50TH: Incarnate Word // W, 85-73 // Allen, Texas // March 8, 2013 (LSC Semifinals)
100TH: Adams State // W, 95-87 // Alamosa, Colo. // Nov. 21, 2015
 
TRENDS: Midwestern State has dropped six straight for the first time since suffering a six-game slide from Jan. 28-Feb. 16, 2017… MSU Texas has not lost seven consecutive games since beginning the 1988-89 campaign with eight straight defeats… The Mustangs have been out-rebounded in three of the last four games… MSU Texas has not led at the half since taking a 39-34 advantage into the break against Arkansas-Fort Smith on Nov. 21st – a span of five games… The Mustangs have surrendered at least nine 3-pointers in seven games this season including in each of the last four games… Midwestern committed a season-low 11 turnovers against Mid-America Christian…
 
PLAYER NOTES
 
#0 JAJUAN STARKS (6-5 // 215 // Junior // Guard // Fort Wayne, Ind.): Leads Mustangs and ranks seventh in the Lone Star Conference in scoring at 14.5 points per game… shoots 49.5 percent from the field… connected on 15-of-36 3-pointers (41.7 percent)… played in each of MSU Texas' 10 games including starts in the last four… team's top scorer in four games… scored in double figures seven times this season logging at least 20 three times… grabbed at least five rebounds in seven games with a high of eight against Arkansas-Fort Smith (11/21)… averaging 18.3 points per game as a starter boasting high scoring games of 26 points against Eastern New Mexico (11/29) and 25 versus Mid-America Christian (12/17)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 26 vs. Eastern New Mexico (11/29)
Assists: 4 (2 times)
Rebounds: 8 vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (11/21)
 
#1 ELIJAH LEE (5-11 // 165 // Junior // Guard // Missouri City, Texas): Played in each of MSU Texas' 10 games making nine starts at point guard… averaging 5.9 points in 24.1 minutes per game… ranks second in the Lone Star Conference averaging 4.1 assists per game… scored in double figures three times… poured in season-high of 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting three 3-pointers in 28 minutes against Adams State (11/17)… registered at least five assists four times this season…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 15 vs. Adams State (11/17)
Assists: 8 vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (11/21)
Rebounds: 5 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)
 
#2 TRAE JONES (6-4 // 165 // Redshirt Freshman // Guard // Wichita Falls, Texas):  Competed in each of Midwestern State's 10 games while making seven starts… averaging 7.7 points per game knocking down a team-high 18 3-pointers… made at least two triples in six games… ranks 10th in the Lone Star Conference with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game… scored in double figures five times… buried a season-high four triples (on eight attempts) on his way to matching a season-high of 14 points against Ouachita Baptist (11/24)… connected on three triples on eight attempts for a season-high 14 points at Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 14 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16); Ouachita Baptist (11/24)
Assists: 2 (2 times)
Rebounds: 2 (5 times)
 
#3 DARIUS THOMPSON (6-3 // 190 // Senior // Guard // Memphis, Tenn.):  Saw action in the Mustangs' first two games of the season… missed the last eight games due to injury… scored 15 points on 3-of-5 shooting with three 3-pointers to lead MSU Texas to a season opening win over Rogers State (11/9)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 15 vs. Rogers State (11/9)
Assists: 2 vs. Rogers State (11/9)
Rebounds: 3 vs. Rogers State (11/9)
 
#4 DORIAN CHATMAN (6-7 // 230 // Junior // Guard // Port Arthur, Texas): Competed in 10 games as a reserve forward… averaging 5.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game… poured in a season-high 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting with a 3-pointer against Southern Nazarene (11/23)… come on strong to grab 15 rebounds over the last two games with seven at Eastern New Mexico (11/29) and eight at West Texas A&M (12/1)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 15 vs. Southern Nazarene (11/23)
Assists: 1 (4 times)
Rebounds: 8 vs. West Texas A&M (12/1)
 
#5 JOSH WALLACE (6-3 // 195 // Junior // Guard // Queens, N.Y.):  Started all 10 games at guard… averages 10.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 31.6 minutes per game… named Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week after helping Mustangs to wins over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16) and Adams State (11/17) at the Al Kaly Shrine Classic in Pueblo… scored in double figures six times this season including in each of the last three of the last four of the last five… poured in a season-high 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting with three triples at West Texas A&M (12/1)… fired in eight of his last 13 3-point attempts over the last three games after missing 11 consecutive 3-pointers over the previous three games… posted at least five rebounds in five games… has at four assists in five games…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 19 vs. West Texas A&M (12/1)
Assists: 7 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)
Rebounds: 9 vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (11/21)
 
#10 TERRELL WILSON (5-11 // 180 // Freshman // Guard // Houston, Texas): Competed in seven games making one start at guard… averaging 5.0 points on 13-of-33 shooting (39.4 percent) in 14.9 minutes per game… used a strong performance from the charity stripe (7-of-8) to score a season-high of 13 points at West Texas A&M (12/1)… broke out with an 8-point effort on 4-of-8 shooting against Southern Nazarene (11/23)… earned first start against Mid-America Christian (12/17) scoring six points and dishing out a campaign-high four assists in 25 minutes…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 13 vs. West Texas A&M (12/1)
Assists: 4 vs. Mid-America Christian (12/17)
Rebounds: 3 vs. West Texas A&M (12/1)
 
#13 D'MONTA HARRIS (6-5 // 206 // Junior // Guard // Pontiac, Mich.): Played in 10 games making lone start of the season at West Texas A&M (12/1)… averaging 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per game… scored 10-or-more points in four games… connected on 9-of-10 shots from the field for a season-high 19 points with eight rebounds in a win over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)… buried a season-high three 3-pointers to score 11 points in 19 minutes against Ouachita Baptist (11/24)… knocked down two triples to score 10 points with seven rebounds against Eastern New Mexico (11/29)… buried three 3-pointers to finish with 13 points and seven rebounds against Mid-America Christian (12/17)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 19 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)
Assists: 3 (3 times)
Rebounds: 8 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)
 
#22 GILBERT THOMAS, JR. (6-6 // 225 // Junior // Forward // Houston, Texas):  Started each of MSU Texas' 10 games at forward… scores 7.5 points per game with a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game… ranks sixth in the Lone Star Conference pulling down 7.0 boards per game… scored in double figures in four games this season with matching season highs of 12 points against Adams State (11/17) and Eastern New Mexico (11/29)… grabbed at least seven rebounds four times with 10-or-more on three occasions… had season-high 15 rebounds against Southern Nazarene (11/23)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 12 vs. Adams State (11/17); Eastern New Mexico (11/29)
Assists: 2 (2 times)
Rebounds: 15 vs. Southern Nazarene (11/23)
 
#23 CASE CALDWELL (5-10 // 165 // Redshirt Freshman // Guard // Burkburnett, Texas): Played in five games as a reserve guard… scored first collegiate bucket at Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 2 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)
Assists: 1 vs. Eastern New Mexico (11/29)
Rebounds: 1 vs. Eastern New Mexico (11/29)
 
#25 TAYVION JOHNSON (6-6 // 196 // Freshman // Forward // Houston, Texas): Played in four games as a reserve guard… scored first collegiate bucket at Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: None
Assists: None
Rebounds: 1 vs. West Texas A&M (12/1)
 
#50 BISHOP COULTER (6-7 // 230 // Junior // Forward // Atoka, Okla.):  Played in nine games making eight starts at forward… averaging 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game… earned Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after earning Al Kaly Shrine Classic MVP honors averaging 17 points and 6.5 rebounds in wins over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16) and Adams State (11/17)… scored in double figures five times including a campaign-best 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting with seven rebounds against Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)… narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds against Arkansas-Fort Smith (11/21)… had 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds against Ouachita Baptist (11/24)…
SEASON HIGHS
Points: 21 vs. Colorado State-Pueblo (11/16)
Assists: 2 vs. Adams State (11/17)
Rebounds: 9 vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (11/21)
 
MUSTANGS ON ESPN 95.5:  Every Midwestern State men's basketball will air live on ESPN 95.5 FM beginning the pregame show 15 minutes prior to tipoff.
 
MUSTANGS DIGITAL NETWORK: All Midwestern State home games are set for broadcast on the Mustangs Digital Network both live and on demand at MSUMustangs.tv. Season passes are available for $30 while single games run $9 each.
 
FOLLOW US: Follow news, notes and photos for all Midwestern State athletic teams on MSUMustangs.com or on social media at MSUMustangs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
COMING UP NEXT… Midwestern State enjoys a 10-day break for Christmas before returning to action on Saturday, Dec. 29th against Science & Arts (Okla.) at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.