Midwestern State (2-5) vs. UT Tyler (6-4)
Non-Conference Game
Weds. Dec. 19 | 5:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Watch: Mustangs Digital Network | Listen: ESPN 95.5
Series History: First Meeting | Last Meeting: First Meeting
 
Scouting the Patriots: UT Tyler enters the midweek matchup with a 6-4 record…the Patriots have won six of seven since opening the season 0-3 with wins over Texas College, Texas Lutheran, Ozarks, McMurry, Hardin-Simmons and Concordia…UTT averages 70.2 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting while giving up 64.3 points on 35.9 percent from the field…the Patriots rank 20^th in NCAA DIII and lead the American Southwest Conference with a +11.0 rebounding margin…junior guard Carissa Spiker powers the offense, averaging 18.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game…Spiker has four games this season with at least 20 points, including a season-high of 27 against Texas Lutheran on Nov. 28…junior guard Shadazia Birchette anchors the Patriots defensively with 7.2 rebounds per game.
 
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Fresh off an upset of 21^st-ranked St. Mary's on Saturday, Midwestern State continues non-conference play over the holiday break against UT Tyler on Wednesday at 5:30 in D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
Storylines
Year 11 of Noel Johnson Era
The Noel Johnson era enters its 11th season in 2018-19 after becoming the winningest coach in program history on Dec. 19, 2017 in a 72-66 win at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
Overall, the Mustangs have posted a 141-143 (.496) record under Johnson's guidance with three-straight NCAA Division II South Central Regional berths from 2013-15 and a regional title game appearance during a historic run in 2012-13.
 
Getting Defensive
MSU Texas held the Rattlers to 35 points and 23.3 percent shooting from the field. The 35 points were the fewest the Mustangs have allowed since holding Hillsdale Baptist to 26 on Nov. 10, 2010 while the 10 blocks from the Maroon and Gold were the second-most in program history.
 
Sultans of Swat
MSU Texas leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks ninth nationally with 5.4 blocks per game. Defensively, the Maroon and Gold are holding opponents to 36.9 percent shooting from the floor this season. Sophomore Hannah Reynolds sits at No. 12 in program history with 46 blocks, including 14 rejections this season, and is two away from matching Trish Young and Lindy Lombard for 10^th on the all-time list.
 
Model of Efficiency
The Mustangs offense has limited turnovers and maximized possessions for a 0.92 assist/turnover ratio, the third best in the LSC. Mica Schneider (24) and Chelcie Kizart (21) boast 45 of the team's 103 dimes on the season, coming off 170 made field goals. MSU Texas' 112 turnovers rank as the second fewest in the LSC and 31^st fewest nationally.
 
Balanced Offense
The Mustangs 42.1 shooting percentage ranks as the third-highest in the LSC. Four players are averaging at least 8.0 points per game (Hannah Reynolds – 10.0; Liz Cathcart – 9.4; Kityana Diaz – 8.3; Mica Schneider – 8.1) while four more average better than 5.0 points per game (Chelcie Kizart – 7.9; Erin Alexander – 7.7; Annette Dukes – 7.2; Courtney Kerr – 5.0).
 
Player Notes
#2 Chelcie Kizart (7.9 PPG / 3.0 APG / 4.4 RPG)
Scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds in season opener against Oklahoma Christian, shooting 55.6 percent from the floor (11/9)...dropped a career-high 17 against Dallas Christian, going 4-of-5 from 3-point range (11/17)…has four games with at least four assists and three outings with at least five rebounds…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 17 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 4 at Eastern New Mexico (11/29) / [5, three times, last at Western New Mexico (2/17/18)]
Rebounds: 8 vs. Oklahoma Christian (11/9) / [same]
Steals: 3 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [4, twice, last at Western New Mexico (2/17/18)]
Blocks: 1, twice, last at West Texas A&M (12/1) / [same]
 
#3 Annette Dukes (7.2 PPG / 0.5 APG / 4.0 RPG)
Scored her first career double-double in the win over Dallas Christian, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds on 77.8 percent shooting (11/17)…made MSU Texas debut against Newman with six points and five rebounds in 10 minutes against Newman (11/10)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 17 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 1, three times, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Rebounds: 10 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Steals: 2 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Blocks: 0
 
#4 Mica Schneider (8.1 PPG / 3.4 APG / 4.1 RPG)
Handed out a career-high five assists against Newman (11/10)…scored six points and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Texas Wesleyan (11/16)…scored career-best 10 points in win over Dallas Christian (11/17)…matched career-high with 10 point outing at West Texas A&M (12/1)…added nine points and seven rebounds in upset of 21^st-ranked St. Mary's (12/15)…scored at least nine points in each of the last four games, averaging 9.5 PPG and shooting 44.1 percent over that stretch…distributed at least three assists in six of seven games this season
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 10, twice, last at West Texas A&M (12/1) / [same]
Assists: 5 vs. Newman (11/10) / [same]
Rebounds: 7, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Steals: 3 vs. Newman (11/10) / [same]
Blocks: 0 / [3 vs. UT Permian Basin (2/8/18)]
 
#11 Hannah Reynolds (10.0 PPG / 0.3 APG / 5.6 RPG)
Leads the team with 10.0 points per game…leads the Lone Star Conference with 14 blocks and averages 2.0 blocks per game while ranking 55^th and 33^rd nationally…scored at least 10 points in four of first five games, dropping 13 on three separate occasions…scored 13 in the season-opener against Oklahoma Christian, shooting 60.0 percent from the floor and added nine rebounds (11/9)…broke through for double-digit boards against Texas Wesleyan with 11 (11/16)…scored 13 points in back-to-back games against Dallas Christian and at Eastern New Mexico (11/29)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 13, three times, last at Eastern New Mexico (11/29) / [same]
Assists: 1, twice, last vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16) / [5 vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/15/17)]
Rebounds: 11 vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16) / [same]
Steals: 1, three times, last vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16) / [3 at Western New Mexico (2/17/18)
Blocks: 4 vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16 / [same]
 
#14 Kityana Diaz (8.3 PPG / 1.6 APG / 3.9 RPG)
Scored in double figures for the first time in her career with 12 points against Newman (11/10)…scored a career-best 14 points, going 8-of-11 from the free throw line while adding four assists in the win over Dallas Christian (11/17)…added 11 points and six rebounds at Eastern New Mexico (11/29)…shot 50.0 percent in three-straight games and better than 40.0 percent in five-straight outings…matched a season-high with six rebounds in the win over St. Mary's (12/15)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 14 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 4 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Rebounds: 6, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Steals: 3, twice, last at West Texas A&M (12/1) / [same]
Blocks: 1, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
 
#15 Haevyn Risley (3.6 PPG / 0.7 APG / 1.8 RPG)
Grabbed three rebounds in her MSU Texas debut against Oklahoma Christian (11/9)…made three-straight starts against Eastern New Mexico, West Texas A&M and St. Mary's (12/15)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 7 vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Assists: 2, twice, last at West Texas A&M (12/1) / [same]
Rebounds: 3 vs. Oklahoma Christian (11/9) / [same]
Steals: 1, three times, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Blocks: 1, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
 
#24 Courtney Kerr (5.0 PPG / 0.7 APG / 0.9 RPG)
Scored a career-high 12 points against Newman, going 5-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-3 from 3-point range (11/10)…scored 11 points and pulled down three rebounds in her first career start against Dallas Christian (11/17)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 12 vs. Newman (11/10) / [same]
Assists: 2, twice, last vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [4 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville (12/19/16)]
Rebounds: 3 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Steals: 1, five times, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [2 vs. Angelo State (2/3/18)]
Blocks: 1, twice, last at West Texas A&M (12/1) / [same]
 
#25 Anni Scholl (4.1 PPG / 1.9 APG / 3.0 RPG)
Scored a career-best 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting with five rebounds and four assists against Dallas Christian (11/17)…knocked down three 3-pointers, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and grabbed five rebounds against St. Mary's (12/15)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 11 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 4 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Rebounds: 5, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [6 vs. Texas Wesleyan (12/31/16)]
Steals: 2 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Blocks: 1 vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [3 vs. Newman (11/20/16)]
 
#32 Erin Alexander (7.7 PPG / 1.4 APG / 7.5 RPG)
Started five games at forward…made her MSU Texas debut against Oklahoma Christian, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds in 34 minutes (11/9)…recorded her first career double-double against Dallas Christian with 11 points and 11 rebounds…produced a season-high 12 rebounds against St. Mary's (12/15)…tallied three blocks against St. Mary's (12/15)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 11 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 3, twice, last at Eastern New Mexico (11/29) / [same]
Rebounds: 11 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Steals: 2, twice, last at Eastern New Mexico (11/29) / [same]
Blocks: 3 vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
 
#43 Liz Cathcart (9.4 PPG / 1.0 APG / 2.7 RPG)
Scored 14 points in the season opener against Oklahoma Christian, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line (11/9)…scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting (72.7 percent) in her first start of the season against Texas Wesleyan (11/16)…followed up with a 14 point outing against Dallas Christian, picking up a career-best four steals in the process…posted double-figures in her third-straight game with 10 points and five rebounds at Eastern New Mexico (11/29)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 18 vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16) / [same]
Assists: 3, twice, last vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [6 vs. Texas A&M International (11/12/16)]
Rebounds: 5 at Eastern New Mexico (11/29) / [9, twice, last at Western New Mexico (1/12/17)]
Steals: 4 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Blocks: 2 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [3 vs. Cameron (2/20/18)]
 
Mustangs on ESPN 95.5
Midwestern State women's basketball airs 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.
 
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Up Next
MSU Texas returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 29, at Henderson State. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia, Ark.