THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS – MSU Texas guards Brandon Neel, Logan Hicks and Devante Pullum combined for 64 of Midwestern State's 80 points as the Mustangs utilized a monster second half to get by Cameron, 80-72.
 
MSU, which clinched a berth in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament last weekend, can finish the regular season as high as the No. 6 seed if Eastern New Mexico takes care of business on the road against Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
Neel finished with a game-high 27, marking the 20^th-consecutive game the senior has scored in double-figures and 11^th-game with at least 20 points. Hicks added a season-high 20, including 13 in the second half, hitting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc after the intermission. Pullum seemed to find his rhythm late in the game, tacking on 17 points in the win.
 
Trailing 43-36 with 16:07 to play, the Mustangs mounted a 13-2 run over the next two minutes to take the lead. Hicks drained a pair of threes, sandwiched around a triple from Neel during the stretch to push the lead to four, up 49-45.
 
An ensuing 12-4 run by the Aggies over a five minute span saw the Aggies up six with 7:27 to play. The Maroon and Gold answered with a superb defensive effort over the next five minutes, holding the Aggies without a field goal during a 12-2 run by MSU, capped off by a Neel tip-in with 2:56 to play gave the Mustangs the lead for good.
 
Cameron pulled within five on a Tyus Momoh three with 24 seconds to go, but Pullum finished off a three-point play to put the game on ice.
 
Tyler Williams led the Aggies with 15 points, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Cameron moves to 11-16 overall and 7-11 in LSC play.

NOTES
- Midwestern State improved to 11-17 on the season and 7-11 in Lone Star Conference play with an 80-72 win over Cameron on Tuesday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. MSU snapped a three-game slide to the Aggies with the win.
- The Mustangs can enter the LSC Tournament next weekend as high as the No. 6 seed if Eastern New Mexico defeats Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville on the road this weekend.
- The 17 fouls by the Maroon and Gold were the second-fewest committed this season, one-off the 16 fouls against Angelo State on Feb. 3.
- MSU had a season-high 10 blocks, the most since the Mustangs had 16 on Feb. 20, 2016 against Angelo State.
- The Mustangs held the Aggies to 36.9 percent shooting for the game and limited Cameron to 28.9 percent in the second half.
- MSU did the majority of its damage in transition, outscoring Cameron 25-2 on the fast-break.
- Senior guard Brandon Neel erupted for 27 points, connecting on 3-of-9 shots from beyond the arc and 8-of-10 from the free throw line to pace the offense. The Cincinnati native scored in double-figures for the 20^th-consecutive game and had his 11^th 20-point game this season.
- Sophomore guard Logan Hicks recorded a season-high 20 points on four made three pointers. The Temple native went a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe and handed out three assists.
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State is back in action at the Lone Star Conference tournament beginning Thursday, March 1.