THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – JaJuan Starks and Gilbert Thomas, Jr., recorded double-doubles and Josh Wallace dropped 18 points as Midwestern State avoided a 0-5 start in Lone Star Conference play with a 73-65 win over UT Permian Basin on Thursday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
The Mustangs snapped a three-game skid with 19 points from Starks, 18 points from Wallace and 13 from Thomas to overcome an 11 point deficit and improve to 5-10 on the season and 1-4 in LSC action.
 
Despite being held without a field goal for the final eight minutes of action, the Maroon and Gold connected on each of its final eight free throws and went 15-of-20 from the charity stripe in the second half.
 
MSU Texas tightened its defense in the second half, holding the Falcons to 10-of-34 shooting (29.4 percent) and 2-of-10 from 3-point range.
 
The Mustangs weren't hurting after the break offensively until the final cold spurt. MSU Texas started 13-of-17 from the floor in the second half and hit seven of its first eight shots to trim the gap to three, down 47-44 with 16:06 to play.
 
Wallace (11 second half points), Starks (11) and Thomas (9) did the majority of their damage after the break, combining for 31 of the team's 44 points.
 
Wallace went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the second half and made his final six attempts. The Queens, N.Y., product scored six of his 18 points in the final two minutes of regulation. He matched a season-high with seven assists and nine rebounds in the win.
 
Thomas came up big on the boards for the Mustangs, recording a career-best 16 rebounds and adding 13 points for his second double-double of the year.
 
Starks poured in 19 on 7-of-13 shooting with 11 boards for his 11^th game with at least 10 points this season.
 
Kyree Elder led the Falcons with 20 points and hitting on a flurry of 3-pointers.
 
GAME NOTES
- Midwestern State snapped a three-game slide and four-game Lone Star Conference losing streak with a 73-65 victory over UT Permian Basin
- The Mustangs claimed their first victory over the Falcons since an 80-73 win on Jan. 7, 2017
- UTPB leads the all-time series 6-4
- The Maroon and Gold won the rebound battle for the third time in the last nine games, matching a season-best +16 on the glass (vs. Colo. St.-Pueblo, 11/16/18)
- MSU Texas shot 52.0 percent in the second half while limiting UTPB to 29.4 percent from the floor
-  Senior JaJuan Starks scored in double figures for the 11^th time this season and grabbed at least 10 rebounds for the second time
- Junior Josh Wallace added 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists
- Wallace matched a season-best with nine boards and seven dimes
- The Queens, N.Y., native went 12-of-15 from the free throw line, including 9-of-10 in the second half and a perfect 6-for-6 in the final two minutes
- Junior Gilbert Thomas, Jr., notched his second double-double of the year with 13 points and a season-best 16 rebounds
 
UP NEXT
MSU Texas returns to the court on Saturday, Jan. 12, against Western New Mexico. Tipoff at D.L. Ligon Coliseum is set for 4 p.m.