Midwestern State (3-8, 0-4 LSC) vs. UT Permian Basin (3-9, 0-4 LSC)
Lone Star Conference Game
Thurs. Jan. 10 | 5:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Watch: Mustangs Digital Network | Listen: ESPN 95.5
Series Notes: MSU Texas leads 7-2 overall and 5-1 at home | Mustangs are 2-2 against the Falcons since UTPB joined the LSC | MSU Texas won first five meetings before the Falcons took the first matchup as league foes | the road team won both meetings in 2016-17 while the home team won the 2017-18 edition
First Meeting: Mustangs won 81-62 in Wichita Falls on Nov. 17, 2006
Last Meeting: Mustangs won 72-67 in Wichita Falls on Feb. 8, 2018
 
Scouting the Falcons: UT Permian Basin enters Thursday night's contest after dropping a pair of home contests to No. 3 West Texas A&M (69-33) and Eastern New Mexico (61-55)…The Falcons picked up wins against Arlington Baptist on Dec. 14 (87-57) and Texas A&M International on Dec. 29 (87-44) to bookend the holiday break and snap a six-game losing streak…UTPB averages 54.6 points per game on 35.7 percent shooting while giving up 63.3 points per game and allowing opponents to shoot 40.9 percent…in league play, the Falcons average a league low 42.5 points per game…the Falcons have forced opponents into 232 turnovers on the season, the third most in the LSC…senior forward Khali Pippins-Tryon leads the team and ranks 20^th in the LSC with 10.6 points per game…Pippins-Tryon has scored in double-figures in all but four games for the Falcons this season…sophomore Juliette Akinwole tops the team with 6.0 rebounds per game, good for the 17^th-most in the LSC
 
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State continues a four-game homestand on Thursday welcoming UT Permian Basin to D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
 
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 142-146 (.493) 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.
 
Sultans of Swat
MSU Texas leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks fourth nationally with 5.8 blocks per game. Defensively, the Maroon and Gold are holding opponents to 36.7 percent shooting from the floor this season. The Mustangs boast three of the top 11 single game team blocking performances (10 - vs. St. Mary's, 12/15/18; 9 - vs. UT Tyler, 12/19/18; 9 - vs. Texas A&M-Commerce, 1/3/19) while the 5.8 blocks per game would shatter the previous team record of 4.3 set in the 2014-15 season. MSU Texas has at least five blocks in nine of 11 games this season.

Reynolds Breaks Blocks Record
Sophomore forward Hannah Reynolds broke the MSU Texas single-game record with eight blocks against Texas A&M-Commerce on Jan. 3. Reynolds performance was the best in the Lone Star Conference this season, passing Texas Woman's London Archer's previous high of six against Texas Wesleyan on Dec. 8. Furthermore, the effort matches the eighth-best NCAA DII performance this season. The Prosper native's 59 career blocks rank sixth all-time. She needs 16 more to match Jel-ani Armstrong's (2002-04) fifth-place mark of 75. Additionally, Reynolds' 27 rejections this season are the 15th most in single season history and two away from Armstrong's 14^th-place mark of 29 set in the 2002-03 season.
 
Model of Efficiency
The Mustangs offense has limited turnovers and maximized possessions for a 0.97 assist/turnover ratio, the fourth best in the LSC. Mica Schneider (44) and Chelcie Kizart (32) boast 76 of the team's 178 dimes on the season, coming off 282 made field goals. The 16.2 assists per game from MSU Texas currently ranks as the fifth-best in program history, trailing the all-time record of 18.8 set by the 1996-97 squad.
 
Hit the Freebies
Midwestern State averages 21.0 trips to the charity stripe every game, converting on 68.8 percent. After shooting 70.0 percent or better in four of the first five games, MSU Texas hasn't eclipsed that mark since Nov. 17 against Dallas Christian. The Maroon and Gold are coming off their worst free throw performance of the season against Tarleton State, going 17-of-33 (51.5 percent) while the 16 missed FT equaled the total missed in the previous three games.
 
Battle of the Boards
The Mustangs have held an advantage in rebounds in six games this season, posting a 3-3 record. In games that the opponent pulls down the same or more rebounds, the Maroon and Gold are 0-5. Additionally, MSU Texas is 3-1 when holding a +8 advantage on the glass. The Mustangs have been outrebounded in three of the four Lone Star Conference games this season (tied Eastern New Mexico, 39-39).
 
Snapping the Slide
MSU Texas aims to avoid on 0-5 start to league play for the third time in program history. Previously the Mustangs opened LSC action with a 0-6 record in 2016-17 and started 0-10 in the 2009-10 season.
 
Player Notes
#2 Chelcie Kizart (9.5 PPG / 2.9 APG / 4.2 RPG)
Started 10 games at point guard and averages 27.3 minutes…shooting 42.3 percent from the floor, 44.2 percent from 3-point range and 66.7 percent at the free throw line…28^th leading scorer in the LSC and second on the team…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)…set a personal high with five assists in the win over UT Tyler coming off the bench (12/19)…matched a career best with 17 points in a loss to Henderson State (12/29)…matched a career best with 17 points against Tarleton State, connecting on four 3-pointers and going 6-of-9 from the floor (1/5)…scored her 200^th career point and grabbed career rebound No. 100 in the loss to Tarleton State (1/5)…has five games with at least 10 points and five games with at least four assists…averaging 13.3 points in the last three games, scoring 17 twice, while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from beyond the arc…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 17, thrice, last vs. Tarleton State (1/5) / [same]
Assists: 5 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Rebounds: 8 vs. Oklahoma Christian (11/9) / [same]
Steals: 3, twice, last at Henderson State (12/29) / [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 (6.2 PPG / 0.4 APG / 3.6 RPG)
Appeared in 10 games off the bench, averaging 13.2 minutes…shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and 60.9 percent from the free throw line…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)…came off the bench for eight points against West Texas A&M (12/1)…scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in 15 minutes of action against UT Tyler (12/19)...averaging 4.0 points per game in the last three outings, going 4-for-17 (23.5 percent) from the field (1/5)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 17 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 1, four times, last vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Rebounds: 10 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Steals: 2 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Blocks: 0
 
#4 Mica Schneider (8.7 PPG / 4.0 APG / 3.2 RPG)
Appeared in 11 games while making six starts and averaging 24.8 minutes…shooting 37.5 percent from the floor, 22.7 percent from 3-point land and 70.0 percent from the free throw line…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)…recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 12 assists in a win over UT Tyler, good for the second-most assists in team history and most assist in the LSC this season (12/19)…scored in double figures for the fourth time this season with 10 points on 50.0 percent shooting against Tarleton State (1/5)…scored at least eight points in each of the last eight outings…needs six assists for 100 in her career…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 12 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Assists: 12 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Rebounds: 7, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Steals: 3, twice, last at Henderson State (11/10) / [same]
Blocks: 2 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [3 vs. UT Permian Basin (2/8/18)]
 
#11 Hannah Reynolds (11.9 PPG / 1.0 APG / 6.0 RPG)
Appeared in all 11 games while making nine starts and averaging 25.6 minutes…shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 55.2 percent from the free throw line…leads the team with 11.9 points per game and ranks 17^th in the LSC…top shot-blocker in the LSC with 27 blocks and averaging 2.5 per game to rank 27^th and 20^th nationally…scored in double figures in each of the last four games and eight times on the season…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)…added a career-best 19 points in the win over UT Tyler, going 9-of-16 from the floor with six rebounds (12/19)...broke the single game block record with eight rejections against Texas A&M-Commerce and turned in her best all-around performance with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and eight blocks while shooting 63.6 percent from the floor (1/3)...poured in 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the loss to Tarleton State (1/5)…averaging 15.3 points, 2.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks over the last four games…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 19 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Assists: 5 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (1/3) / [same]
Rebounds: 11 vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16) / [same]
Steals: 2 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [3 at Western New Mexico (2/17/18)
Blocks: 8 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (1/3) / [same]
 
#14 Kityana Diaz (8.6 PPG / 1.6 APG / 3.4 RPG)
Appeared in all 11 games while making nine starts and averaging 18.5 minutes…shooting 49.3 percent from the floor, 21.1 percent from 3-point range and 75.0 percent from the free throw line…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)…matched a season-high with six rebounds in the win over St. Mary's (12/15)…continued to improve her career totals, going for a high of 15 points against UT Tyler on 7-of-7 shooting with a rebound and two assists along with three steals (12/19)…averaging 9.3 points on 65.2 percent (15-of-23) shooting in the last four games…whistled for at least two fouls in all 11 games, four games with four fouls and fouling out of four contests…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 15 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Assists: 4 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Rebounds: 6, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Steals: 3, thrice, last vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Blocks: 1, four times, last vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (1/3/19) / [same]
 
#15 Haevyn Risley (2.6 PPG / 1.7 APG / 2.8 RPG)
Appeared in nine games and making five starts…averages 17.1 minutes…shooting 24.2 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from the free throw line…grabbed three rebounds in her MSU Texas debut against Oklahoma Christian (11/9)…made four-straight starts against Eastern New Mexico, West Texas A&M, St. Mary's and UT Tyler (12/19)…pulled down six rebounds in the win over UT Tyler (12/29)…matched a season-high with six boards against A&M-Commerce (1/3)...set a season-best with four assists against Tarleton State (1/5)…shooting 2-for-18 (11.1 percent) over the last four games…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 7 vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
Assists: 4 vs. Tarleton State (1/5) / [same]
Rebounds: 6, twice, last vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (1/3) / [same]
Steals: 1, six times, last vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (1/3) / [same]
Blocks: 1, twice, last vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
 
#24 Courtney Kerr (4.1 PPG / 0.8 APG / 1.1 RPG)
Appeared in 11 games and made two starts while averaging 17.5 minutes…shooting 36.2 percent from the floor, 23.5 percent from 3-point range and 77.8 percent from the free throw line…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)…matched a career best with three rebounds against Henderson State (12/29)…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 12 vs. Newman (11/10) / [same]
Assists: 2, thrice, last at Henderson State (12/29) / [4 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville (12/19/16)]
Rebounds: 3, twice, last vs. Henderson State (12/29) / [same]
Steals: 1, seven times, last at Henderson State (12/29) / [2 vs. Angelo State (2/3/18)]
Blocks: 1, thrice, last vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
 
#25 Anni Scholl (3.5 PPG / 1.5 APG / 3.9 RPG)
Appeared in 11 games while making her lone start of the season against UT Tyler…averages 16.4 minutes…shooting 24.4 percent from the field, 20.7 percent from beyond the arc and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line…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)…set a new career-best with seven rebounds against UT Tyler (12/19)…shot 0-14 from the field in each of the last three games, including 0-10 from 3-point range, with five rebounds in each game (1/5)...has made 12 straight free throws dating back to Jan. 25, 2018 against Texas A&M-Commerce…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 11 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Assists: 4 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Rebounds: 7 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Steals: 2, twice, last vs. Tarleton State (1/5) / [same]
Blocks: 1, three times, last vs. Henderson State (12/29) / [3 vs. Newman (11/20/16)]
 
#32 Erin Alexander (7.5 PPG / 1.4 APG / 6.5 RPG)
Started six games at forward and appeared in 10 outings…averages 24.1 minutes…shooting 52.1 percent from the floor, 50.0 percent (2-of-4) from 3-point range and 76.7 percent from the free throw line…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 and three blocks against St. Mary's (12/15)…named Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week for helping hold St. Mary's and UT Tyler to 35.5 points and 19.5 shooting from the floor (12/19)…added 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting against Tarleton State with two blocks and two steals (1/5)…has grabbed at least five rebounds in all but one game this season…shot better than 50.0 percent in seven games…
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: 4 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Blocks: 3 vs. St. Mary's (12/15) / [same]
 
#43 Liz Cathcart (8.7 PPG / 1.3 APG / 3.9 RPG)
Appeared in all 11 games, making seven starts and averaging 21.2 minutes…shooting 42.5 percent from the floor and 87.1 percent from the free throw line…third leading scorer on the team…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)…went for 16 against UT Tyler on 6-of-10 shooting with 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the year (12/19)…collected her 200th career rebound against Texas A&M-Commerce (1/3)...shooting 5-of-21 (23.8 percent) from the field in the last three games, averaging 4.7 points…
Season Highs / [Career Highs]
Points: 18 vs. Texas Wesleyan (11/16) / [same]
Assists: 3, thrice, last vs. UT Tyler (12/29) / [6 vs. Texas A&M International (11/12/16)]
Rebounds: 11 vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [same]
Steals: 4 vs. Dallas Christian (11/17) / [same]
Blocks: 2, twice, last vs. UT Tyler (12/19) / [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, Jan. 12 against Western New Mexico. Tipoff at D.L. Ligon Coliseum is set for 2 p.m.