COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Midwestern State opens its 74th season competing as a four-year collegiate basketball program Friday night against UC Colorado Springs at Gallogly Events Center. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. (Central Time).
 
SEASON OPENERS
Midwestern State is 51-22 all-time in season openers since becoming a four-year institution prior to the 1946-47 season. The Mustangs won seven of their last eight lid lifters including an 80-75 win over Rogers State (Okla.) last season at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. MSU opens the season with a true road game for the first time since beating Southwestern Oklahoma State 68-60 in 2013. It's just the fourth time that Midwestern State opens with a true road game since making the jump to NCAA Division II in 1997. MSU lost to Central Arkansas (79-63) in 2004, beat Oklahoma Panhandle State (83-63) in 2006 and lost at St. Edward's (79-76) in 2007 before beating Southwestern Oklahoma in 2013.
 
OPENING ACTS
Midwestern State begins the Justin Leslie era Friday night against UC Colorado Springs. He becomes the 10th head men's basketball coach since Midwestern State became a four-year institution in 1947. Seven of the nine previous coaches claimed wins in their debut.
 

Coach	Year	Opponent	Result
Red Rutledge	1946	McMurry	W, 46-37
Paul Brotherton	1949	East Texas Baptist	L, 52-45
Dallas Clynch	1952	Oklahoma Baptist	L, 49-45
Dennis Vinzant	1956	Texas Wesleyan	W, 86-76
Gerald Stockton	1970	McMurry	W, 91-90
Jeff Ray	1994	Wayland Baptist	W, 108-74
Greg Giddings	2000	West Texas A&M	W, 76-79
Grant McCasland	2009	Trinity	W, 63-52
Nelson Haggerty	2011	Mid-America Christian	W, 100-63

 
SERIES HISTORY
Midwestern State and UC Colorado Springs meet for the first time on the hardwood Friday night Gallogly Center in Colorado Springs.
 
ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
UC Colorado Springs was picked sixth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Poll after logging a 17-12 record last season. The Mountain Lions return four starters this season including second-team All-RMAC performers Padiet Wang (12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Blend Avdili (12.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) as well as DaRaun Clark (10.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Ed Bourke (4.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg). Jeff Culver begins his eighth season at the helm at UCCS as his tenure highlighted by consecutive NCAA D2 South Central Regional appearances in 2015 and 2016 fueled by future NBA draft selection Derrick White. The Mountain Lions have won their last 11 games at Gallogly Center dating back to an 87-82 loss to Colorado School of Mines on Dec. 1, 2018.
 
WHOSE BACK? YOUR BACK
Midwestern State returns four players off of last year's 9-19 squad including senior guard D'monta Harris (7.5 ppg in 28 games), senior guard Darius Thompson (7.5 ppg in two games), sophomore guard Trae Jones (5.4 ppg in 27 games/8 starts) and senior guard Elijah Lee (3.9 ppg, 4.1 apg in 28 games/27 starts). Senior forward Ola Ayodele averaged 4.2 points and 4.7 points per game in 2017-18 before sitting out last season due to injury.
 
ALL ABOARD WITH COACH LESLIE
Justin Leslie makes the move to Wichita Falls following a highly successful run at Azusa Pacific. He led his alma mater to an average of 22 wins per season in his 12 season at the helm including nine 20-win campaigns, two Pacific West Conference titles and an NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance in 2015. Overall, Leslie boasts a 266-121 record (.687) as a collegiate head coach.
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State closes its Colorado road swing Saturday at Colorado State-Pueblo. Tipoff at Massari Arena is set for 8:30 p.m. (Central Time).