THE RUNDOWN
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Senior JaJuan Starks led all scorers with 14 points in his final game in a Midwestern State uniform, leading the Mustangs to a 69-68 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville in the season finale.
 
MSU Texas finishes the 2018-19 season on a positive note to cap a 9-19 season and 5-13 mark in Lone Star Conference play.
 
Junior D'Monta Harris hit four second-half 3-pointers, scoring all 12 points after the break. The Pontiac, Mich., native started a perfect 4-for-4 from long distance.
 
Junior Gilbert Thomas, Jr., added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds while junior Josh Wallace added 10 points and five boards.
 
Despite a 36-29 lead at the half, the Mustangs allowed the Javelinas to regain the lead early in the second half on a 14-4 run out of the gate. TAMUK's Robert Stevenson scored 12 of his 14 points after the break and helped the Hoggies to a 21-13 edge on the glass with eight second half rebounds.
 
MSU Texas continued to absorb the body-blows by the Javelinas with long-range shooting. Outscored 28-8 in the paint in the second half, the Maroon and Gold shot 5-of-12 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range, led by Harris going 4-of-5.
 
Leading 69-68 with 37 seconds to play, the Mustangs managed to stop the Javelinas on the defensive end to secure the win.
 
TAMUK's John Mouton missed the front end of the 1-and-1 when Thomas forced a jump ball to give possession back to the Mustangs with 27 seconds to go. After a turnover by the Maroon and Gold on the inbounds, Darius Mickens had the final shot to win it.
 
Mickens drove the right-side of the lane and launched a step-back jumper with 3 seconds remaining. Thomas forced the TAMUK guard into a tough shot attempt. After the ball bounced off the rim, it kicked out of bounds off the Javelinas to give the Mustangs the ball back with 1.8.
 
Sophomore Jared Evans heaved a football-style pass the length of the court, tipping off the fingers of junior Elijah Lee to run off the remaining time.
 
Stevenson led TAMUK with 14 points while Mouton and Mickens each added 12.
 
GAME NOTES
- Midwestern State closed the 2018-19 season with a 69-68 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville at D.L. Ligon Coliseum
- The Mustangs improved to 22-2 over the Javelinas in the last 24 meetings
- MSU Texas was outrebounded 21-13 in the second half and gave up 13 second chance points on nine offensive boards
- The Javelinas owned a 36-24 edge in the paint, including a 28-8 line in the second half
- Senior JaJuan Starks led the team with 14 points in his final game in the Maroon and Gold
- Junior Gilbert Thomas, Jr., finished with 13 points and eight rebounds
- Junior D'Monta Harris added 12 points in the second half, going 4-for-5 from beyond the arc after the break