Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M International
Game 1: Friday, Dec. 18 -- 6 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, Dec. 19 -- 4 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Series: Series tied, 1-1
Listen | Watch | Live Stats (Friday) | Live Stats (Saturday)
 
WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State hopes to continue its best start to a season since 2016 with a pair of Lone Star Conference games against Texas A&M International Friday and Saturday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs began the 2016-17 campaign with four victories.
 
FAMILY PASS LIST ONLY
Attendance is permitted for essential personnel and to a limited number of player family members. There will be no walk-up or single-game ticket sales.
 
EVENT COVERAGE
The game streams live on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network. A video stream is available at the cost of $10 for a daily pass at LoneStarConferenceNetwork/msu. A complimentary audio stream is also available at the same site.
 
HOME OPENERS
Midwestern State owns a 60-14 record (.811) in home openers since becoming a four-year institution prior to the open of the 1946-47 campaign.  The Mustangs had a 10-game winning streak in home premiers snapped in a 75-64 loss to No. 7 West Texas A&M last season.
 
ALL ABOARD WITH COACH LESLIE
Justin Leslie started his second season at the helm of the Midwestern State men's basketball program with a sweep of Cameron last weekend in Lawton. The Mustangs battled to an 8-21 mark in 2019-20 but closed the regular season by winning four out of five games to qualify for the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament. Prior to MSU, Leslie posted a 266-121 overall record (.687) at Azusa Pacific leading the Cougars to nine 20-win campaigns, two Pacific West Conference titles and an NCAA Division II Elite appearance in 2015.
 
MUSTANGS TEAM NOTES
* Midwestern State claimed two wins from the start of the season for the first time since 2016 with a sweep of Cameron last weekend in Lawton. The Mustangs began the 2016-17 campaign with four straight victories. Don't look now, but MSU has won six of their last seven regular season games after closing the 2019-20 season by earning victories in four of the last five to qualify for the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament.
* Midwestern State is the top offensive rebounding club in NCAA Division II after the opening weekend of the season. The Mustangs collected 17.5 offensive caroms per game after gathering 21 o-boards in Friday's 98-75 win and 14 on Saturday.
* Midwestern State also leads all of NCAA Division II with 11.0 steals per game including 15 thefts in the season opener on Friday. The total was the most for an MSU squad since the Mustangs had 19 steals in a 96-72 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God on Nov. 21, 2017.
* Midwestern State extended its run of games with at least one 3-pointer to 556 games dating back to the 2001-02 season. After connecting on 12 and 11 triples against Cameron last weekend, the Mustangs have now buried at least 10 triples on 19 occasions since the start of the Justin Leslie era at the beginning of last season.
* Midwestern State also rank at the top of the Lone Star Conference in team field goal percentage defense (.405) and blocked shots per game (3.5).
 
MUSTANGS INDIVIDUAL NOTES
* Midwestern State freshmen guards Rommell Williams and Pierre Sanders enjoyed great starts to their collegiate careers. Williams leads the Mustangs' attack scoring 13.5 points per game, while leading the LSC (5th in NCAA D2) with 3.5 steals per game including a six on Friday. Sanders averages 11.5 points, 7.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game. The Hutto High grad leads the LSC (4th in NCAA D2) in assists and is fifth in the league chasing down three offensive boards per game.
* Junior forward Jermane Carter snagged seven offensive rebounds in the season opener to power his way to the top of the LSC and fourth nationally grabbing five o-boards per game. He is shooting 70 percent from the field, while averaging 8.0 points and 6.5 rebounds. Carter also leads the league with two blocked shots per game.
* Junior forward Jalin Brown leads the squad with 7.5 rebounds per game including a high of nine boards in Saturday's win at Cameron.
* Junior guard Derrick Ogechi buried multiple three in both games last weekend going 4-of-9 from the arc in Friday's opener then knocking down 2-of-7 on Saturday. The 6-3 guard sports an all-round line of 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.0 minutes per game.
* Junior sharpshooting Luke Hamilton paced the Mustangs with 14 points including a pair of clutch triples late in Saturday's game to seal a 75-70 win over Cameron. The 6-8 forward is second in the LSC and seventh in NCAA Division II knocking down 60 percent (6-of-10) from the arc.
 
ABOUT THE DUSTDEVILS
Texas A&M International was picked 15th in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll of coaches, sports information directors and selected media under first-year coach Mac McConnell. The Dustdevils replaced a pair of postponed home games originally slated against Oklahoma Christian by hitting the road to face No. 15 St. Edward's, which deemed the risk too high for a previously arranged two-game set at West Texas A&M last weekend. TAMIU fell in the opening 87-59, then forced overtime before falling to 15th-ranked Hilltoppers, 81-78. Texas A&M Internationally also hit the floor for a pair of exhibition games against Division I opponents falling to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi -- 64-53 -- on Nov. 25 and to UTRGV -- 89-51 -- Monday night in Edinburg. The Dustdevils are led by a trio of transfer junior guards. Daniel Kiely (Arizona Western) averaged 16.5 points per game, while Jamyus Jones and Darrell Jones -- both out of Lamar State-Port Arthur -- average 11.5 and 11.0 points, respectively.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Texas A&M International meet for the third and fourth times on the hardwood Friday and Saturday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Dustdevils claimed a 70-66 overtime win on Nov. 17, 2007 on the floor of St. Edward's Recreation and Convocation Center before the Mustangs rolled to a 99-58 win last season at D.L. Ligon Coliseum (2/1/20).
 
UP NEXT
Following the Christmas break, Midwestern State continues its eight-game home stand with a possible two-game set against St. Edward's on Jan. 2-3 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.