Midwestern State vs. Cameron
Friday, Dec. 11 -- 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 12 -- 5 p.m.
Aggie Gym | Lawton, Okla.
Series: MSU leads, 50-30
Listen | Watch | Live Stats (Friday) | Live Stats (Saturday)
 
LAWTON, Okla. -- Midwestern State opens the 2020-21 season with the Red River Rivalry featuring a two-game set against Cameron Friday and Saturday at Aggie Gym.
 
NO FANS PERMITTED
No admittance to Aggie Gym will be permitted for fans and other guests according to a statement released by Cameron University President John McArthur.
 
EVENT COVERAGE
Both games stream live via pay per view on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network. The cost is $10 for a day pass. A free audio stream is also available on the Mustangs Digital Network.
 
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 have dropped two of their last three regular season openers including 69-61 setback last season at UC Colorado Springs. MSU's last win in a season opener came by an 80-75 count against Rogers State on Nov. 9, 2018. It's the first time the Mustangs started consecutive seasons on the road since playing four straight from 1992-95 against Southwestern Oklahoma (L, 76-69 on 11/10/92), LSU-Shreveport (W, 85-75 on 11/8/93), Wayland Baptist (W, 108-74 on 11/18/94) and Texas Wesleyan (L, 89-76 on 11/21/95). Overall, MSU is 13-15 when starting the season on the road. It's the latest start to a season in program history by three days. MSU beat McMurry (46-37) to begin the 1946-47 season on Dec. 7.
 
ALL ABOARD WITH COACH LESLIE
Justin Leslie begins his second season at the helm of the Midwestern State men's basketball program. 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.
 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State returns two starters and 37.5 percent of its scoring from last season (763 of 2,037 points. Junior guard Trae Jones started 29 games and is the top returning scorer at 8.9 points per game connecting at 38 percent from the arc hitting a total of 68 3-pointers. Junior forward Jalin Brown started 25 times while averaging 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Evan McCarthy started twice and scored 6.0 points per game. Other returners include senior Kadevon Barnes, junior John Weger and sophomores Derrick Herrick and Drake Dusek.
 
MSU NEWCOMERS
Midwestern State added a trio of junior transfers in forwards Jermane Carter (New Mexico Military) and Luke Hamilton (Mercer) as well as Derrick Ogechi (Midland College). The trio is joined by a quartet of true freshmen including guards Rommell Williams (Mayde Creek HS) and Pierre Sanders (Hutto HS) and forwards Amaechi Chukwu (Denton Guyer HS) and Travis Massey (Grandview HS).
 
RAINING 3s
Midwestern State connected on at least seven 3-pointers in all but two games last season. The Mustangs ranked fourth in the Lone Star Conference and 42nd in NCAA Division II averaging 10.0 made triples per game while connecting on 35.1 percent from beyond the arc as a team. MSU drilled at least 10 3-pointers on 17 occasions as a team including a season-high 15 treys at Texas A&M International (2/1) and against Oklahoma Christian (2/22). The Mustangs attempted at least 30 3-pointers 11 times last season. As a program, Midwestern State has made at least one 3-pointer in 554 consecutive games dating back to the 2001-02 season.
 
ABOUT THE AGGIES
Cameron is picked to finish 13th in the 2020-21 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll after posting an 9-19 mark finishing second head of Midwestern State in the division with a 6-4 record. Junior Kendall Scott, an All-LSC honorable mention performer last season, returns to lead the Aggies after averaging 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds a game a season ago. The Houston native shot 49.6 percent from the field. Brock Schreiner, a junior guard from Choctaw, Okla., added 11.0 points per game. Andrew Brown sports a 46-68 record (.404) entering his fifth season at the helm in Lawton. He sports an overall collegiate coaching mark of 165-180 (.478) including an eight-year run at Northwestern Oklahoma State.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Cameron meet for the 81st and 82nd time on the hardwood this weekend at Aggie Gym in Lawton. The Mustangs own a 50-30 edge in the series which dates back to the 1968-69 season. The Mustangs and Aggies have split the last three season series with the teams claiming victories on the home floors in 2017-18 and 2018-19, but the road won both times last season. Overall, the Aggies are 23-16 against MSU in games played in Lawton.
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State opens the home slate with a pair of games against Texas A&M International on Dec. 18 and 19 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. No fans are permitted.