WICHITA FALLS, Texas - MSU Texas opens a four-game homestand on Thursday night against No. 3 Texas A&M-Commerce. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
Hannah Reynolds narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds, but Midwestern State could not get the defensive stops they needed down the stretch in a 68-59 loss to Texas Woman's on Saturday. On three occasions in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs closed to within one, only to see the Pioneers score on their next possession. Freshman Mandy Withey scored a career-high 10 points in the loss. 
 
PLAYOFF RACE HEATING UP
Midwestern State fell into the 12th and final playoff spot after Saturday's loss and holds just a 0.5 game lead over UT Permian Basin for the final playoff spot. UT Tyler is ineligible for the playoffs as they transition from Division III to Division II. 
 

Lone Star Conference Women's Standings
Team (Overall Record)	LSC Record
Texas A&M-Commerce (22-0)	16-0
West Texas A&M (21-4)	14-2
Lubbock Christian (19-3)	13-3
Tarleton State (17-5)	11-5
Eastern New Mexico (16-6)	10-6
St. Mary's (11-10)	10-7
Angelo State (12-8)	9-9
Cameron (10-12)	9-7
Arkansas-Fort Smith (12-10)	9-7
St. Edward's (13-9)	9-8
Oklahoma Christian (7-13)	7-9
Midwestern State (8-12)	6-10
UT Permian Basin (9-14)	6-11
Texas Woman's (7-13)	5-11
Texas A&M International (8-15)	5-12
Western New Mexico (7-14)	4-13
Texas A&M-Kingsville (4-15)	3-14
Not eligible for postseason play
UT Tyler (3-17)	1-15

SERIES HISTORY
Midwestern State holds a 43-26 edge in the all-time series but the Mustangs have dropped four straight and eight of nine. Earlier this season, Chania Wright scored 33 points to lift the Lions to a 107-70 win in Commerce. It was the most points the Mustangs had surrendered in a game since Tarleton State scored 111 against the Maroon and Gold in a 111-83 contest on February 6, 1983. The 37-point loss was the biggest margin of defeat since a 37-point setback to Angelo State during the 2016-2017 season (84-47).

WITHEY WOWS IN DENTON
Mandy Withey set a new career-high with 10 points in Saturday's loss to Texas Woman's. The freshman scored eight of her 10 points from the free throw line and recorded four rebounds, her most since recording six against St. Edward's on January 9.

REYNOLDS FLIRTS WITH DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Saturday in Denton, Hannah Reynolds scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, finishing one rebound shy of her first double-double of the season. The junior has scored in double figures in three straight games and is shooting 19-of-33 (.576) during the stretch. The nine rebounds was the most for the Prosper, Texas native since a 20-rebound night against Texas A&M-Kingsville in last season's regular season finale.

TOP 10 FOR CATHCART
MSU Texas leading scorer Elizabeth Cathcart (13.5 PPG) finds herself 10th in the Lone Star Conference in scoring and sixth in field goal percentage (.459). The senior has scored in double figures in 16 of 20 games this season. Last time out, Texas Woman's limited Cathcart to two points, her lowest output of the season. It was the fewest points the Spring Branch, Texas native has scored in a game since a two-point effort against Texas A&M-Commerce on January 3, 2019, a span of 38 games.

BREAK THE STREAK
The Mustangs have lost two games in a row and five of six since sweeping the Red River Rivalry from Cameron (January 15 & January 18). 

AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
MSU Texas is 0-2 this season against ranked foes with losses to No. 2 Lubbock Christian (67-54) and No. 8 Texas A&M-Commerce (107-70). Since the start of last season, the Mustangs are 2-5 against top 25 teams.

TOP FIVE
Thursday's game marks the first time since the 2013-2014 season that the Mustangs have squared off against two teams ranked in the top five in the country according to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Poll (WBCA). That season, the Mustangs lost to No. 4 Emporia State 77-55 and No. 5 West Texas A&M in overtime 87-77. This season, MSU Texas fell to No. 2 Lubbock Christian 67-54 and will face No. 3 Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday.

CATCHING UP WITH COACH JOHNSON
Noel Johnson is in her 12th season as the Head Coach of the Midwestern State Women's Basketball team. Last season, Johnson led MSU Texas to a 12-16 (9-11) mark and a sixth place finish in the Lone Star Conference South Division. Overall, the Mustangs have compiled a 158-164 (.491) record under Johnson's guidance. She became the winningest coach in program history on December 19, 2017 when MSU Texas beat Texas A&M-Kingsville 72-66 to land her 133rd career victory.

PLAY FOR KAY
Support the Mustangs in the 2020 Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund's mission is to extend and improve the lives of those who are battling cancer on the way to finding a cure, by raising money for research and assisting the underserved. The Midwestern State Women's Basketball team is partnering with the Kay Yow Cancer fund by joining the 2020 Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge. The Mustangs are competing against other college basketball teams around the country to see who can raise the most money for those battling cancer. You can support the Mustangs by pledging for every free throw MSU Texas makes during the month of February by going to msumustangs dot com forward slash Play4Kay.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
No. 3 Texas A&M-Commerce is one of three unbeatens remaining in NCAA Division II Women's Basketball. The Lions (22-0) are joined by No. 1 Drury (21-0) and No. 2 Ashland (21-0). The Lions have won 19 of their 22 games by double figures and their average margin of victory is 23.5, good for sixth best in all of Division II. TAMUC is also top 10 in the country in scoring defense (53.2 PPG - 7th), turnover margin (8.27 - 7th), offensive rebounds per game (17.2 - 8th), and rebound margin (11.1 - 9th). Chania Wright, who scored 33 points against the Mustangs back in January, leads the club in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Dyani Robinson (10.8 PPG) and Alexis Bryant (10.7 PPG) also average in double figures. Texas A&M-Commerce has trailed at the half just once this season, when Tarleton State took a 36-33 edge into the break on December 21st. The Lions won the game by nine (72-63).

UP NEXT
The homestand continues with a Saturday contest against UT Tyler. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.