WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State takes on Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday night inside D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

THE RACE FOR THE POSTSEASON
The top 12 finishing teams in the overall league standings advance to the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament set for March 3-8 culminating with the final three rounds at Comerica Center in Frisco. The division winners are guaranteed a spot in the field, but the seeding is set by the order of finish counting all conference games. Midwestern State enters Thursday's game in 15th place in the LSC. The Mustangs sit 2.0 games in back of Arkansas-Fort Smith and Eastern New Mexico for the final playoff spot with four games to go.
 

Lone Star Conference Men's Standings
Team (Overall Record)	LSC Record
West Texas A&M (25-1)	17-1
St. Edward's (23-2)	17-2
Texas A&M-Kingsville (18-6)	14-4
Angelo State (16-6)	12-6
Lubbock Christian (15-8)	12-6
Dallas Baptist (17-7)	11-6
Tarleton State (15-9)	11-7
Texas A&M-Commerce (15-9)	11-7
Oklahoma Christian (9-13)	8-10
UT Permian Basin (15-13)	8-11
St. Mary's (12-13)	8-11
Eastern New Mexico (7-16)	7-11
Arkansas-Fort Smith (11-13)	7-11
Cameron (7-17)	6-12
Midwestern State (5-19)	5-13
Western New Mexico (6-19)	5-14
Texas A&M International (3-21)	1-17
Not eligible for postseason play
UT Tyler (7-16)	4-14

  
LAST TIME OUT
Midwestern State shot 55.3 percent from the field and buried 12 3-pointers on the way to a 68-65 win over UT Tyler on Saturday. Senior guard D'monta Harris drilled a team-high four 3-pointers to lead the way with 16 points, while fellow senior Darius Thompson knocked down two 3-pointers to net 13 points. Elijah Lee completed an all-around performance with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. The senior guard also got in on the long ball accuracy, knocking down both of his attempts from beyond the arc. Sophomore Trae Jones connected on three 3-pointers to score 10 points. 
 
YOU HAVE TO LEAD TO WIN…
Midwestern State has held an advantage in all 24 games this season and has led after halftime in 15 contests. The Mustangs have led for a combined 335 minutes this season or 34.5 percent of all games. Further, MSU has held leads in the final five minutes or overtime in 13 games and in the final minute of regulation or overtime on 10 occasions. The Mustangs held the lead for more than half of the game in five of six games from Dec. 9 (vs. Angelo State) to Jan. 2 (at UT Tyler).
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Arkansas-Fort Smith meet for the seventh time on the hardwood on Thursday night and for the second time this season. The Lions came away with a 66-62 win in Fort Smith on January 25 and have won four straight meetings after dropping the first two. Midwestern State's last win in the series came in 2016, when the Mustangs took down the 23rd ranked Lions, 83-80.
 
ABOUT THE LIONS
Arkansas-Fort Smith (11-13, 7-11) secured their biggest win of the season to date with an 83-82 victory last Saturday over Angelo State. Brian Halums poured in 45 points and leads the Lone Star Conference in scoring at 28.0 ppg. Halums, a transfer from Ole Miss, ranks second in all of Division II in scoring and has scored 20 or more points in a game 17 times, 30 or more points eight times, and 40 or more points three times. Matthew Wilson provides the Lions with a secondary scoring option, as the transfer from Delta State averages 16.5 PPG, good for seventh in the LSC. The Lions sit 52nd in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 69.6 PPG.
 
DEFENDING THE ARC
Midwestern State ranks among the best in defending the 3-point arc. The Mustangs rank third in the LSC and 27th in NCAA Division II limiting the opposition to 32.0 percent shooting from deep. Only 10 of MSU's 23 opponents have shot greater than 32.1 percent. The Mustangs also rank in the top half of the conference in defensive rebounds per game (25.83 / 4th), free throw percentage (74.6 / 4th) and 3-point field goals per game (10.0 / 5th).
 
TRENDS
Midwestern State held leads in each of its 23 games this season including double-digit second half advantages against Colorado State-Pueblo, Central Missouri, UT Permian Basin, Angelo State, UT Tyler, Cameron, Texas A&M International, and UT Tyler. The opposition has outscored the Mustangs 18.3-10.7 in points off of turnovers per game this season and 11.5-9.0 in second-chance points. Midwestern posted a season-high 22 points off of turnovers against Texas A&M International (2/1). The Mustangs had a campaign-best 14 second-chance points against Central Missouri and matched it against St. Mary's, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International.
 
RAINING 3s
Midwestern State connected on at least seven 3-pointers in all but one game this season. The Mustangs rank fifth in the Lone Star Conference and 42nd in NCAA Division II averaging 10.0 made triples per game while connecting on 35.2 percent from beyond the arc as a team. MSU drilled at least 10 3-pointers on 14 occasions as a team including a season-high 15 treys at Texas A&M International (2/1). The Mustangs have attempted at least 30 3-pointers 10 times this season. As a program, Midwestern State has made at least one 3-pointer in 549 consecutive games dating back to the 2001-02 season.
 
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.  Currently, Leslie boasts a 270-140 record (.659) as a collegiate head coach.
 
HARRIS SETS SINGLE-GAME MARK FOR MARKSMANSHIP
Senior guard D'monta Harris connected on eight of his nine 3-point attempts at Central Oklahoma (11/20). The 88.9-percent accuracy is the best in a single game in program history (with at least seven makes) and is the fifth best in NCAA Division II this season. North Georgia sophomore Josh Cottrell nailed all seven his 3-point attempts against Erskine (11/9). The feat was matched by Kutztown junior Tarojae Brake on Nov. 23 against Clarion and again by Westminster's Jai Jai Ely against Chadron State on Jan. 10. Saint Michael's senior Jordan Guzman was 9-for-10 from the arc against Caldwell (11/8). NCAA single-game shooting percentage is based on seven made 3-pointers.
 
HARRIS RIPS NETS FOR 36
Senior guard D'monta Harris connected on 13-of-15 shots including 8-of-9 from the arc for a career-high 36 points on Nov. 20 at Central Oklahoma. It is one of six 20-point performances this season for the Pontiac, Mich. native. Harris ripped the nets for 20 points against Texas Wesleyan with four 3-pointers in the game prior to his outbreak at UCO. He scored at least 20 points in three consecutive outings going for six 3s and 22 points at Arkansas-Fort Smith (1/25), 22 points and three 3-pointers against Texas A&M-Kingsville and six treys and 26 points in just 25 minutes against Texas A&M International (2/1). Harris has connected on multiple 3-pointers in 14 games this season. He ranks third in the LSC in 3-point percentage (39.2), seventh with 2.58 3-point makes per game and leads MSU in scoring at 15.5 points per game.
 
DARING DARIUS
Senior guard Darius Thompson ranks second on the Mustangs in scoring at 14.1 points per game logging double figures in 15 of his 20 games. The Memphis, Tenn. native poured in a season-high 23 points on the strength of four 3-pointers against St. Mary's (Texas) (1/11) while adding six rebounds and four assists. Thompson boasts three double-doubles this season going for 21 points with 11 rebounds against Texas Wesleyan (11/16), then added a second double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds against Central Missouri (11/26). He garnered his third double-double of the campaign going for 10 points and 10 assists at UT Permian Basin (12/5). Thompson then matched a then season-high with 21 points against Texas A&M-Commerce (1/4) scoring the final eight points as the Mustangs mounted a 14-4 run in the last 58 seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Thompson has hit a 3-pointer in in 18 of 20 games this season and is shooting 43.8 percent from the field. He has a knack for blocking shots with 16 in his 20 games.
 
TRAE BALL
Sophomore guard Trae Jones has connected on multiple 3-pointers in 14 games this season. He enjoyed a career game knocking down six 3-pointers on his way to a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds against Texas A&M-Commerce (2/13). Jones buried six triples to finish with a collegiate-high 19 points against Cameron (1/19), then connected on 5-of-10 from beyond the arc to score 15 at Dallas Baptist (2/8). Jones drained four triples to finish with 18 points at Western New Mexico (12/14), then buried four more treys to notch 14 points against No. 7 St. Edward's (1/9). He also made four 3-pointers to book 14 points at Tarleton State (2/6). Jones, who has tallied in double figures 10 times this season, averages 8.5 points per game.
 
BROWN ERUPTS FOR DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Sophomore forward Jalin Brown set career highs with 21 points and 12 rebounds against Western New Mexico (12/14). The Denton native shot 6-of-8 from the field hitting a pair of 3-pointers and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe while dishing out four assists against WNMU. Brown added his second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds while leading the Mustangs to a 59-44 win at UT Tyler (1/2). Brown averages 6.2 rebounds per game – the 14th most in the Lone Star Conference this season.
 
McBUCKETS MAKING AN IMPACT
Evan McCarthy brings a scoring punch for the Mustangs scoring 7.1 points per game in his true freshman campaign. The Mansfield native has scored in double figures in seven games this season. He drilled four triples while going 5-for-6 from the field for a campaign-best 19 points against Angelo State (12/19) to ignite a four-game run of scoring in double digits going for 10 points against Lubbock Christian (12/21), 13 at UT Tyler (1/2) and 11 at Texas A&M-Commerce (1/4). McCarthy enjoyed a breakout against No. 7 West Texas A&M (11/14) canning three triples to finish with 14 points. He was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field – all 3-pointers – on his way to 12 points against Texas A&M International (2/1). For the season, McCarthy is shooting 39 percent from the field and 39 percent from the arc (30-of-77).
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State wraps up their homestand on Saturday afternoon against Oklahoma Christian. Tipoff from D.L. Ligon Coliseum is set for 4:00 p.m.