Midwestern State vs. Stephen F. Austin
Friday -- Jan. 8 -- 6:30 p.m.
William R. Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas
Series: SFA leads 20-17
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Midwestern State vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor
Saturday -- Jan. 9 -- 3:30 p.m.
Mayborn Campus Center | Belton, Texas
Series: MSU leads 5-1
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WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State steps outside of Lone Star Conference play for games against NCAA Division I Stephen F. Austin Friday night in Nacogdoches and versus NCAA Division III Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday afternoon in Belton.
 
Tipoff time against SFA is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday at William R. Johnson Coliseum on Friday, then the Mustangs face UMHB beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Mayborn Campus Center Saturday afternoon.
 
CROWD RESTRICTIONS
At Stephen F. Austin: Overall capacity at William R. Johnson Coliseum is limited to 2,000 per game. Fans purchasing admission must sit in the seat assigned on the ticket. All students, fans, staff and media must wear a face covering. Social distancing is required throughout the arena as well as on the concourse and entryways.
At Mary Hardin-Baylor: Admission is free of charge, but capacity is limited to 50 percent at Mayborn Campus Center. Entrance into the facility is closed once the limit is met. Spectators must wear a face covering and practice social distancing.
 
MUSTANGS AGAINST NCAA DIVISION I OPPONENTS
Midwestern State takes on its first NCAA Division I opponent since falling at SMU -- 70-61 -- on Dec. 29, 2014 at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The Mustangs are 0-9 against NCAA Division I opposition since making the move to NCAA Division III prior to the 1996-97 season. MSU has faced just one other member of the Southland Conference falling to Lamar -- 81-78 -- on Dec. 13, 2003.
 
MUSTANGS AGAINST NON-NCAA D1/D2 OPPONENTS
Midwestern State boasts a 64-6 record against opposition from outside of NCAA Division I and Division II since joining NCAA ranks prior to the 1996-97 season. The Mustangs, however, have lost the last three against NAIA opponents falling to Mid-America Christian (84-79 on 12/17/18), Science & Arts (Okla.) (77-70 on 12/29/18) and Texas Wesleyan (70-66 on 11/16/19). MSU won 48 consecutive games against non-D1/D2 foes from Nov. 25, 1997 through Dec. 3, 2013 and had won 59 of 60 games against the set of opponents before suffering the three-game slide. This is MSU's first true road game against a non-D1/D2 opponent since beating Howard Payne -- 105-75 -- on Dec. 30, 2002 in Brownwood. This is only the Mustangs' second meeting with Mary Hardin-Baylor since joining NCAA Division II. MSU defeated the Crusaders -- 84-71 -- on Nov. 22, 2002.
 
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. Overall, Leslie owns a 279-143 mark (.661) in 14 seasons as a collegiate head coach including a 13-22 record (.371) at MSU.
 
MUSTANGS TEAM NOTES
* Midwestern State opened the season with five consecutive wins for the first time since the 2011-12 squad rolled out to a 13-0 start.
* Midwestern State extended its run of games with at least one 3-pointer to 560 games dating back to the 2001-02 season. The Mustangs buried at least 10 triples on 21 occasions since the start of the Justin Leslie era. MSU buried a combined 32 3-pointers in last weekend's split with No.  9 St. Edward's. The Mustangs connected on 17 triples in Sunday's 112-105 overtime loss which ranked as the second most in a single game in program history. Behind an individual record of 10 triples by All American Nolan Richardson, the Mustangs hit 19 as a team during the 2008-09 season against East Central.
* Midwestern State tops the Lone Star Conference and is fourth in all of NCAA Division II with 72 made 3-pointers this season. The Mustangs average 12 made triples per game which is two more than their single-game program record of 10 per game set last season. The Mustangs are also attempting nearly three more 3-pointers per game (31.2) than last season's record pace of 28.6 3-point attempts per game.
* Midwestern State leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks fourth in NCAA Division II pulling down 16 offensive rebounds per game. The Mustangs grabbed at least 14 offensive caroms per game this season with a high of 21 in a season opening win at Cameron (12/11).
* Midwestern State ranks fourth in NCAA Division II and leads the LSC with a +12.5 rebound margin. The Mustangs have out-boarded opponents by a double-figure margin in four of six games this season.
 
MUSTANGS INDIVIDUAL NOTES
* Freshman Rommell Williams comes off the bench to lead Midwestern State in scoring at 13.5 points per game. He does it with efficiency averaging 1.84 points per attempt shooting 56.8 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from 3-point range (7-of-11). Williams was 6-for-6 with two triples while going 7-for-10 from charity stripe for a career high 21 points in Saturday's win over No. 9 St. Edward's.
* Sophomore Terrell Wilson poured in a career-best 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting with three 3-pointers Sunday against St. Edward's. He added eight assists, six rebounds and six steals against the Hilltoppers. Wilson is fifth in the nation with a 94.1 free throw percentage hitting 16 of his 17 charity tosses.
* Junior Derrick Ogechi scored in double figures in five of his first six games to bring his average to 12.2 points per game while pulling down 7.2 rebounds per game.
* Junior Luke Hamilton ranks third in the LSC and 23rd in NCAA Division II knocking down 51.3 percent from long range. The transfer from Mercer leads the league with 20 made triples on 39 attempts. He sports averages of 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
* Freshman Pierre Sanders boasts the top assist-to-turnover ratio in the LSC ranking 14th in NCAA D2 with 3.62 assists for each turnover. He ranks fifth in the league with 4.8 assists per game and is one five Mustangs averaging in double figures at 11.2 points per game.
 
ABOUT THE LUMBERJACKS
Stephen F. Austin (4-2) is the overwhelming favorite to repeat as Southland Conference champions. The Lumberjacks rolled to a 28-3 record last season including a win at No. 1 Duke. Senior forward Gavin Kensmil (13.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg this season) returns as a 2020-21 preseason first-team all-conference performer, while senior guard Roti Ware (11.2 ppg) was named to the second team. Senior guard Cameron Johnson leads the way scoring 14.8 points per game. Stephen F. Austin is 4-0 on its home floor this season with both of its losses coming on the road to No. 2 Baylor and at Louisiana Monroe. The Lumberjacks have suffered through seven cancellations and a postponement this season. Kyle Keller boasts a 32-42 record (.432) in his sixth season at the helm in Nacogdoches. The Lumberjacks vacated 60 wins from 2016-19 due to NCAA sanctions.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Stephen F. Austin meet for the 38th time on the hardwood Friday night at William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Lumberjacks lead the overall series by a 20-17 margin and have won the last two meetings. Friday's matchup is the first meeting between the programs since 1984. MSU's last win over SFA was a 59-46 victory on Dec. 18, 1983 in Wichita Falls. Midwestern's last victory in Nacogdoches came on Dec. 11, 1982 -- 72-67. Overall, MSU is 5-13 all time in games played against the Lumberjacks in Nacogdoches.
 
ABOUT THE CRUSADERS
Mary Hardin-Baylor (3-2) entered the 2020-21 season as the favorite to win the American Southwest Conference West Division title. The Crusaders battled to a 15-11 mark last season. Two-time American Southwest Conference Player of the Week Josiah Johnson is the top scorer in NCAA Division III tallying 30.2 points per game. The sophomore from Big Sandy is coming off of back-to-back 30-point efforts going for 39 at LeTourneau (12/31) and 38 at East Texas Baptist (1/2). Johnson is joined in double figures by senior forward Aedan Welch (12.0 ppg), sophomore guard Kyle Wright (11.0 ppg) and junior guard Carson Hammond (10.8 ppg). Clif Carroll is in his first season at the helm of UMHB after posting an 18-32 record in two seasons at McMurry (2013-15) and a 78-57 mark (.578) in five campaigns at Sul Ross State (2015-20).
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Mary Hardin-Baylor meet for the seventh time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon at Mayborn Campus Center. The Mustangs lead the series which dates back to the 1979-80 season by a 5-1 margin. It is MSU's first trip to Belton since beating the Crusaders 99-63 in the first meeting between the programs on Nov. 16, 1979. UMHB's only victory in the series came by a 104-86 count on a neutral floor in Georgetown on Jan. 14, 1989. Midwestern State won the last meeting against The Cru -- 84-71 -- on Nov. 22, 2002 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
NEXT UP
Midwestern State is scheduled to play UT Tyler for a pair of games on Jan. 15-16 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.