MIDWESTERN STATE (4-7)
at TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE (8-1)

Friday, Dec. 31 -- 4 p.m.
A&M-Commerce Field House (Commerce, Texas)
All-Time Series | MSU leads 55-40

COMMERCE, Texas -- Midwestern State faces Texas A&M-Commerce in its Lone Star Conference opener Friday afternoon at the A&M-Commerce Field House. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.

The game is available via streaming video on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network. A free audio stream featuring the Voice of the Mustangs -- Pete Stein -- can also be heard at MSUMustangs.com/streaming.

GOING TO THE GAME? All fans will be permitted into the game free of charge as part of Texas A&M-Commerce's Fan Appreciation Day.

THREE... DOT... THOUGHTS...

Midwestern State dropped to 4-7 overall and 2-3 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum with a 73-48 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce on Dec. 16... The Mustangs are also 2-3 in true road games this season... Midwestern State's 48-point output were the fewest scored since the Mustangs fell to No. 25 Tarleton State -- 49-47 -- on Feb. 21, 2011... The Mustangs rank 17th in the LSC in scoring offense averaging 68.5 points per game... MSU has scored 64-or-fewer points in five of the last six games... Midwestern State ranks 17th in team field goal percentage (38.9 percent) and 17th in team 3-point field goal percentage (25.8 percent)... MSU has shot less than 24 percent from 3-point range in each of the last six games and are a cumulative 31-of-167 in those games (18.6 percent)... The Mustangs lead in the LSC and seventh in NCAA Division II pulling down 14.9 offensive rebounds per game resulting in an average of 11.6 second-chance points per game... 

MSU TRENDSETTERS

Jermane Carter // Senior Forward // Lenape, N.J.

ranks sixth in the LSC in scoring at 16.5 points per game... leads the LSC and ranks 12th in NCAA Division II pulling down 3.9 offensive rebounds per game... rates sixth in the LSC in field goal percentage at 49.6... scored in double figures in nine of 11 games this season...  erupted for career-high 28 points while completing his second collegiate double-double with 10 rebounds against No. 3 West Texas A&M (11/22)... went for 22 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes against Northern State (11/16)... scored 21 of his game-high 22 points in the second half going 12-for-16 from the free throw line with six rebounds at Oklahoma Christian (12/2)... narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds in a win over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/13)... 10 of his 11 rebounds against Colorado State-Pueblo came on the offensive end of the floor... had another near double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds at  Cameron (11/30)... 

Terrell Wilson // Junior // Guard // Houston, Texas

averages 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 27.4 minutes per game... scored in double figures seven times this season and in five of his last six games...  went for a season-high 21 points with five assists and two steals in a win over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/13)... led team in scoring four times including his 21 points against Colorado State-Pueblo, 16 versus Minnesota-Crookston (11/27), 14 points against Central Oklahoma (11/20) and 18 against UT Tyler (12/13)... scored 500th career point against Minnesota-Crookston... 

Jordan Teal // Freshman // Guard // Austin, Texas

averages 8.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22 minutes per game... moved into a starting role for the last three games... scored in double figures four times this season including a campaign-best 19 points going 7-for-11 from the floor with three 3-pointers in 23 minutes at Cameron (11/30)... tallied a team-high 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting against Texas A&M-Commerce (12/16)... scored 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting with two 3-pointers at West Texas A&M (11/22)... connected on 6-of-13 shots tallying 14 points against UT Tyler (12/13)...

HEAD COACH JUSTIN LESLIE is in his third 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. MSU also closed the 2020-21 regular season with four straight wins advancing the LSC Postseason Tournament for the second straight year with an 11-8 overall record. 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, seven postseason tournament appearance and an NCAA Division II Elite Eight showing in 2015. Overall, Leslie owns a 289-157 mark (.648) in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach including a 23-36 record (.390) at MSU.

SCOUTING THE LIONS

Texas A&M-Commerce (8-1) bounced back from its lone loss of the season against Seattle Pacific with non-conference victories over Midwestern State and Arkansas-Fort Smith heading into the Christmas Break... The Lions' 8-1 start is the best since Texas A&M-Commerce rolled off 10 consecutive wins to begin the 2017-18 season... Texas A&M-Commerce leads NCAA Division II blocking 6.9 shots per game... Tarleton transfer Clashon Gaffney tops the nation individually swatting 4.0 shots per game... The 6-9 senior from Clarksville, Texas has been credited with at least four blocked shots in seven home games and has just one blocked shot in A&M-Commerce's two road games at Oklahoma Christian and Midwestern State... Senior transfer (Northwestern State) Jairus Roberson comes off of the bench to lead the Lions in scoring at 13.4 points per game... Roberson shoots 43.8 percent from the arc hitting 3.6 3-pointers per game... Senior transfer (UIW) Augustine Ene averages 10.9 points per game shooting 41.8 percent from the arc averaging 2.6 3-pointers per game... Junior transfer (Central Michigan) Demarcus Demonia averages 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game... Senior transfer (Young Harris) Alphonso Willis adds 12.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game...

HEAD COACH JARET VON ROSENBERG sports a 79-38 record (.675) in his fifth season at the helm of the Texas A&M-Commerce men's basketball program. He led the Lions to 20-win seasons in his first two campaigns advancing to the NCAA Division II South Central Region semifinals in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce meet for the 96th time on the hardwood Friday night at A&M-Commerce Field House. The Mustangs lead the series which dates back to the 1947-48 season by a 55-40 margin. The Lions, however, have won the last seven and nine of the last 10. The seven consecutive wins over MSU are the longest winning streak of the series for Texas A&M-Commerce. MSU owns the longest winning run of the series winning 10 straight over the Lions from Jan. 7, 2006 to Feb. 29, 2012. Midwestern State is 19-24 all-time against the Lions in Commerce, but Texas A&M-Commerce has won the last four meeting at A&M-C Field House -- including two in overtime. MSU's last win in Commerce was an 84-69 victory on Jan. 16, 2016. The series is the second longest for the Mustangs against any program, but will likely come to a close with Texas A&M-Commerce's departure to the Southland Conference following the season. Midwestern State has only played Wayland Baptist more facing the Pioneers 103 times.

UP NEXT

Midwestern State takes on UT Tyler Sunday afternoon at the Louise Herrington Patriot Center in Tyler. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.