Midwestern State at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
Friday, Dec. 10 – 5:30 p.m.
Stubblefield Center (Forth Smith, Ark.)
All-Time Series: Tied at 2-2
 
FORT SMITH, Ark. -- Midwestern State (4-2) looks to push their win streak to three as they head east to take on the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (2-4). The Mustangs and the Lady Lions tip-off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10. Stubblefield Center hosts the non-conference showdown.

SCOUTING THE LADY LIONS

After winning their first game of the season at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, UAFS has dropped four straight until they earned their second win on Tuesday night against Arkansas Baptist College. Forward Mar'Shalia Lollie led the Lady Lions with 14 points and nine rebounds while posting 70 percent shooting from the field. The senior ranks third in Lone Star Conference with 3.8 offensive rebounds per game after completing seven versus the Buffaloes. Lollie leads the team with 6.2 boards per game and is second with 8.8 average points.

Senior Paige Elston is the leading scorer for the Lions with 9.3 points per game. Free throws are a big part of her game as the guard posts a 15th rank in the LSC at a 71.4 percent from the line. Elston adds 5.5 average rebounds and 12 total assists on the season. Against Arkansas Baptist College, she notched five assists, six points and five boards. Guards Kalina Foster and Ashanti Eden contribute 6.8 and 6.7 scores after six games.

For the 2021 season, UAFS recorded 56.3 points per game and allowed 71.5. The team currently shoots 35 percent from the field and 26 percent from behind the arc. From the line, the Lions gain almost 60 percent. They average 34.2 boards per game with a season-high 53 rebounds accumulated versus ABC.

Head Coach Ryan McAdams is in his first season at the helm of the UAFS squad after starting in July 2021. He comes from New Mexico State where he stood as assistant women's basketball coach for four seasons. He takes over for Tari Cummings who led UAFS for three years.

SHARP SHOOTING

MSU knocks down almost half of their field goal attempts as the team shoots 42.9 percent from the floor. This puts the team fourth in the conference and 67th in Division II. Hannah Reynolds shoots a LSC fifth highest 48.1 percent while Frances King sits seventh with 45.6 percent. King is also fourth in the Lone Star with 17.8 points per game, which earns her a 63rd rank in NCAA Division II. From behind the arc, Sheridan Bostic is a beast, clinching the game at Oklahoma Christian on a long range shot with seconds to spare. The sophomore guard drained 12 of 28 attempts for a conference second-highest 42.9 percent three point shooting.

ON MY BLOCKS

Midwestern State continues their high-blocking game after posting seven against Oklahoma Christian (12/02). The team racked up a Lone Star Conference second-best 32 stops on the season, following West Texas A&M's 54. This ranks 23rd in NCAA Division II. The average of 5.3 also sits second in the conference and is 11th in DII. Reynolds owns 15 blocks to rank third in the LSC and 22nd in the NCAA. Her average of three stops per game is second for the Lone Star Conference and seventh in DII. The forward almost beat her career-high of eight blocks that accrued on Jan. 03, 2019, against Texas A&M-Commerce. She posted six stops against OC for a season-high.

HEAD COACH CHRISTOPHER REAY is in his second season at the helm of his alma mater. In the shortened COVID 2020-21 season and his first year at the reins, Reay guided the Mustangs to an 11-7 overall record while going 11-5 in Lone Star Conference play. The team finished fifth in the standings and reached the quarterfinals in the postseason tournament. In addition, Reay led MSU to a 4-6 mark over the final 10 games in 2019-20 serving in an interim role following Noel Johnson's leave of absence to continue her fight against ovarian cancer. His career coaching record stands at 19-15 (.559). Reay served as the top assistant for 10 campaigns, playing a hand in guiding MSU to three consecutive NCAA Division II South Central Regionals from 2012-15 as MSU claimed a Lone Star Conference regular and postseason tournament titles in 2012-13. Reay competed two seasons at Midwestern State in 2006-07 and 2007-08 after transferring from SMU helping MSU to an LSC postseason tournament championship and a regional semifinal appearance in 2007.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Midwestern State and UAFS have met four times in the last seven years, building to a 2-2 draw. The first meeting saw MSU take a 70-66 win over UAFS in 2014. The Lions followed up with back-to-back victories in 2015 and 2020 in Fort Smith, Ark., to push the Mustangs to a 0-2 record on the road. UAFS and Midwestern state last faced off in February of 2020. The Mustangs pulled a 75-70 home win with Hannah Reynolds scoring 12 points and adding four blocks. Shawnisay Millar posted nine points and four rebounds. The series is tied at 1-1 for Lone Star Conference play.

UP NEXT

After a two-week hiatus, Midwestern State returns to D.L. Ligon Coliseum for a two home game stretch on Monday, Dec. 13 and Thursday, Dec. 16. The Mustangs face UT Tyler and Texas A&M-Commerce in the final non-conference games against Lone Star Conference opponents. Tip-off is set for 4 and 5:30 p.m.