Midwestern State at UT Permian Basin

Saturday, Jan. 15 – 2 p.m.
Falcon Dome (Odessa, Texas)
All-Time Series: MSU leads 10-4
 
ODESSA, Texas -- Midwestern State (7-6, 2-2 LSC) finishes off the weekend at UT Permian Basin (4-9, 0-1 LSC ) for their fifth Lone Star Conference game of the season. The Mustangs and the Falcons face-off on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Falcon Dome. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

UT Permian Basin has just one Lone Star Conference game under their belt due to postponement of another versus St. Mary's. In their LSC home opener, the Falcons lost 44-37 against Texas Woman's on Thursday night. Overall, UTPB is 4-9 with a seven game losing streak from Nov. 19 to Dec. 9. The Falcons then took three straight home games versus StMU, Southwest (N.M.) and Sul Ross State before back-to-back postponements. UT Permian Basin is 3-2 on their home court this season.
 
Though she was not present for the match against Texas Woman's, Alexus Wykoff still leads UTPB on offense with 13.6 points per game. The lone senior also tops the Lone Star Conference on her 67 percent shooting from the field. Wykoff also ranks third in the NCAA, going 52 of 78. She adds an 84 percent shooting from the charity stripe, ranking sixth in the LSC. She dropped 32 of 38 attempts. The forward averages 4.7 boards per game for 47 total over ten games. Wykoff turned in a season-high 20 points against Alaska Fairbanks, going seven of eight from the floor and six of seven from the line. The Magnolia, Texas, native adds ten assists and 11 steals for the Falcons. Wykoff is a transfer from Division I Florida International where she averaged 4 points and 3.2 rebounds. Prior to that, she played two years at Blinn College, a junior college in Brenham, Texas.
 
Alexus Quaadman tops UT Permian Basin on the boards, claiming 5.8 per game. The sophomore picked up five versus TWU on Thursday and added four points. Quaadman averages 6.1 points for UTPB over six starts in 13 games. The post recorded three games with ten points and grabbed 13 rebounds against Colorado Christian (11/26). She shoots about 49 percent from the field and 55 percent from the free throw line. Quaadman also leads with 11 blocks to sit 12th in the conference. Her average of 0.858 stops per game ranks 15th for the Lone Star. In the Feb. 25, 2021, match versus MSU, Quaadman clinched a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. In the win over the Mustangs, the Las Vegas, Nevada, native recorded six points and seven boards.
 
Avalon Munoz is the leading Falcon with 33 steals and 49 assists. The guard ranks fourth in the LSC for her total steals and third in the conference for 2.54 takeaways per game. The categories clinch 48th and 46th in Division II. Munoz's 49 assists take sixth in the Lone Star Conference and rank 94th in the NCAA. Her average 3.8 helpers also place sixth for the LSC and post 99th for DII. In addition, the freshman averages the second-most points for UTPB at 9.4 and rebounds with 4.8. She grabs about 2.7 offensive boards per game to sit eighth in the conference. Munoz collected a season-high 20 points and eight rebounds versus St. Edward's on Dec. 09. The San Antonio, Texas, native claimed five assists in UT Permian Basin's 2021 loss to MSU and registered five steals in the win.

BLOCK AND CHAIN

Midwestern State continues their blocking reign through 13 games in the 2021-22 season. MSU ranks 19th in Division II and second in the conference with 63 stopped shots while the average of 4.8 per game sits 16th and first respectively. Hannah Reynolds posted three blocks in the team's Thursday match. She totals 33 stops on the season to rank 9th in the NCAA and third in the LSC. The senior's 2.75 blocks per game sits seventh in the nation and first in the Lone Star. Reynolds continues her ownership of Midwestern State's all-time leading blocker with 188 career checks and a 1.8 average over 106 games. 

MUSTANG STARTING FIVE

Reynolds also holds a spot in the top three of scorers for MSU. The forward averages 10.3 points per game and collected a career-high 24 against St. Mary's on Jan. 8. She shoots about 45 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line. The graduate senior has only been to the free-throw line 17 times, but has knocked down 12 opportunities. Reynolds owns a team-best 6.5 average boards with 63 on the defensive end. She clinched five shots from the floor and six rebounds in the loss at Angelo State.

Morgan Lenahan is also a force for the Mustangs, averaging a team-leading 14.4 points per game, which is ninth best for the conference. Versus the Rambelles, the graduate senior went five of six from the line and five of seven from range to total 28 points. She added eight boards. On the season, Lenahan shoots 37 percent from the field and has a conference fourth best 86 percent free throw shooting. This ranks 45th in Division II. She is also right behind King with a LSC third highest 53 made free throws. The guard owns 6.4 average boards and leads the Mustangs with 26 steals, ranking ninth in the Lone Star. The Haddonfield, N.J., native posted a season-high 28 points and nine rebounds at Oklahoma Christian (12/02).
 
Frances King averages 12.8 points per game with a career-high 25 points posted against Texas Wesleyan (11/28). Against St. Mary's, King posted her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 16 assists on Jan. 8. The sophomore set the single game record for assists and overtook Mindy Myer's 1994 record of 13 helpers. The guard's 5.1 helpers per game ranks first in the LSC and 21st in the NCAA while her 66 total leads the conference and ranks 21st in DII. She shoots 35 percent from the floor and boasts 80 percent from the line. The Rockdale, Texas, native earns 3.5 boards per game and 18 total steals in 13 games. Versus ASU, King claimed eight points and went four of four from the charity stripe.

Shawnisay Millar and Markayla Johnson round out the starting five for MSU. Millar grabbed four boards and eight points against Angelo State. The forward averages 7.7 points per game and 4.4 rebounds. Johnson records about 3.9 average points and 2.5 boards. The sophomore registered 16 steals and 6 blocks in 12 starts for the 2021-22 season.

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 22-19 (.537). 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

MSU and UTPB have a short history, only spanning 16 years and 14 games. Midwestern State holds a 10-4 record over UT Permian Basin, going 5-4 in LSC play. However, the Mustangs are 3-3 when playing in Odessa. The last time the two teams met was in the final weekend of regular season play of the 2020-21 season. MSU took home a 61-47 home win on Feb. 25, fueled by Morgan Lenahan's 25-point performance in the ten game home win streak. Mandy Withey also had a standout performance with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Mustangs turned around to take a 74-66 loss at Falcon Dome on Feb. 27. Hannah Reynolds posted 16 points, going six of 12 from the floor. Shawnisay Millar and Frances King each followed with 13 and 12 points. Freshman Morgan Helgesen dropped 12 of 15 points in the final quarter to propel the Falcons to the victory.

UP NEXT

Midwestern State will take a break from Lone Star Conference play and face Texas Woman's in a nonconference match on Thursday, Jan. 20. Kitty Magee Arena in Denton, Texas, hosts the two teams with tip-off set for 6 p.m. Video and stats will be available online.