MIDWESTERN STATE (11-14, 7-6 LSC)
at TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (12-10, 4-7 LSC)

Saturday, Feb. 19 -- 3 p.m.
TAMIU Kinesiology & Convocation Building (Laredo, Texas)
All-Time Series | MSU leads 3-1

LAREDO, Texas -- Midwestern State has its sights set on its fifth straight and seventh win in the last eight games Saturday afternoon against Texas A&M International. Tipoff at TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building is set for 4 p.m.

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

All video streams on the LSC Digital Network are also available on Over-The-Top (OTT) apps on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku by searching "LSC Digital Network."

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

Texas A&M-Kingsville snapped Midwestern State's season-best three-game winning streak 59-58 Thursday night at Steinke Center... The loss dropped the Mustangs into a three-way tie for eighth place in the Lone Star Conference standings at 7-6 with Angelo State and UT Permian Basin... With four league losses, MSU is just one game back in the loss column from fourth place with West Texas A&M (9-5), St. Mary's (8-5), UT Tyler (6-5) and Arkansas-Fort Smith (6-5) all with five losses... Midwestern State is one of nine LSC teams currently set to play all 16 league games this season... In all, seven games have been missed due to COVID protocols or inclement weather with Texas A&M-Kingsville failing to reschedule three games; Lubbock  Christian, St. Mary's, Arkansas-Fort Smith and Eastern New Mexico are short two games; and Texas A&M-Commerce, UT Tyler and Western New Mexico are short one game...  Midwestern State must now win all three remaining regular season games and one game in the LSC Postseason Tournament to secure a .500-or-better record for the second consecutive season... The Mustangs have not posted back-to-back .500-or-better seasons since going 24-6 in 2015-16 and 14-14 in 2016-17... MSU is 1-3 in games decided by two-or-fewer points this season claiming a 63-62 win at UAFS (12/10) before falling 69-68 at UT Tyler (1/2), 75-73 at Angelo State (1/13) and 59-58 at Texas A&M-Kingsville (2/17)... In those four games, the Mustangs led into the final minute against UAFS, UT Tyler and Texas A&M-Kingsville and were within a point with 35 seconds to play against Angelo State... Each of Midwestern State's last seven wins have been by double digits... The Mustangs are 4-9 in road games this season including three losses by two-or-fewer points... Midwestern State leads the Lone Star Conference in scoring defense (62.9 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.391) and is eighth in 3-point percentage defense (.330) during league play... The defensive run pulled the Mustangs to fourth in the league and 62nd in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (.423) for the season... MSU has limited the opposition to less the 40-percent shooting in each of the last four games and in eight of the last 12 after not achieving the feat over the first 13 games... MSU has limited the opposition to less than a point per field goal attempt four times this season... Midwestern State has shot 40 percent or better in 12 of its last 14 games after shooting less than 40 percent in seven its first 11 games... Midwestern State has shot better than 50 percent from the field four times this season... The Mustangs have connected on 10 3-pointers in four of their last seven games after managing 10 3-pointers just three times in the first 18 games of the season... Midwestern State ranks 14th in the LSC in team field goal percentage (42.2 percent) and 17th in team 3-point field goal percentage (30.8 percent)... MSU stands second in the LSC and 24th in NCAA Division II pulling down 12.7 offensive rebounds per game resulting in 285 second chance points in 25 games (11.4 per game)... 

MSU TRENDSETTERS

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

ranks 14th in the LSC in scoring at 14.7 points per game... leads the LSC and ranks 18th in NCAA Division II pulling down 3.4 offensive rebounds per game... is ninth in overall rebounds per game in the LSC collecting 6.1 caroms per game... rates fourth in the LSC in field goal percentage at 49.1... scored in double figures in 18 of 25 games this season...  booked 20-or-more points in six games... earned LSC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the week preceding Jan. 31 after averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds in wins over No. 12 West Texas A&M and Cameron... 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 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting with a season-high four 3-pointers while pulling down seven rebounds in a 100-90 overtime win against No. 12 West Texas A&M (1/27)... scored 19 points and pulled down eight rebounds while shooting 7-for-10 from the floor with three 3-pointers in a win over Cameron (1/29)... scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting with a season-best three dunks at Dallas Baptist (1/22)... connected on 9-of-18 shots with a 3-pointer to finish with 23 points and seven rebounds at Angelo State (1/13)... poured in a team-high 20 points on 11-of-18 shooting with a career-best four 3-pointers (on five attempts) in a 60-50 win over St. Edward's (1/6)... recorded his third career double-double and second of the season going for 17 points and 12 rebounds against Texas A&M-Commerce (12/31)... 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)... scored his 500th career point against Lubbock Christian (2/3)...

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

ranks 21st in the Lone Star Conference in scoring with 13.0 points per game while averaging 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 28.2 minutes over 25 games this season... scored in double figures 18 times this season and in eight of his last nine games...  scored 20-or-more points three times... connected on at least two 3-pointers in 12 games... made at least three steals in each of his last four games and eight times this season... has 102 steals through 69 games for an average of 1.5 steals per game to put him fifth on MSU's all-time list.... needs nine steals to tie former All American Tony Forch (111 steals from 1978-80) for 15th place on the all-time list...  poured in a career-high 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting going 6-of-6 from the arc at UT Tyler (1/2)... booked 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting with three 3-pointers against Dallas Baptist (1/22)... went for 21 points with five assists and two steals in a win over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/13)... scored game-high 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting with four assists and three steals in a 75-61 win over Dallas Baptist (2/8)... narrowly missed a double-double finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds while hitting three 3-pointers in a 100-90 overtime win against No. 17 West Texas A&M (1/27)... connected on 7-of-9 shots from the field including a 3-pointer for a team-high 17 points in a win at UT Permian Basin (1/15)... scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half against Texas A&M-Commerce (12/31)... scored his 700th career point at Lubbock Christian (2/3)...

Pierre Sanders // Sophomore // Guard // Hutto, Texas

averages 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 29.5 minutes over 20 games... scored in double figures nine times... missed five games due to injury from the Nov. 30 game at Cameron through the Dec. 16 game against Texas A&M-Commerce... poured in a career high 21 points and threatened a triple double by matching career bests with nine rebounds and eight assists in a 100-90 overtime win over No. 12 West Texas A&M (1/27)... matched a career high with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting burying three 3-pointers in a 71-49 win over Eastern New Mexico (2/5)... went for game-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting with two 3-pointers and two steals in a 75-61 win over Dallas Baptist (2/8)... poured in 17 points hitting four 3-pointers in a win at UT Permian Basin (1/15)... splashed in a season-high 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting with seven rebounds at Northern State (11/26)... finished with 13 points and nine rebounds in a win over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/13)... buried a season-high three 3-pointers and went 5-for-9 from the field to finish with 15 points and seven rebounds against St. Mary's (1/8)... buried a season-high three 3-pointers to finish with 11 points and five assists against Cameron (1/29)... 

Amaechi Chukwu // Sophomore // Forward // Denton, Texas

averages 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 19.2 minutes over 24 games... averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in 20.3 minutes shooting 32-of-44 from the field (72.7 percent) scoring in double figures in five of six games from Jan. 13-Feb. 3... scored in double figures seven times... ranks 10th in the Lone Star Conference averaging 2.1 offensive rebounds per game... set a career-high with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting and narrowly missed first collegiate double-double with nine rebounds against Cameron (1/29)... scored in double digits for the first time against Angelo State (1/13) then extended the run to three straight games with at least 10 points against UT Permian Basin (1/15) and Dallas Baptist (1/22)... went for 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds at Angelo State (1/13)... led MSU with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and went 4-of-5 from the free throw line to finish with 16 points and five rebounds at Texas A&M-Kingsville (2/17)... scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting with five rebounds versus No. 1 Lubbock Christian (2/3).... notched first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 5-of-7 from the field with a 3-pointer at UT Permian Basin (1/15)...  added second double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in a 75-61 win over Dallas Baptist (2/8)... scored 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with six rebounds before fouling out in 28 minutes at Dallas Baptist (1/22)... 

Jalin Brown // Senior // Forward // Denton, Texas

averages 5.7 points and ranks 11th in the Lone Star Conference pulling down 6.1 rebounds in 22.4 minutes over 25 starts... grabbed at least seven rebounds in 11 games this season including a high of 15 rebounds against St. Edward's (1/6)... pulled down 9.5 rebounds over a six-game stretch from Dec. 13 against UT Tyler through Jan. 8 against St. Mary's... shooting 42.1 percent from the arc for the season (16-of-38)... connected on two 3-pointers in consecutive games going 2-for-2 at Texas A&M-Commerce (12/31) and 2-for-3 against UT Tyler (1/2)... accounted for a season-high 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting with two 3-pointers in a 69-50 win over Western New Mexico (2/10)... scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a win over Colorado State-Pueblo (11/13)... booked 10 points with five rebounds and three steals in a 100-90 overtime win against No. 12 West Texas A&M (1/27)... scored 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting with five rebounds at No. 1 Lubbock Christian (2/3)... scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 75-61 win over Dallas Baptist (2/8)...

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 296-164 mark (.643) in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach including a 30-43 record (.411) at MSU.

SCOUTING THE DUSTDEVILS

Texas A&M International misfired on three 3-point attempts in the final minute of a 54-53 loss to DBU Thursday night in Laredo... The Dustdevils have six of the last seven and nine of their last 11... TAMIU is 4-7 on its home floor this season and have lost the last six games played at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building... Texas A&M International enters play Saturday 13th in the LSC standings at 4-8 -- two games in the loss column behind Texas A&M-Kingsville (4-6)... The Dustdevils gave up a home to reschedule a game postponed due to COVID protocol at Lubbock Christian, while the Javelinas failed to reschedule any of three postponed games including one against LCU... Senior Greg Bowie II leads a trio of Dustdevils averaging double figures at 15.6 points per game... Bowie has scored in double figures 18 times including seven games with at least 20 including a high of 33 at Lubbock Christian (2/8)... Junior Jermaine Drewey scores 11.8 points per game shooting 36 percent from the arc (40-for-111)... Junior La-Quiem Walker pitches in 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game... 

HEAD COACH MAC McCONNELL has compiled a 26-64 record (.289) in four seasons as a collegiate head coach and is 13-25 (.342) in two seasons at Texas A&M International. He has led an 11-game turnaround for the Dustdevils by posting a 12-11 record after suffering through a 1-14 campaign in 2020-21. McConnell was 13-39 (.250) at East Central (Okla.) from 2011-13. The Tarleton State alum served as associated head coach at his alma mater for three seasons from 2017-20 and earned his first head coaching duty at Ranger College. He has also served on coaching staffs at several different stops including Wiley, Angelo State, McNeese State, Montana-Missoula and Hill College.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Midwestern State and Texas A&M International meet for the fifth time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon in Laredo. The Mustangs own a 3-1 edge in the series that dates back to the 2007-08 season. This meeting marks the first time the programs play in the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building. MSU has won the last three games against the Dustdevils -- all played in Wichita Falls. Texas A&M International's only win against MSU was a 70-66 victory in overtime on Nov. 17, 2007 played at St. Edward's Recreation and Convocation Center.

UP NEXT

Midwestern State takes on Arkansas-Fort Smith Thursday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.