WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State saw a 14-point second-half lead disappear in the season opener at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Friday afternoon, and then the Mustangs rallied to beat Colorado State –Pueblo in double overtime, 80-74.
In a game that featured six ties and 10 lead changes, Midwestern State overcame a five-point deficit at the start of the first overtime period and sent the game to a second overtime period when
Mason Gibson hit two free throws with five seconds remaining.
After Daeyon James buried a three-pointer for the Thunderwolves in the opening minute of the second overtime period,
Duncan Alevok grabbed a rebound and threw down a slam dunk for MSU.
Reggie Hill hit a 3-pointer on the Mustangs' next possession to give Midwestern State a 73-71 lead.
Armon Muldrew reclaimed the lead for the Thunderwolves with a 3-pointer, but
Will Shepherd knocked down his second 3-pointer of the game, and the Mustangs took a lead they would not relinquish over the final 1:19.
Midwestern State trailed 20-13 with 5:45 to play in the first half but managed to tie the game, 28-28, at intermission. Bakkari LeStrap scored four points and assisted on an Alevok dunk in the final three minutes of the half. Gibson hit three consecutive free throws with 28 seconds to play in the half to tie the game.
Early in the second half, MSU went on an 11-0 run as
Pierre Sanders and Alevok each had four points during that span as the Mustangs took a 44-30 lead.
James hit back-to-back 3-pointers, Aurrion Harris scored on a fast-break layup after a Makiah Morris steal, and Muldrew sunk a 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining to complete a 10-point run for the Thunderwolves to tie the game at the end of regulation, 59-59.
Sanders led the Mustangs with 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field, and Gibson was 10 of 11 from the free-throw line en route to 15 points. Alevok scored 12 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots in 23 minutes of playing time for MSU.
Will Shepherd, a 6-8 junior transfer from Oakland, poured in 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in his Midwestern State debut.
Bakari LaStrap, a 6-1 junior transfer from IUPUI and Blinn College, finished with 10 points and three steals in his debut at MSU.
Reggie Hill, a 6-8 junior transfer from Northwestern State, scored six points and pulled down nine rebounds in his first game for the Maroon and Gold.
Muldrew had eight points on 3-of-4 shooting in the overtime periods and led the Thunderwolves with 21 points. James hit 5-of-14 3-pointers and scored 17, while Makiah Morris posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Morris also had seven assists and four steals in the loss.
MSU outscored CSU-Pueblo in the paint, 44-26, and won its season opener for the first time since scoring a 98-75 victory at Cameron to open the 2020-21 season.
The Mustangs are back at D.L. Ligon Coliseum to face UC Colorado Springs on Saturday night at 8 p.m.
--MSUMustangs.com--
