Midwestern St. MSUT 12-6,6-6 Lone Star

Ark.-Fort Smith UAFS 4-15,2-10 Lone Star

Midwestern St. MSUT

12-6,6-6 Lone Star

Final

Jan. 25, 2024

Ark.-Fort Smith UAFS

4-15,2-10 Lone Star

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Midwestern St. MSUT	36	43	79
Ark.-Fort Smith UAFS	31	46	77

Summary
Box Score

Dwain Linden

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 1/25/2024 10:38:00 PM | Trey Reed / MSU Athletic Communications

Midwestern State survives Lions' rally, 79-77

THE LEAD

FORT SMITH, Arkansas -- Midwestern State's Pierre Sanders leaped to block Roland McCoy's potential game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds to preserve a 79-77 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith Thursday night at Stubblefield Center.

The Mustangs improved to 12-6 overall while leveling their league record at 6-6, while UAFS dropped to 4-14 and 2-10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Midwestern State re-established a 12-point lead when Bakari LaStrap buried a jumper from the left wing to give the Mustangs a 76-64 advantage with 4 1/2 minutes to play.

But UAFS connected on six consecutive shots while holding the Mustangs to a single field goal the rest of the way.

Roland McCoy hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to finish off a 13-2 run to pull the Lions to within a point at 78-77 with nine seconds to go.

After LaStrap sank one of two free throws, McCoy appeared to find an opening at the same spot on the floor. But Sanders rose up and swatted the shot out of bounds.

After a short review, the officials ruled no time remained on the clock, allowing the Mustangs to come away with the victory.

LEADERS

- Junior Bakari LaStrap led the Mustangs with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting with six rebounds and three assists. It was his 11th double-digit effort of the season and fourth straight.
- Junior Austin Lewis erupted to hit three 3-pointers on 5-of-8 shooting to book 13 points. It was his sixth game with at least 10 points, but first since scoring 11 at St. Mary's on December 6.
- Junior Reggie Hill logged his second double-double of the season, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
- Junior guard John Gaines scored a season-high 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four rebounds.
- UAFS sophomore Payton Brown came off the bench to lead the Lions with 19 points.

TEAM NOTES

- Midwestern State improved to 4-2 on the road this season.
- The Mustangs won for the fifth-straight time against UAFS, but three of the last four have been decided by two-or-fewer points. MSU leads the all-time series, 7-4.
- MSU is now 1-1 in games decided by 2-or-fewer points, leveling the ledger after falling 88-87 to Cameron in December. MSU is 2-3 in games decided by five-or-fewer points.
- The Mustangs won the battle on the boards for the sixth-straight game, out-boarding UAFS -- 45-31. MSU produced 19 second-chance points off of 17 offensive rebounds.