WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State held No. 4-ranked West Texas A&M 13 points below its scoring average, but the Buffaloes held the Mustangs to 37.5 percent shooting from the field in a 72-67 victory at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Thursday night.
Midwestern State suffered its third consecutive defeat and fell to 8-4 for the season with a 2-4 record against Lone Star Conference opponents. West Texas A&M extended its winning streak to eight games and improved to 12-1 overall. The Buffaloes remain undefeated in conference play at 6-0.
The Buffaloes had four players score in double figures, led by Zach Toussaint, who was 4 of 5 from 3-point range en route to 15 points. Larry Wise and Ryland Holt each added 14 points, and Ahamed Mohammed pitched in 10 points.
The Mustangs held Wise five points below his scoring average. Wise was 4 of 18 from the field, missing all eight of his 3-point shots.
Pierre Sanders was the leading scorer for the Mustangs with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and dished out six assists.
Mason Gibson was 5 of 10 from the field and scored 14 points in the loss.
Toussaint hit two early 3-pointers helping the Buffaloes establish a 17-6 lead nearly seven minutes into the game.
Austin Lewis knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, and
Will Shepherd hit a shot from beyond the arc to tie the game 23-23 with 4:27 remaining in the first half.
After Kieran Elliott hit two free throws, Mohammed drilled a 3-pointer, and at halftime the Buffaloes held a four-point lead, 33-29.
A layup from Mohammed and a slam dunk from Elliott allowed West Texas A&M to extend its lead to eight points in the opening minute of the second half.
Sanders scored with a jump shot in the lane, and LaStrap capped off a fast break with a slam dunk as MSU moved back to within a point, 37-36, with 17:21 remaining in the game.
The Buffaloes responded with an eight-point run, which included a Toussaint 3-pointer. Brock Mishak extended the lead to 13 points with a layup as WT led 61-48 with 5:55 remaining.
West Texas A&M did not connect on another field goal for the rest of the contest. Midwestern State narrowed the deficit to three points, 70-67, when Sanders hit a mid-range jumper with four seconds remaining.
Holt closed out the game with a pair of free throws for the Buffaloes, who finished 21 of 30 from the free-throw line. Midwestern State was 12 of 19 at the foul line.
Each team had 12 turnovers, but the Mustangs outscored WT, 15-9, in points off turnovers. The Buffaloes had a 40-38 edge in rebounding and each team had seven second-chance points.
Reggie Hill was the leading rebounder for Midwestern State with seven boards, and Elliott pulled down seven rebounds to lead West Texas A&M.
The Buffaloes have won 11 of their last 13 meetings with MSU, and WT leads the all-time series, 46-34.
Midwestern State is back home Saturday afternoon to battle Lubbock Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
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--MSUMustangs.com--
