WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State seeks back-to-back wins at D.L. Ligon Coliseum as St. Edward's visits the Mustangs on Tuesday afternoon in the final game before the Christmas break. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

The Mustangs improved their overall record to 3-7 with its first conference win on Sunday afternoon, defeating St. Mary's, 61-56. MSU is 1-3 in the Lone Star Conference and 3-2 under the dome this season.

Midwestern State had three players score in double figures, led by Zarria Carter, who had 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Kerbie Cash added 12 points and two steals. Carisa Cortez helped out with 10 points.


Carter leads the conference in scoring and rebounding. The native of Mansfield, Texas, is averaging 19.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game for the Mustangs. She is third in the nation with six double-doubles through the first 10 games of the season. Carter is the 16th-leading scorer among NCAA Division II players and the seventh-leading rebounder.

Carter also has the best field goal percentage in the LSC, hitting 53.3 percent of her shots. She is 80-of-150 from the field, leading the conference in field goals and attempts.

Cash is the second-leading scorer for Midwestern State with 10.5 points per game, and she is also the second-leading rebounder with 5.7 boards per contest.

Carter and Cash are both among the LSC top-10 in free-throws made and attempted. Carter is 33 of 55 (60 percent), and Cash is 35 of 47 (74.5 percent). Cash has the ninth best free-throw percentage in the league.

The Mustangs are second in the league with 41.4 rebounds per game, which is 50th in the nation, and they are grabbing 15.4 offensive rebounds per game, which is second in the conference and 27th among NCAA Division II programs.

Carisa Cortez and Catalina Cortez have combined for 3.7 assists per game, and the Stang Gang is scoring 56.9 points per game.

The Mustangs are the fourth-best team in the league with 10.5 steals per game, and they are forcing the seventh-most turnovers in the conference with 18 per game.

Carter leads the conference with 24 total steals and 2.4 steals per game. Calyssa Sevier has 15 steals, Emillia Steele has at least two takeaways in each of her last four games and has 12 steals this season. Cash and Alyssa Hutterer also have 12 steals apiece for the Mustangs.

Midwestern State is holding opponents to 62.8 points per game, which is the ninth-best scoring defense in the LSC. Opponents are shooting 38.5 percent from the field against the Mustangs and only 26.4 percent from beyond the arc, which is the fourth-best 3-point percentage defense in the conference.

Midwestern State leads the all-time series with St. Edwards, 16-8, and has won three of the last four meetings, including a 66-64 win in Austin, Texas, last season. Zarria Carter grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the game winner as time expired. Carter finished the game with 20 points and 20 rebounds.

The Mustangs are 9-2 when hosting the Hilltoppers, who won their last visit to D.L. Ligon Coliseum two years ago, 63-56, in overtime.

St. Edward's is 5-6 overall this season with a 2-1 conference record following back-to-back wins over Sul Ross State and Western New Mexico at the Recreation and Convocation Center in Austin. The Hilltoppers are 1-3 in true road games this season.

Janiah Perkins is the leading scorer for St. Edward's with 14.2 points per game and has scored double-figures in nine of her 11 games this season. Perkins, the eighth-leading scorer in the conference, leads the LSC with 4.4 assists per game.

The Hilltoppers are getting outrebounde this season, 35.9 - 34.5. Mikah Chapman and Ainsley Thunell are the leading rebounders for St. Edward's with 4.7 boards per game, and Perkins is grabbing 4.6 caroms per contest.

St. Edward's is averaging 64 points a game and is allowing opponents to score 64.9 points per game.