QUICK HITS- The Buffs got 24 of their 36 points in the first half from behind the arc (8-of-15, 53.3%)
- MSU entered Wednesday leads DII in rebounding margin (+12.8)
- The Mustangs went almost 22 minutes without the lead starting with 16:49 left in the first half
- Three straight WT turnovers in the heart of the second half lost a 57-54 lead (6:30)
- The win ties the all-time series between the two teams at 31-21 while MSU is 24-9 in Canyon
LEADING THE WAY (Statistical Leaders)Points –
Jordan Evans (WT, 20 Points), Khapri Alston (MSU, 18 Points)
Rebounds – Khapri Alston (MSU, 13 Rebounds),
Jeff Bonner (WT, 7 Rebounds),
Jordan Evans (WT, 7 Rebounds)
Assists –
David Chavlovich (WT, 6 Assists),
Joseph Prince (WT, 4 Assists), Bretson McNeal (MSU, 3 Assists)
Blocks – Khapri Alston (MSU, 3 Blocks),
Jerrod Walton (WT, 1 Block),
Ryan Quaid (WT, 1 Block),
Jordan Evans (WT, 1 Block)
Steals –
Jeff Bonner (WT, 4 Steals)
CANYON, Texas – The #6 Mustangs of Midwestern State went 22 minutes without a lead starting early in the first half but the free throw line lifted MSU to a 74-65 victory over West Texas A&M in front of almost 700 fans at the First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas. The Buffs fall to 11-6 (0-2 LSC) while MSU wins their 10
th straight game to move to 13-1 (2-0 LSC) on the season.
The Mustangs started the scoring with a pair of Khapri Alston free throws followed by a WT miss before MSU gave the ball right back with a turnover that led to a
Jordan Evans three from the top of the key, the teams traded misses and turnovers before a WT miss from deep led to a Hershell Grant three ball from the corner at 5-3.
David Chavlovich nailed a three on a WT inbound play followed by an MSU turnover but WT missed from deep, the teams traded misses heading into the first media timeout of the game with the Buffs leading 6-5 with 15:22 left.
The teams traded misses after the break before Alston went one-of-two at the line before an
Eric Golightly Jr. layup and foul for the three-point play at 9-6, Sheldon Hagigal answered with an old fashioned three-point play of his own followed by a
Ryan Quaid rejection that led to a
Tommy Gove transition long ball before an Alston bucket at 12-11.
Jerrod Walton found the bottom of the net for the first time with a baseline drive followed by an MSU miss and an Evans long ball from the wing to head into another media timeout with WT leading 17-11 with 11:51 left in the half.
Chavlovich connected on a floater in the lane after the break followed by an MSU illegal screen that led to an NBA range three by Chavlovich at 22-13, MSU answered with a Jordan Stevens bucket followed by turnovers on both ends but WT missed a pair from the line as Pat Smith hit a three from the top of the key to cut the lead to 22-18. Golightly Jr. answered with an acrobatic layup before Hagigal hit a three ball followed by an MSU foul to head into a media timeout with WT leading 24-21 with 7:40 left in the half. Evans extended the WT lead with a three from the top of the key after the break before Hagigal answered with a floater in the lane followed by an MSU rejection but the Mustangs gave the ball right back with a travel, WT gave it back as Alston hit two more freebies before
Joseph Prince connected on a floater in the lane at 29-25 as the teams traded misses heading into a WT timeout with 4:11 left.
The Buffs added to their lead after the break as Quaid knocked down a long ball followed by a Prince defensive rebound but MSU swatted away a layup attempt followed by an MSU free throw at 32-26, the teams traded misses again as Hagigal went coast-to-coast for a rebound-and-score before Bonner hit one-of-two from the line heading into an MSU timeout with the Buffs leading 33-28 with 1:13 left. Hagigal continued his strong first half as he hit a three from the corner before Chavlovich answered with a long ball of his own at 36-31, MSU gave the ball back with a turnover to give WT the final shot of the half but a deep attempt fell short as the Buffs took a 36-31 lead into the locker room for halftime.
The Buffs went 13-of-34 (38.2%) from the floor including 8-of-15 (53.3%) from deep and 2-of-6 (33.3%) from the free throw line to go along with 21 rebounds (seven offensive, 14 defensive), 10 fouls, eight assists, seven turnovers, three blocks and four steals. Chavlovich went 4-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-5 from deep to lead the Buffs with 11 points at the half followed by Evans with nine to go along with four rebounds.
MSU went 10-of-25 (40%) from the floor including 4-of-7 (57.1%) from deep and 7-of-10 (70%) from the free throw line to go along with 22 total rebounds (five offensive, 17 defensive), nine fouls, four assists, 13 turnovers, six blocks and three steals. Hagigal went 5-of-6 from the floor in the first half including 2-of-2 from long range to lead all players at the break with 13 points followed by Alston with eight to go along with eight rebounds.
The teams traded misses to start the second half before Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year Bretson McNeal hit his first shot of the game with a three from the top of the key before Bonner scored with a bucket followed by an MSU offensive foul that led to an Evans long ball to make it 41-34, Trevor Fuller got his first points with a jumper followed by a WT miss before Stevens hit a three from the wing to cut the lead to 41-39. WT missed again as Fuller finished an offensive board with a tip-in to send the teams into a media timeout tied at 41-41 with 15:26 left.
The Mustangs took their first lead since the 16:49 (5-3) mark of the first half with a bucket after the break followed by a WT turnover and a DeVaughn Jones jumper before misses on both ends followed by a Bonner steal that led to a Golightly Jr. fast break layup at 43-45 heading into a media timeout with 11:56 on the clock. The Buffs missed on an alley-oop attempt after the break as Jones hit two free throws on the other end followed by misses on both ends before Prince hit two freebies to cut the lead to 45-47. Alston powered his way into the paint for a bucket before Prince answered with a layup followed by an MSU turnover that led to a Bonner bucket to tie the game at 49-49 heading into a Mustangs timeout with 9:14 left.
Alston powered his way into the paint again after the break followed by a WT turnover and foul as Alston hit one-of-two from the line to give MSU the 52-49 lead, Quaid grabbed a big offensive board as he finished with a bucket followed by an MSU offensive foul to head into a media timeout with 7:58 left and MSU leading 52-51. Evans nailed a three from the wing after the break followed by an MSU miss that led to another Evans long ball to give WT the 57-52 lead with 6:30 on the clock. Haigigal connected on a floater in the paint followed by a WT miss from deep that led to two free throws by Smith to cut the lead to 57-56, WT turned the ball over as Smith finished a fast break layup followed by another Buffs turnover with 4:46 left. McNeal finished on a drive to the paint to retake the lead followed by WT's third straight turnover to force a Buffalo timeout with MSU leading 60-57 with 4:09 left.
The Mustangs went one-of-two from the line after the break followed by a WT miss from long range and foul as MSU hit two from the line before Quaid answered with a three-point play at 60-63, MSU answered with an Alston bucket followed by an Evans layup before a WT foul allowed Hagigal to hit two freebies to make it 62-67 with 2:21 left. Quaid hit one-of-two at the line before MSU answered with an Alston bucket before a WT miss from deep and Fuller hitting one-of-two at the line at 63-70. The Buffs missed from long range again followed by an intentional foul as Fuller hit one-of-two as MSU regained possession before another WT foul and one more Mustang free throw at 63-72, WT missed again followed by a McNeal jumper off of the glass before Prince drove the lane and scored. WT fouled again as MSU missed both from the line before a Buffs turnover ended the game, 65-74.
The Buffs went 24-of-69 (34.8%) from the floor including 11-of-27 (40.7%) from long range and 6-of-13 (46.2%) from the free throw line to go along with 38 rebounds (13 offensive, 25 defensive), 23 fouls, 16 assists, 12 turnovers, three blocks and six steals. Evans went 7-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-12 from deep to lead all players with 20 points followed by Chavlovich with 11 and Quaid with nine.
MSU went 24-of-48 (50%) from the field including 6-of-10 (60%) from deep and 21-of-32 (65.6%) from the free throw line to go along with 43 rebounds (seven offensive, 36 defensive), 21 fouls, 11 assists, 19 turnovers, six blocks and five steals. Alston went 5-of-9 from the floor and 8-of-13 from the free throw line to lead MSU with 18 points to go along with 13 rebounds for a double-double followed by Hagigal (17), McNeal (10) and Smith (10).
NEXT TIME OUTThe Buffs hit the road this weekend as they play a rare Sunday Lone Star Conference contest as they travel to Lawton, Oklahoma for a matchup with the Cameron Aggies (8-6, 1-1 LSC) with tipoff set for 4 p.m. in the finale of a doubleheader. The Buffs will look to avenge an 83-80 overtime loss to the Aggies back on New Year's Eve in Canyon, CU will face off with Eastern New Mexico at 2 p.m. tomorrow in Portales, New Mexico.
