Lone Star Conference action continues this week with a full slate of games. Doubleheaders to watch include West Texas A&M at Midwestern State Wednesday and Cameron at WT on Saturday.
Two men’s teams are undefeated in LSC action with Midwestern State and Tarleton State both 5-0, while Tarleton (6-0) remains perfect in the women’s standings.
The top eight men’s and eight women’s teams will qualify for the championship to be played Feb. 29 - March 4 in Allen, Texas. The postseason tournament will decide the tournament champion and the LSC’s automatic qualification to the NCAA tournament.
The LSC men have a 87-50 overall record so far this season. MSU is the lone unbeaten team at 12-0, with Tarleton having just one loss. In the NCAA South Central Region, the men’s teams are currently 28-13 overall including 16-11 combined versus Heartland Conference teams, 8-1 opposed to the Great American Conference and 4-1 against the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).
The LSC women are 72-71 overall, with Cameron at 10-2 with the best record. In the NCAA South Central Region, the women’s teams are currently 27-19 overall including 17-11 combined versus Heartland teams, 9-5 opposed to the Great American and 1-3 against the MIAA.
FAST BREAK
Midwestern State is one of four Division II teams with a perfect won-loss record at 12-0, which equals the second best start in school history.
Tarleton State paces the nation in scoring defense (51.3), field-goal percentage defense (34.2), and three-point defense (24.2) (NCAA statistics through games 01/05).
Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Ashton Brown is shooting 96 percent from the free throw line (83-86), which is tops in the nation (NCAA statistics through games 01/05).
Texas Woman’s Cambria Smith leads the nation in assists with 7.9 per game (NCAA statistics through games 01/08).
Tarleton head coach Ronnie Hearne earned win No. 1,000 for his coaching career last week against Eastern New Mexico.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
MEN’S OFFENSIVE
Chris Harrell, Tarleton State University, SR, Guard, Elgin, Texas, Elgin HS
Harrell led the No. 9 Texans to a pair of Lone Star Conference victories with his 19.5 points per game and stellar shooting percentages. The senior guard from Elgin shot 60.0 percent from the floor, 63.6 percent from three-point range and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Harrell scored 21 points in Tarleton’s victories over Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday and 18 points against the No. 3 defense in the nation in West Texas A&M on Saturday, both team highs in a pair of three-point wins. He also added five rebounds per game as the Texans tied for the LSC lead with a 5-0 record.
MEN’S DEFENSIVE
Wes Dipprey, Tarleton State University, SR, Forward, Shallowater, Texas, Shallowater HS
Dipprey recorded a career-high six steals in Tarleton’s win over West Texas A&M Saturday and another against Eastern New Mexico Wednesday. The 6-9 forward from Shallowater helped the Texans defend their No. 1 defense in the nation by holding the top offense in the LSC, Eastern New Mexico, to a season-low 52 points. Dipprey’s opponents scored just seven points combined over the two game stretch as he helped Tarleton remain undefeated in conference play.
WOMEN’S OFFENSIVE
Lisa Parker, Tarleton State University, SR, Guard, Boyd, Texas, Boyd HS
Parker had the best all-around week of her Tarleton career last week to help the TexAnns remain undefeated in LSC action. The senior guard scored double figures in both games, including stepping up when both of Tarleton’s leading scorers were held in check due to foul trouble and scoring 14 points in Saturday’s battle for first place against West Texas A&M. Parker also hit two of the biggest shots of the night - a 3-pointer with 6:10 left against WT to stop a 6-0 WT run and another with 3:30 left in the game to give Tarleton a nine-point lead as time wound down. She added six rebounds, four assists and four steals.
WOMEN’S DEFENSIVE
Lauren Holt, Angelo State University, SO, Forward, Christoval, Texas, Christoval HS
Holt was the part of the backline of the Belles defense that held opponents to 52.0 points per contest and .286 from the field in Angelo State’s two wins last week. The sophomore from Christoval averaged 8.5 rebounds in the two victories, capped off by tying a career-high 11 boards in the Belles’ 63-57 road victory against Incarnate Word last Saturday.