Lone Star Conference action rolls on this week with a few non-conference games on the men’s side as well. Tarleton State, which boasts the LSC’s only remaining undefeated teams, plays at Cameron Wednesday before hosting Midwestern State on Saturday in games to watch. The Texans have won 14 straight, while the TexAnns have reeled off 11consecutive victories.
In last week’s rivalry games, Tarleton, MSU and Incarnate Word each won both matchups on the men’s side, while the women’s teams from Tarleton, MSU and Angelo State each claimed two wins. The rest of the series were split with the home team picking up the victory.
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 105-68 overall record so far this season, with MSU and Tarleton each 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 92-91 overall, with MSU at 13-3 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
Tarleton State head coach Lonn Reisman earned his 500th career victory at the school with the Texans win Saturday.
NCAA BASKETBALL STATISTICS (through games 01/19)
Tarleton State tops the nation in scoring defense (52.9) and field-goal percentage defense (35.6).
Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Ashton Brown is shooting 96.6 percent from the free throw line (86-89), which leads the nation.
Texas Woman’s Cambria Smith paces the nation in assists with 7.6 per game.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
MEN’S OFFENSIVE
Michael Loyd, Midwestern State University, SR, Guard, Las Vegas, Nev., Palo Verde HS (BYU)
Loyd paced No. 13 Midwestern State to a pair of victories over red-hot Cameron to sweep the Red River Rivalry. The senior from Las Vegas averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while notching three steals and two blocked shots while leading the Mustangs in scoring in both wins over the Aggies. Loyd tallied 19 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the final minutes as the Mustangs overcame a four-point deficit with four minutes to play in an 82-80 win at home. The jet quick guard then had 16 points, five rebounds and three steals in MSU’s 65-51 win Saturday in Lawton.
MEN’S DEFENSIVE
Shaun Umeh, University of the Incarnate Word, SR, Guard, Houston, Texas, Dulles HS
In the two games against Texas A&M-Kingsville, which were both wins for Incarnate Word, Umeh was charged with defending the LSC’s second leading scorer. In those two games, Ashton Brown was held to a total of 12 points (4-11) by Umeh and the Cardinals. Along the way, Umeh had totals of seven rebounds and four steals. UIW held TAMUK to 54.5 points per game (17 below its season average) and .372 shooting from the field.
WOMEN’S OFFENSIVE
Savannah Carver, Midwestern State University, SR, Guard, Amarillo, Texas, Canyon Randall HS
Carver collected a career-high 27 points against Cameron in game two of the Red River Rivalry for the Mustangs. She also had seven points in the 46-41 MSU win in game one as the Mustangs second-leading scorer in pacing MSU to a sweep of the top scoring defensive team in the Lone Star Conference. Carver averaged 17.0 points for the two games along with 6.5 rebounds. She collected four steals (2.0 per game) to go with one assist and one blocked shot. She hit 11-of-34 (.324) from the floor, connected on 4-of-13 (.308) from the 3-point arc and hit 8-of-11 (.727) from the foul line (all in game two) as she placed the Mustangs a game back of Tarleton State in the LSC race.
WOMEN’S DEFENSIVE
Jazman Patterson, Midwestern State University, SR, Forward, Southlake, Texas, Carroll HS
Patterson keyed the Mustangs defense in leading Midwestern to a pair of wins over Cameron in the Red River Rivalry. Her defensive performance helped lead MSU to holding Cameron to its lowest scoring output this season in the 46-41 MSU win in game one, then to its fourth lowest score in the Mustangs 65-58 triumph in Lawton in game two. Patterson and the Mustangs held CU to just 49.5 points on the average for the series and held the Aggies to just 29.4 percent from the floor (35-119), including 10.3 percent from the 3-point arc (3-29). MSU also outrebounded the Aggies by 11.5 boards a game. Patterson blocked three shots (an average of 1.5) for the series and pulled down 15 rebounds (10 defensive) to average 7.5 per outing. She also scored 7.5 points a game, just missing a double-double in Lawton.