In a two-game home stand against Lone Star Conference rivals Tarleton State University, the men and women’s basketball teams lost close battles in D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Wednesday.
In the first half of the women’s game the Mustangs dominated with 26 rebounds, leading Tarleton 31-24. Tarleton took the lead for the first time in the game during the second half, putting the score at 35-33 with about 16 minutes left in the game.
The lead would change six times in the second half with MSU unable to lead by more than two points. Dianna Jones would score the last two points for MSU with two minutes remaining in the game. The women’s team lost 51-57.
The last time the two teams played each other was on on March 15, 2013 where MSU won their first ever NCAA Division II Tournament game 91-78 over TSU. The mustangs are now 2-3 in conference play with a 10-6 overall record.
The men’s game was close throughout the entire heated match. The largest MSU lead was by 12 points during the first half, but the Tarleton bench out-scored Midwestern’s 52-23, resulting in a close second half.
The men’s team had a chance to tie with 19.2 seconds left in the game after Tarleton was up two points, 81-83. MSU’s Monzaigo Williams lost the ball at mid court after tripping over a defender. DeJuan Plummer recovered the loose ball and put up a desperate shot at the buzzer, but missed. The men’s team lost 50-53.
The last time the Midwestern played Tarleton was in the post-season tournament finals March 9, 2013.