TYLER, TEXAS – The University of Texas at Tyler women's basketball program will make history on Tuesday night as they will make their first appearance in the Lone Star Conference Basketball Tournament. UT Tyler and Midwestern State will face off on Tuesday night inside the Herrington Patriot Center at 5:15. The Patriots earned the number seven seed in the tightly contested LSC, and therefore earned the right to host a first round game on their home floor.
THE SEASON SO FAR
The Patriots are in the midst of a historic turnaround as they look to make waves in the LSC Tournament and potentially receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament. After going a combined 3-37 over the last two seasons and 0-14 last season, head coach
Rebecca Alvidrez has turned the program upside-down in a good way.
UT Tyler is 17-8 on the season, and have a 10-5 record in LSC play. Under the direction of Alvidrez, the Patriots have turned into one of the most effective teams in the conference. They rank first in field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense amongst LSC competition, and rank in the top five in scoring defense, scoring margin, assists, fewest fouls, and fewest turnovers.
SERIES HISTORY
UT Tyler and Midwestern State have faced off seven times in their program histories, and all seven of those have come in the four seasons. The inaugural contest came back on December 19, 2018 where the Mustangs came away with the victory in Wichita Falls, Texas.
This season, the two teams have met twice, once in LSC play and once in non-conference play. The Patriots came away with the victories in both of those contests, with one coming in each program's home gym.
THE SCOUTING REPORT
Midwestern State is the top ranked team in the LSC in blocked shots and blocked shots per game. The Mustangs also rank in the top five in free throw attempts, three point field goal percentage, and field goal percentage.
The Mustangs have three players averaging double figures in points in Morgan Lenahan, Frances King, and Hannah Reynolds. Lenahan leads the way with 14.7 points per game on 40.6% shooting from beyond the arc. She is also the team leader in steals and second in assists. Reynolds leads the program in rebounds per game with 6.9 and averages 11.5 points per game on 47.6% shooting from the floor.
Christopher Reay is the head coach of the Mustangs. Reay took over the head coaching position with ten games remaining in the 2019-2020 season, and is now in his second full year of being the head coach of Midwestern State. Reay has amassed a record of 29-25 in his two and a half seasons. Previously, Reay served ten years as an assistant coach for the Mustangs.
THE LONE STAR CONFERENCE SLATE
Tuesday night will see four first round contests take place, each one at the higher seeded program's host institution. UAFS will head to Lubbock, Texas to take on the fifth seeded Lubbock Christian. Eastern New Mexico makes the trip to Lawton, Oklahoma to take on six seeded Cameron, and Texas A&M-International will head to Kingsville, Texas to battle it out with Texas A&M-Kingsville.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Both teams will head into the postseason hungry to earn a spot in the second round of the LSC Tournament to take place in Frisco, Texas at the Comerica Center. The winner of Tuesday night's contest will move on to face number two seeded Texas Woman's on Friday at 2:30 p.m.
The winner of Friday's contest will then move on to the conference semifinals and face off against the winner of the game between number three seed Texas A&M-Commerce and the winner of Eastern New Mexico vs. Cameron.
The LSC Tournament Championship will be held on Sunday, March 6 at 3:30 inside the Comerica Center. That game will determine who receives the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament from the Lone Star Conference.
