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STORY LINES
• The Central Missouri Mules host Pittsburg State on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 3:30 p.m. at the UCM Multipurpose Building in the finale of a three-game homestand to open the new year.
• The Mules come in at 9-3 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play after a 77-69 win over MIAA newcomer Northeastern State on Wednesday night.
• Central Missouri has won three in a row, five of their last six games overall and they are 7-0 at home this year.
• Pittsburg State enters the contest at 11-2 overall and 4-1 in league play after an 85-63 win at Lincoln on Thursday night.

QUICK HITS
• Central Missouri is in its 108th season of men's basketball.
• Central Missouri is second all-time in wins in NCAA Division II with 1,572.
• The Mules are averaging 74.2 points per game and giving up 67.8 points per contest.
• Central Missouri is shooting 45 percent from the floor, but 32 percent from three-point range. The Mules give up 43 percent shooting overall and 37 percent from beyond the arc.
• In their nine wins, UCM is holding the opposition to 40 percent shooting and the Mules out-rebound their opponents by two boards per game. In their three losses, the Mules have given up 50 percent shooting and have been out-rebounded by over three boards per outing.
• The Mules are forcing 15.6 turnovers per game, while committing 12.8 turnovers of their own per contest.
• The Mules were 19-8 a season ago and captured a share of the MIAA regular season championship, the fourth under head coach Kim Anderson.
• The 2011-12 season was the ninth straight year that Central Missouri won at least 18 games, the longest active streak in the MIAA. The longest streak in MIAA history is 11 seasons, held by NW Missouri State from 1997-2008.

SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 108th all-time meeting between the Mules and the Gorillas. Central Missouri holds a 66-41 lead in the series, including a 17-6 advantage during the Kim Anderson era.
• UCM leads 42-11 in games played in Warrensburg and the Mules have won eight straight games in Warrensburg. The Mules are 9-1 against PSU at the Multi under Anderson.
• The Mules swept the regular season series last year winning 65-57 in Pittsburg and 84-82 in Warrensburg, but the Gorillas knocked UCM out in the first round of the MIAA Tournament with a 78-64 win in Kansas City.
• Central Missouri has won 14 of the last 16 meetings dating back to the 2005-06 season.
• The Mules hold a slim 3-2 series lead under the current head coaches.

LAST MEETING WITH PITTSBURG STATE
• The Gorillas led from start to finish in a 78-64 win in the first round of the MIAA Tournament last March.
• PSU held Central Missouri to 32 percent shooting from the field and 20 percent from three-point range, while forcing the Mules into 13 turnovers.
• Boo Hunter and Matt Webb led the Mules with 11 points apiece and Dominique Long had 10.
• The Gorillas out-rebounded the Mules 42-29 and held a 30-14 advantage in points in the paint.
• JaVon McGee paced Pittsburg State with 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Eric Ray had 16 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists.
• The loss was Central Missouri's third straight first round defeat at the MIAA Tournament.

SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE
• The Gorillas come in at 11-2 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play after an 85-63 win at Lincoln on Thursday night. They have won eight of their last nine games.
• PSU is led by third year head coach Kevin Muff. He has led the Gorillas to a 41-29 during his time in Pittsburg.
• Pittsburg State is averaging 78.0 points per game and giving up 70.2 per contest.
• The Gorillas are shooting 44 percent from the floor and 31 percent from three-point range, while allowing 41 percent shooting from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc. They have attempted 121 more free throws than their opponents (411-290) and are shooting 72 percent at the line.
• Kaleb Porter is leading three Gorillas averaging in double figures at 15.3 points per game. Courtney Ingram averages 12.2 per contest and JaVon McGee chips in 11.1 per contest. McGee leads the team in rebounding at 7.6 per outing.
• PSU out-rebounds the opposition by nearly eight boards per game, 41.2-33.6.
• The Gorillas force 16.7 turnovers per game on average, but have turned the ball over and average of 17.4 times per contest.

LAST TIME OUT
• The Mules built a 15-point second half lead then held off a late charge to beat Northeastern State 77-69 on Wednesday night at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• The Mules made 14-of-17 free throws in the final three minutes to ice the game after the RiverHawks had pulled to within one.
• UCM shot 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc, while Northeastern State shot 50 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three-point range. NSU was 12-of-16 from the charity stripe.
• Lance Beckwith and Dominique Long led the Mules in scoring with 17 points apiece. Widgett Washington added 15 points and six assist.
• As a team, UCM dished out 13 assists and committed nine turnovers, while forcing 14 RiverHawks giveaways.
• Bryton Hobbs led all scorers with 25 points and Jermaine Bransford added 19 points and 13 rebounds to pace NSU.
• The Mules held a 18-12 advantage in points off turnovers with the RiverHawks out-scoring UCM 32-28 in the paint.

MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 133-59 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and 3-1 this season after a 77-69 win over Northeastern State on Wednesday night at the Multi.
• UCM was 15-5 in conference play last year earning a share of the MIAA regular season title, the fourth under Anderson.
• Central Missouri's best MIAA record under Anderson was an 18-2 mark in the 2009-10 season.
• The Mules have captured four MIAA regular season championships and three MIAA tournament titles under Kim Anderson.

THE MULES AT HOME
• Central Missouri is 135-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after the 77-69 win over Northeastern State on Wednesday night.
• Over the last eight years, UCM is 118-11 at home. Over that same time period the Mules are 49-1 against non-conference opponents at home and 69-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 446-88 in their 37th season playing home games at the Multi.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 59-48 in road games during the Kim Anderson era after dropping their first road game of the season, 77-72 at Fort Hays State on December 5.
• UCM was 7-4 on the road last season.

A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 10-3 overall record for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
• Give the Mules a 4-1 MIAA record for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
• Give UCM wins in three of the last four meetings with PSU and 15 of the last 17.
• Give the Mules four straight wins for the first time this season.
• Give UCM eight straight wins at home for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 9-4 overall for the third straight year.
• Give the Mules a 2-2 conference mark for the second straight season.
• Give the Gorillas back-to-back wins over UCM for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
• Snap the Mules' seven-game home court winning streak.

LONG LEADING THE CHARGE
• Senior forward Dominique Long is 14th in the MIAA in scoring at 14.8 points per game. Last year, he finished ninth in the league at 12.7 points per contest.

WEBB NEAR THE TOP IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
• Senior forward Matt Webb leads the team and is seventh in the MIAA in field goal percentage at 55.6 percent. He has made 40-of-72 shot attempts this season.

WASHINGTON DISTRIBUTING THE BALL
• Senior guard Widgett Washington leads the team and is sixth in the MIAA in assists at 4.3 per game. There are eight players in the MIAA averaging 4.2 assists/game or more. Craig Nicholson of FHSU leads the league at 6.8 per game. Washington is also eighth in the league with 1.7 steals per game.

ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 231-85 (.731) in his 11th season leading the Mules.
• He has led UCM to four MIAA regular season titles, more than any other coach in school history, three MIAA tournament championships, two Regional championships and two Final Four appearances.
• Anderson recorded career win No. 200 with a 65-61 win against Washburn on February 9, 2011.
• Anderson is one of only five coaches in Central Missouri history to record 100 or more career wins - Anderson (231), Tad. C. Reid (178), Earl Keth (159), Jim Wooldridge (131) and Lynn Nance (114).
• Three of the top nine single-season scoring leaders in Central Missouri history have come during the tenure of head coach Kim Anderson.

MULES BASKETBALL HISTORY
• In the 108th season of UCM basketball the Mules have compiled a 1,572-914 (.632) record in 2,486 total games.
• The Mules have won 20 or more games 21 times in the history of the program.
• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games twice, both during the Kim Anderson era.
• The Mules are the second winningest program by victories in NCAA-II.
• UCM has won or shared 22 MIAA regular season championships and five MIAA tournament titles.

THE NEXT LEVEL
• In the Kim Anderson era, 20 former players have gone on to play professional basketball.
• Seven players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster - Zack Wright (Greece, Rethimno), Sanijay Watts (Germany, USC Heidelberg), Esian Henderson (Czech Republic, Levice), Manny Richardson (ABA, Battle Creek Knights), Joel Barkers (Greece, Aris Thessolonikki), Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet) and Kevin Wollbrinck (France).

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE ATHLETIC ARENA
• Following the fall 2012 season, Central Missouri has won a combined 191 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• During the 2011-12 school year UCM captured seven MIAA regular season and three tournament championships.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 137 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won five national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, and women's bowling in 2003) and seven national championships overall.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• The 500+ Central Missouri student-athletes received 245 Academic Awards from the MIAA office for the 2011-12 academic year.
• 195 UCM student-athletes were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• 32 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Scholar Athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA and having earned All-MIAA honors in their respective sport.
• 18 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had 10 student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors, including Shawn Boss being named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Track & Field.

MULES BASKETBALL ON THE AIR
• Central Missouri basketball is broadcast live on 1450 KOKO/98.5 “The Bar” and on the Internet at www.warrensburgradio.com. 90.9 “The Bridge” will pickup the broadcast at tip-off. All games are broadcast by Senior Associate Athletic Director, Shawn Jones and 1450 KOKO/98.5 “The Bar” Sports Director, Greg Hassler.
• The Kim Anderson Mules Basketball Show, presented by Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp. will air on Monday nights at 7 p.m. on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 “The Bar” and www.warrensburgradio.com. The show runs through the regular season. There is one remaining show in the month of December on Monday the 10th.
• The Central Missouri Sportspage is your weekly one-hour look at UCM athletics each Thursday night at 7 p.m. on KMOS-TV. Senior Associate Athletic Director Shawn Jones will sit down with Mules head coach Kim Anderson to discuss the previous week's games as well as weekly spotlights of Mules basketball players. The show will return in January of 2013.

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
• The UCM Media Network will provide live video coverage for every Central Missouri home game through a student-run webcast on AmericaOneSports.com. All home games and road MIAA games will be available on a pay-per-view basis. The cost is $8 per game, $30 for a 30-day pass or $89.95 for an all-season pass for UCM men's and women's basketball.

UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Central Missouri will head out on the road for two straight conference road games. The Mules travel to Nebraska-Kearney on Wednesday, Jan. 16 and Truman State on Saturday, Jan. 19.