STORY LINES
• The Central Missouri Mules return home to host Missouri Western on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• The Mules come in at 12-3 overall and 6-1 and in first place in the MIAA standings following a 63-59 come from behind win at Truman State on Saturday afternoon.
• Central Missouri has won six straight games and eight of the last nine games overall.
• Missouri Western enters the game at 7-9 overall and 3-5 in MIAA play after a 71-60 loss at Emporia State on Sunday evening.
• Wednesday night's game has been designated as the Blackout Game and all fans are encouraged to wear black. Free Blackout t-shirts will be handed out to UCM students starting at 5 p.m. while supplies last.
• Wednesday is also #teamUCM night. Go to www.ucmo.edu/teamucm to learn how you can participate and win prizes. You could also have your tweets appear on the Multipurpose Building videoboard during the game.
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 1,575.
• The Mules are averaging 74.1 points per game and giving up 67.3 points per contest.
• Central Missouri is shooting 45 percent from the floor, but 33 percent from three-point range. The Mules give up 42 percent shooting overall and 34 percent from beyond the arc.
• In their 12 wins, UCM is holding the opposition to 40 percent shooting, while they shoot 46 percent from the field. 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 15.3 turnovers per game, while committing 12.9 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 56th meeting between Central Missouri and Missouri Western. The Mules hold a slim lead in the all-time series at 28-27.
• The Mules have won two in-a-row against the Griffons and are 17-6 against Missouri Western during the Kim Anderson era.
• UCM is 10-1 against MWSU at home during the Anderson era.
• This will be the final regular season meeting between the two schools with Tom Smith as the head coach of the Griffons. Smith, who coached the Mules from 1975 to 1980, announced his retirement effective at the end of the season.
LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI WESTERN
• The Mules shot 65 percent in the second half to rally for a 74-68 win in St. Joseph on February 22 of last season.
• The Mules used a 16-5 run midway through the second half to take their first lead of the game.
• The win kept UCM in the hunt for what would eventually be an MIAA regular season co-championship.
•
Dominique Long led the Mules with a then career-high 26 points with 19 coming in the second half. He also had a team-high seven rebounds.
Widgett Washington added 13 points and six assists.
• Two other Mules finished in double figures as well. Boo Hunter had 11 points and
Alex Dean chipped in 10.
• The Griffons out-rebounded the Mules 31-27.
• Lavonte Douglas led Missouri Western with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. TJ Johnson added 13 points and six assists.
SCOUTING MISSOURI WESTERN
• The Griffons enter the game at 7-9 overall and 3-5 in MIAA following a 71-60 loss at Emporia State on Sunday. MSWU has dropped two straight games after winning two in a row.
• Missouri Western is averaging 67.9 points per game and giving up 66.5 to the opposition. Cedric Clinkscales leads the Griffons in scoring at 13.9 points per outing.
• MWSU shoots 44 percent from the field as a team and 31 percent from three-point range, while opponents are shooting 43 percent from the floor and 34 percent from beyond the arc.
• The Griffons shoot 63 percent from the free throw line and opponents have attempted 31 more foul shots.
• Missouri Western gets out-rebounded by opponents by as slim margin (33.4-32.9), but they have forced 42 more turnovers than they've given up.
• The Griffons have been out-scored by 34 points in the first half of games this season, but they've out-scored opponents by 65 points in the second half of games.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Mules rallied from five points down with just over five minutes to play to pull out a 63-59 win at Truman State on Saturday.
• UCM out-scored the Bulldogs 13-4 over the final 5:27.
•
Dominique Long led all scorers with 20 points.
• The Mules held Truman to 37 percent shooting from the field and just 24 percent from beyond the arc. UCM shot 45 percent for the game and made 5-of-15 three-point attempts.
• The Mules out-rebounded the Bulldogs 37-32 and held a 28-24 advantage in points in the paint.
• UCM had 10 assists to 15 turnovers, while Truman had 10 of each.
• The Mules had a season-low three steals on defense.
MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 136-59 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and 6-1 this season after a 63-59 come from behind win at Truman State on Saturday afternoon.
• 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 136-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after the 80-73 win over Pittsburg State on January 12.
• Over the last eight years, UCM is 119-11 at home. Over that same time period the Mules are 49-1 against non-conference opponents at home and 70-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 447-88 in their 37th season playing home games at the Multi.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 61-48 in road games during the Kim Anderson era and 2-1 this season after a 63-59 win at Truman State on Saturday.
• UCM was 7-4 on the road last season.
A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 13-3 overall record and a 7-1 mark in MIAA play and keep them atop the MIAA standings.
• Give the Mules seven consecutive wins.
• Give the Mules nine straight wins at home.
• Give UCM a three-game winning streak against Missouri Western.
• Give the Mules an 18-6 record against the Griffons during the Kim Anderson era.
A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 12-4 overall and 6-2 in MIAA play and potentially drop them into a tie for first place in the MIAA.
• Snap the Mules' two-game winning streak against the Griffons.
• Be the first home loss of the season
• Be just the second loss at home to Missouri Western during the Kim Anderson era.
STREAKING MULES
• The Mules are currently riding a six-game winning streak. During that span the Mules are shooting 45 percent from the field and scoring 74.7 points per game.
• During the winning streak, UCM is allowing 67.3 points per game. Opponents are shooting 42 percent from the field, but just 26 percent from three-point range.
• Three players are averaging in double figures during the streak and six players are averaging at least 6.0 points per game.
LONG LEADING THE CHARGE
• Senior forward
Dominique Long is 14th in the MIAA in scoring at 14.7 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 eighth in the MIAA in field goal percentage at 53.4 percent. He has made 47-of-88 shot attempts this season.
WASHINGTON DISTRIBUTING THE BALL
• Senior guard
Widgett Washington leads the team and is sixth in the MIAA in assists at 4.5 per game. There are eight players in the MIAA averaging 4.1 assists/game or more. Craig Nicholson of FHSU leads the league at 7.0 per game.
• On the flip side, Washington is ninth in the MIAA in steals at 1.6 per game. Teammate
Reggie Stallings is tied for 15th with 1.4 steals per contest.
ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 234-85 (.734) 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 (234), 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 1,575-914 (.633) record in 2,489 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.
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
• The Mules host Northwest Missouri on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the Multipurpose Building.
• Following Saturday's game, Central Missouri will hit the road for four straight games starting with a trip to Jefferson City on Wednesday, Jan. 30 to take on Lincoln at 7:30 p.m.
