STORY LINES
• The Central Missouri Mules wrap up their four game road trip and look to snap a two-game skid at Missouri Southern on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
• The Mules come in at 15-5 overall and 9-3 and in first place by one game in the MIAA standings following a 69-67 loss at Central Oklahoma on Thursday.
• The loss at Central Oklahoma was the second straight loss for UCM and the third straight win in the series for the Bronchos.
• Missouri Southern comes into the game at 10-10 overall and 5-7 in MIAA play following a 100-91 win over Southwest Baptist in Joplin on Thursday night.
• This will be the only regular season meeting between these two schools this year.
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 1,578.
• The Mules are averaging 75.2 points per game and giving up 67.2 points per contest.
• Central Missouri is shooting 46 percent from the floor, but 34 percent from three-point range. The Mules give up 41 percent shooting overall and 34 percent from beyond the arc.
• In their 15 wins, UCM is holding the opposition to 39 percent shooting, while they shoot 46 percent from the field. In their five losses, the Mules have given up 47 percent shooting overall and 50 percent from beyond the three-point line.
• The Mules are forcing 14.3 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 53rd all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Missouri Southern. The Mules hold a 31-21 lead in the series.
• The teams split last season's series with each team winning on the road.
• UCM is 15-8 against the Lions during the Kim Anderson era and 5-5 during that time in Joplin
• The Mules won 81-68 against the then No. 14 Lions on January 25, 2012
LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI SOUTHERN
• The Mules used a 13-0 run late in the game to pull away for an 81-68 win over No. 14 Missouri Southern on Jan. 25, 2012 at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in Joplin.
• The win improved UCM to 13-4 overall and 9-3 in the MIAA and kept the Mules in a tie for first place in the league standings.
• UCM shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from three point range in the game, while holding MSSU to 44 percent from the floor and just 13 percent from beyond the arc.
• The Mules had 17 assists on 29 made field goals and committed just 12 turnovers in the game.
• UCM forced 22 Lion turnovers
• Missouri Southern out-rebounded Central Missouri 37-24.
SCOUTING MISSOURI SOUTHERN
• The Lions enter the contest at 10-10 overall and 5-7 in MIAA play after a 100-91 win over Southwest Baptist on Thursday night in Joplin.
• The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Lions.
• MSSU is under the direction of head coach Robert Corn. In his 23rd season at the helm, Corn has compiled a 385-294 career record. Last season, he led MSSU to a 22-8 overall record, including 14-6 in the MIAA and a fourth place finish in the league standings.
• The Lions are averaging 71.8 points per game overall and giving up 71.1 per contest. They shoot 44 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point range.
• MSSU is led in scoring by Marquis Addison's 17.8 points per game. He is averaging 19.0 points per outing during conference play. Jordan Talbert is the only other Lion averaging in double figures at 12.9 points per contest. Talbert also leads the team in rebounding at 7.7 boards per game.
• Opponents are shooting 45 percent from the floor against MSSU and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
LAST TIME OUT
• Central Oklahoma made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to beat Central Missouri 69-67 on Thursday night in Edmond.
• The Mules had tied the game on a pair of free throws with 14 seconds left in the game.
• The back-and-forth game saw seven ties and eight lead changes as each team used a series of runs to come back or take the lead.
• Josh Gibbs led UCO with 21 points. Christian Huffman, Jamell Cormier and Cal Andrews each finished with 14 points. Andress added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
• Each team finished with 35 rebounds and 28 points in the paint.
• UCM shot 46 percent from the field and 37 from beyond the arc, but UCO shot 42 percent from field and made 10 three-pointers while shooting 39 percent from three-point range.
MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 139-61 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and 9-3 this season after the 69-67 loss at Central Oklahoma on Thursday night.
• 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 138-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after the 60-50 win over Northwest Missouri on January 26.
• Over the last eight years, UCM is 121-11 at home. Over that same time period the Mules are 49-1 against non-conference opponents at home and 72-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 449-88 in their 37th season playing home games at the Multi.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 62-50 in road games during the Kim Anderson era and 3-3 this season after a 69-67 loss at Central Oklahoma on Thursday night.
• UCM was 7-4 on the road last season.
A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules a 16-5 overall record and a 10-3 mark in MIAA play and keep UCM in first place in the MIAA standings.
• Give UCM two straight wins over Missouri Southern and wins in three of the last four meetings.
• Give the Mules two straight wins in Joplin.
A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 15-6 overall and 9-4 in MIAA play and possibly drop them into a tie for first place in the conference standings.
• Give UCM three straight losses for the first time this season.
• Give Missouri Southern wins in two of the last three meetings.
LONG LEADING THE CHARGE
• Senior forward
Dominique Long is ninth in the MIAA in scoring at 15.3 points per game. Last year, he finished ninth in the league at 12.7 points per contest.
• The Waynesville, Mo. native is also sixth in the league in free throw percentage at 84.0 percent. He shot 85.8 percent at the line last season, the ninth best single-season total in school history.
• Long is also sixth in the league in three-point field goal percentage at 42.5. He has made 20-of-37 three-point attempts this season.
WEBB NEAR THE TOP IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
• Senior forward
Matt Webb leads the team and is 11th in the MIAA in field goal percentage at 52.2 percent. He has made 70-of-134 shot attempts this season.
WASHINGTON DISTRIBUTING THE BALL
• Senior guard
Widgett Washington leads the team and has moved up to fourth in the MIAA in assists at 5.2 per game. There are seven players in the MIAA averaging 4.5 assists/game or better. Craig Nicholson of FHSU leads the league at 7.4 per game.
• Washington is second in the MIAA with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has 98 assists to 44 turnovers.
• On the flip side, Washington is 14th in the MIAA in steals at 1.3 per game.
ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 237-87 (.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 (237), 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 1,578-916 (.633) record in 2,494 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. airs 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.
• 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 return home to host Lindenwood and Lincoln in back-to-back games starting on Wednesday night, February 13 against the Lions and Saturday, Feb. 16 against the Blue Tigers.
• Saturday's game against Lincoln is Hall of Fame weekend with the 2013 class of the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame being enshrined on Saturday morning and introduced at halftime of the Mules game.
