STORY LINES
• The Central Missouri Mules open MIAA Tournament play as the No. 2 seed on Thursday at 6 p.m. against seventh-seeded Pittsburg State.
• The Mules come in at 19-7 overall and finished with a 13-5 MIAA record and a share of their second straight MIAA regular season championship. It was the fifth regular season crown under head coach Kim Anderson and the 23rd title in school history.
• UCM is coming off a 95-78 loss at Washburn in the regular season finale.
• Seventh-seeded Pittsburg State comes into the game at 18-9 overall, they finished with a 10-8 conference mark and in seventh place. The Gorillas beat Truman State 70-62 on Monday night in an MIAA Tournament Play-In game at home.
• This is a rematch with the exact same seedings as last year's MIAA Tournament quarterfinals, won by Pittsburg State.
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 1,582.
• The Mules are averaging 78.0 points per game and giving up 70.0 points per contest this year.
• Central Missouri is shooting 47 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three-point range. The Mules give up 42 percent shooting overall and 34 percent from beyond the arc.
• In their 19 wins, UCM is holding the opposition to 39 percent shooting, while they shoot 47 percent from the field. In their seven losses, the Mules have given up 48 percent shooting overall and 51 percent from beyond the three-point line.
• The Mules are forcing 13.8 turnovers per game, while committing 12.6 turnovers of their own per contest.
• This season marks the 10th straight year that Central Missouri has won at least 18 games, the longest active streak in the MIAA. The longest streak in MIAA history is 11 seasons, held by Northwest Missouri from 1997-2008.
MIAA POSTSEASON HONORS
• The Mules had three players earn All-MIAA honors. Senior forward
Dominique Long was a first team selection, senior guard
Widgett Washington earned third team honors and junior guard
Charles Hammork was an honorable mention pick by the league coaches.
• This is the second straight all-conference award for both Long and Washington and the first for Hammork.
SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 109th all-time meeting between the Mules and the Gorillas. Central Missouri holds a 67-41 lead in the series, including an 18-6 advantage during the Kim Anderson era.
• The Mules beat the Gorillas in the only regular season meeting 80-73 on January 12 in Warrensburg.
• The teams are 3-3 against each other in neutral site games and PSU holds a 2-1 lead in MIAA Tournament games played in Kansas City. The Gorillas beat UCM 78-64 in the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals last year.
• Central Missouri has won 15 of the last 17 meetings dating back to the 2005-06 season.
• The Mules hold a 4-2 series lead under the current head coaches.
LAST MEETING WITH PITTSBURG STATE
• The Mules used a strong second half to outlast Pittsburg State 80-73 back on January 12 in Warrensburg. The Gorillas led by three at halftime, but UCM out-scored PSU 41-31 in the second half.
• UCM shot 45 percent from the floor, 29-of-64, and 5-of-14 from beyond the arc for 36 percent. The Mules were just 17-of-31 from the foul line for 55 percent.
•
Widgett Washington led UCM with a season-high 22 points and added six rebounds and four assists.
Lance Beckwith had 12 points, six boards and five steals and
Dominique Long finished with 10 points.
• The Gorillas shot 24-of-59 from the field for 41 percent. PSU was 4-of-16 from three-point range for 25 percent and made 21-of-29 at the charity stripe for 72 percent.
• Kaleb Porter led PSU with 16 points, while Rico Pierrevilus finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. JaVon McGee had 12 points and Courtney Ingram finished with 10.
• The Mules out-rebounded Pittsburg State 42-39, while both teams finished with 40 points in the paint.
• UCM forced 14 Gorilla turnovers compared to 10 of their own.
SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE
• The Gorillas come in on a three-game winning streak after a 70-62 win over Truman State on Monday in an MIAA Tournament Play-In game.
• Pittsburg State is 18-9 overall and seeded No. 7 in the tournament.
• The Gorillas are led by third-year head coach Kevin Muff. He has compiled a 48-36 record during his time in Pittsburg.
• PSU is averaging 76.1 points per game and giving up 71.8 per game. The Gorillas shoot 45 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc. They are shooting 71 percent at the free throw line and have attempted 133 more foul shots than their opponents.
• Kaleb Porter leads the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game. JaVon McGee averages 11.8 per contest and leads the squad with 6.6 rebounds per outing. Marky Nolen, the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, also averages in double figures at 10.4 points per game. He also averages 2.2 steals per contest.
• The Gorillas force 15.5 turnovers per game, but commit 16.6 of their own.
• PSU out-rebounds their opponents by over five boards per contest.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Mules dropped their regular season finale 95-78 at Washburn last Saturday night. The loss gave UCM a shared regular season championship with Fort Hays State and gave the Mules the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Tournament.
• The game was a back-and-forth battle in the early going with the lead changing hands on nearly every possession, but a 6-0 run gave the Ichabods a lead they wouldn't relinquish. WU out-scored UCM 15-6 to end the first half and lead by 13 at the break.
• The 'Bods led by as many as 20 in the second half as they cruised to the win. The 95 points was the most points given up by UCM this year.
•
Widgett Washington led the Mules with 21 points, while
Charles Hammork had 16 and
Lance Beckwith 10. UCM shot 41 percent for the game, but just 31 percent from beyond the arc.
• Washburn was led by Will McNeill's career-high 40 points as they shot 50 percent for the game and 55 percent from three-point range.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 143-63 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and finished 13-5 this season with a share of the MIAA regular season championship. Their second straight conference crown.
• 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 five MIAA regular season championships and three MIAA tournament titles under Kim Anderson.
MULES IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
• The Mules are 98-26 in non-conference games during the Kim Anderson era and 6-2 this season.
• Central Missouri is 49-1 in the last 50 non-conference games at home.
• The Mules are 36-12 in Division II non-conference regular season games under Anderson.
THE MULES AT HOME
• Central Missouri is 141-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after the 76-64 win over Truman on Wednesday night.
• Over the last eight years, UCM is 124-11 at home. Over that same time period the Mules are 49-1 against non-conference opponents at home and 75-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 452-88 in their 37th season playing home games at the Multi.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 63-51 in road games during the Kim Anderson era and 4-4 this season following the 108-91 win at Southwest Baptist on Feb. 23.
• UCM was 7-4 on the road last season.
THE MULES IN NEUTRAL SITE GAMES
• The Mules are 38-18 in neutral site games during the Kim Anderson era, including 2-2 this season.
MULES IN THE MIAA POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT
• The Mules are 11-7 in the MIAA Tournament under head coach Kim Anderson and 29-27 all-time in the MIAA Tournament.
• The Mules have captured five MIAA Tournament championships in school history, more than any other league school. UCM has been in the championship game 13 times in the history of the tournament.
• The Mules have made the championship game four of the 10 years the tournament has been held in Kansas City.
• UCM has won three titles under Anderson, winning championships in 2004-05, 2006-07, and 2008-09, in addition to titles won in 1981-82 and 1983-84.
• The Mules have played in every MIAA Tournament since it's inception, the only school to do so.
• The Mules are 3-3 all-time in the MIAA Tournament against first round opponent Pittsburg State, including 1-2 during the Kim Anderson era and 1-3 in first round games.
• Overall, here is how the Mules have fared against conference opponents in the MIAA postseason tournament:
Team Quarters Semis Finals In KC Overall
Central Oklahoma - - - - -
Emporia State 2-0 1-0 - 1-0 3-0
Fort Hays State 1-0 - - 1-0 1-0
Lincoln - 0-1 - - 0-1
Missouri Southern 4-0 - 1-0 3-0 5-0
Missouri Western 1-3 1-1 1-1 2-0 3-5
Nebraska-Kearney - - - - -
Northeastern State - - - - -
Northwest Missouri 0-2 3-0 1-1 - 4-3
Pittsburg State 1-3 1-0 1-0 1-2 3-3
Southwest Baptist 0-1 1-0 0-2 1-1 1-3
Truman State - 2-1 - 1-0 2-1
Washburn 0-4 1-1 - 1-3 1-5
-- vs former MIAA members --
Missouri-Rolla - - 0-1 - 0-1
Missouri-St. Louis 1-0 1-0 - - 2-0
Nebraska Omaha 0-1 - - 0-1 0-1
Southeast Missouri 1-0 2-1 1-3 - 4-4
Totals 11-14 13-5 5-8 11-7 29-27
A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules a 20-7 overall record and a spot in the MIAA Tournament semifinals at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday against the winner of Washburn and Central Oklahoma.
• Give UCM 20 wins for the sixth time under Kim Anderson and the 22nd time in school history.
• Give the Mules back-to-back wins over Pittsburg State and wins in 16 of the last 18 meetings.
• Give UCM a 4-3 advantage over the Gorillas in MIAA Tournament games.
• Snap a three-game losing streak in MIAA Tournament first round games.
A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 19-8 overall and eliminate them from the MIAA Tournament.
• Give UCM back-to-back losses for the second time this season and two straight losses to PSU in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals.
• Give the Mules four straight first round losses in the MIAA Tournament and five in the last six years.
• Drop the Mules to 1-3 against the Gorillas in the MIAA Tournament during the Kim Anderson era.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
• The Mules dropped three spots to No. 7 in this week's Central Region rankings that were released by the NCAA on Wednesday.
• The top eight teams in the final rankings on Sunday, March 10 qualify for the Central Regional tournament March 16, 17 and 19 at a campus site to be determined.
Central Region Overall Record In-Region Record
1. Minnesota State 22-4 20-4
2. Winona State 24-7 20-6
3. Augustana (S.D.) 19-7 19-7
4. Harding 18-8 18-8
5. Northeastern State 17-7 16-7
6. Upper Iowa 19-10 18-10
7. Central Missouri 16-7 16-6
8. Washburn 16-7 16-7
9. St. Cloud State 18-8 16-8
10. Arkansas Tech 15-10 15-10
ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 241-89 (.730) in his 11th season leading the Mules.
• He has led UCM to five MIAA regular season titles, including this year, 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 (241), 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 1,582-918 (.633) record in 2,500 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 history.
• UCM has won or shared 23 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
• If the Mules beat Pittsburg State on Thursday night they will play the winner of the Washburn vs. Central Oklahoma game on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. in the second semifinal game.
• The MIAA Tournament Championship Game will be Sunday at 1 p.m.
• The NCAA Division II Men's Selection Show will air Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.
