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STORY LINES
• The 24th-ranked Mules hit the road for the first of two straight road games as they travel to Pittsburg, Kan. on Thursday night to play the Gorillas for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
• The Mules are coming off an 77-63 win over Washburn on Monday night, while Pittsburg State beat Lincoln 87-72 in Jefferson City.
• This will be the only reguar season meeting between the two schools for the second straight season.
• Central Missouri was the preseason No. 3 pick in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches' and Media Polls.

QUICK HITS
• This is the 109th season of Central Missouri Mules basketball.
• Central Missouri is second all-time in NCAA Division II men's basketball with 1,597 wins.
• In the Mules' 12 wins this season they are averaging 82.5 points per game and shooting 50 percent from the field.
• In the Mules' two losses they are averaging 74.5 points per game and shooting 41 percent from the field.
• The Mules were 22-8 a season ago, the sixth 20-win season under Kim Anderson and the 22nd in school history.
• Last season was the 10th straight season of at least 18 wins for UCM, the longest active streak in the MIAA. The longest streak in league history is 11 seasons, held by Northwest Missouri from 1997-2008.
• Central Missouri finished 13-5 in MIAA play last year and captured a share of the MIAA regular season championship for the second straight season. It was the fifth conference crown under Anderson and 23rd in school history.
• UCM returns one all-MIAA performer from a season ago. Charles Hammork was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick last season after averaging 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He was also an MIAA Tournament All-Tournament Team selection in helping the Mules to the conference tournament title.
• Three of the top nine single-season scoring leaders in UCM history have come during the 11-year tenure of head coach Kim Anderson.

SERIES HISTORY VS PITTSBURG STATE
• This will be the 110th all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Pittsburg State. The Mules lead the series 68-41.
• The Mules won both meetings last season and have won 16 of the last 18 in the series.
• Pittsburg State leads the series 27-21 in games played in Pittsburg, but UCM has won six of the last seven.
• UCM is 19-6 against Pittsburg State under Kim Anderson, including a 7-3 mark at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg.

LAST MEETING WITH PITTSBURG STATE
• The Mules held Pittsburg State to 37 percent shooting en route to a 69-63 win in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals on March 7, 2013 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
• Matt Webb led UCM with 15 points and eight rebounds as four Mules finished in double figures.
• The win was Central Missouri's 20th of the 2012-13 season, the sixth 20-win season under Kim Anderson and the 22nd in school history.
• The Mules shot 40 percent from the field and held a 24-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
• UCM forced 15 PSU turnovers, while committing just 10 of their own.
• Pittsburg State out-rebounded Central Missouri 39-34, but UCM held a 35-26 advantage in points in the paint.

SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
• Pittsburg State comes into the game at 5-5 overall and 1-2 in MIAA play following an 87-72 win at Lincoln on Monday night.
• The Gorillas are averaging 81.7 points per game, while giving up 80.2 per contest.
• PSU shoots nearly 51 percent from the field, but 38 percent from three-point range. Opponents are shooting 42 percent against the Gorillas and are being held to 35 percent from beyond the arc.
• Pittsburg State shoot 71 percent at the free throw line, but the opposition has attempted 20 more free throws.
• Devon Branch leads the team in scoring at 20.0 points per game. Jake Bullard scores 16.0 points per contest and Sam Pugh chips in 11.2 per outing.
• Branch and Bullard are also tied for the team lead in rebounding at 5.3 per game.
• The Gorillas turn the ball over more than any other team in the MIAA at 16.0 turnovers per contest.

LAST TIME OUT • CENTRAL MISSOURI 77, WASHBURN 63 • 1/6/14
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Every player that saw action for Central Missouri scored, including four in double figures as the Mules beat Washburn 77-63 on Monday night at the UCM Multipurpose Building. The Mules scored the first eight points of the game and never trailed in capturing their 12th win of the season.
    Central Missouri (12-2, 4-1 MIAA) raced out to an 8-0 lead thanks to a pair of steals and fast break buckets. Washburn (11-2, 4-2 MIAA) responded with a 9-2 run to pull within one, but the Mules came right back with seven straight points to stretch the lead to 17-9 at the 11:39 mark of the first half.
    The Mules extended the lead to 13 at 27-14 with 7:30 left in the opening stanza on a layup from Jon Gilliam and three from Kyle Wolf. A 10-2 run by the Ichabods slashed the lead to five at 29-24 with 4:39 left. The lead was six with just over two minutes to play when the Mules went on a 7-2 spurt to lead 42-31 at halftime.
    Washburn cut the lead to single digits early in the second half, but a Dillon Deck jumper and a three from Ryan Magdziarz pushed the lead back to 14. UCM extended the lead to 18 at 66-48 with 8:25 left in the game. The 'Bods couldn't get any closer than 11 the rest of the way as the Mules cruised to their second straight win.
    TJ White led four Mules in double figures with 12 points. He also added six rebounds. Charles Hammork had 11 points, while Gilliam and Daylen Robinson each finished with 10. Ryan Donald had nine points and nine rebounds off the bench.
    The Mules shot 49 percent, 30 of 61, from the field and made 7 of 22 from beyond the arc for 31 percent. UCM struggled mightily from the free throw line, connecting on just 10 of 27 attempts for 37 percent.
    Washburn was led by Alex North's 16 points and seven rebounds as they shot 36 percent from the floor, 19 of 52. WU was 3 of 14 from three-point range for 21 percent and made 22 of 29 free throws for 75 percent.
    The Mules out-rebounded the Ichabods 40-37 and had 18 second chance points. UCM forced 14 turnovers and scored 19 points off those turnovers.

THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• Central Missouri is 147-64 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and 4-1 this season after a 77-63 win over Washburn on Monday night at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• The Mules were 13-5 in conference play last year and won a share of the MIAA regular season title.
• The Mules' best MIAA record under Anderson was an 18-2 mark during the 2009-10 season.
• The Mules have captured five MIAA regular season championships and four MIAA tournament titles under Kim Anderson.

MULES IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
• The Mules are 109-28 in non-conference games during the Kim Anderson era after the win over Culver-Stockton on December 16.
• Central Missouri is 53-1 in the last 54 non-conference games at home.

THE MULES AT HOME
• Central Missouri is 148-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after beating Washburn 77-63 on Monday night.
• The Mules were 13-0 at home last season and have won 21 straight games at the Multi dating back to the 2011-12 season.
• Over the last nine years, UCM is 131-11 at home, including 53-1 against non-conference opponents and 78-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 459-88 in their 38th season playing home games at the Multi.

MULES IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
• The Mules entered the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II Poll for the first time this season with a No. 24 ranking this week.
• Central Missouri has been ranked in 135 polls in the history of the program, that number ranks seventh in NCAA-II history.
• This is UCM's first time in the top 25 since Feb. 7, 2012 when the Mules were ranked No. 25.
• The Mules had been in the others receiving votes section since the first regular season poll.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• UCM is 65-54 on the road during the Kim Anderson after losing at Northeastern State 72-71 back on December 21.
• The Mules are 2-2 on the road this season after going 4-5 on the road last season.

A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules a 13-2 overall record and a 5-1 mark in league play.
• Give UCM three straight wins over Pittsburg State and a 69-41 lead in the all-time series.
• Be the second straight at Pittsburg State and the seventh in the last eight games at John Lance Arena.

A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 12-3 overall and 4-2 in MIAA play.
• Snap a two-game winning streak for the Mules against PSU.
• Pull the Gorillas to within 68-42 in the all-time series.

ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Now in his 12th season leading the Mules, Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 256-92 (.736).
• His .731 winning percentage entering the 2013-14 season ranks seventh among all active NCAA Division II coaches.
• He has led UCM to five MIAA regular season titles, more than any other coach in school history, four 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 (256), 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 109th season of UCM basketball the Mules have compiled a 1,597-921 (.634) record in 2,518 total games.
• The Mules are the second winningest program by victories in NCAA-II history.
• The Mules have won 20 or more games 22 times in the history of the program.
• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games in a season twice, both during the Kim Anderson era.
• UCM has won or shared 23 MIAA regular season championships and five MIAA tournament titles.

THE NEXT LEVEL
• In the Kim Anderson era, 22 former players have gone on to play professional basketball.
• Three players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster; Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet), Sanijay Watts (Germany, Dorsten) and Zack Wright (Germany, Brose Basket).

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Central Missouri has won a combined 193 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured three MIAA regular season titles and one tournament championship.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 139 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 550 Central Missouri student-athletes received 375 Academic Awards from the MIAA office for the 2012-13 academic year.
• 305 UCM student-athletes were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• 37 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.
• 33 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had eight student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors in their respective sports, including Brent Vogel being named the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Men's Track & Field.

MULES BASKETBALL ON THE AIR
• Central Missouri basketball is broadcast live on the new 44,000-watt 98.5 "The Bar, 1450 KOKO and online at warrensburgradio.com. All games are broadcast by 1450 KOKO/98.5 "The Bar" Sports Director, Greg Hassler.
• The Kim Anderson Show presented by Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp. airs on Monday nights at 7 p.m. on 98.5 The Bar and 1450 KOKO as well as warrensburgradio.com.
• The Central Missouri Sportspage is your weekly one-hour look at UCM athletics each Thursday night at 7 p.m. on KMOS-TV.

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
• Live video coverage for every Central Missouri home game will be available through America One Sports. 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. Fans can access webcasts through the AmericaOneSports link on the UCM Athletics website or by going to AmericaOneSports.com

UPCOMING
• The Mules wrap up their two-game road trip at Emporia State on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
• The Mules return home on Wednesday, Jan. 15 to host Missouri Western before heading back out on the road for two games.