STORY LINES
• The Mules return home to host Lincoln on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the UCM Multipurpose Building in the second meeting of the season between these two schools.
• The Mules are coming off a 97-92 win at Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon.
• The Blue Tigers dropped a 97-78 decision to league-leading Northwest Missouri on Saturday afternoon in Jefferson City.
• Entering Wednesday's game the Mules sit alone in second place in the MIAA standings, a game ahead of Fort Hays State. The Mules are two games behind first place Northwest Missouri with five regular season games left.
QUICK HITS
• This is the 109th season of Central Missouri Mules basketball.
• Central Missouri is third all-time in NCAA Division II men's basketball with 1,604 wins.
• In the Mules' 19 wins this season they are averaging 82.4 points per game and shooting 51 percent from the field. They are limiting opponents to 42 percent shooting and 65.8 points per game in those 19 games.
• In the Mules' four losses they are averaging 73.5 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the field.
• The win over Southwest Baptist last Thursday gave UCM 18 wins on the season. It marks the 11th straight season of at least 18 wins for the Mules, which ties the MIAA record for longest streak in conference history. The Mules tied Northwest Missouri, which accomplished the feat from 1997-2008.
• The Mules were 22-8 a season ago, the sixth 20-win season under Kim Anderson and the 22nd in school history.
• 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.
• 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 LINCOLN
• This will be the 86th all-time meeting between the Mules and the Blue Tigers. Central Missouri leads the series 53-32
• The Mules have won 13 straight games in the series and are 13-0 against Lincoln during the Kim Anderson era.
• UCM leads the series 27-14 in games played in Warrensburg. The Mules are 6-0 against Lincoln at the Multipurpose Building under Anderson and have won eight straight games over the Blue Tigers in Warrensburg.
LAST MEETING WITH LINCOLN
• The Mules shot 60 percent from the field as they cruised to an 89-61 win over Lincoln back on January 22 in Jefferson City.
• UCM used a 19-4 run midway through the first half to break an 11-all tie and seize control of the game.
• The win was No. 1,600 in the history of Mules Basketball. UCM became just the third NCAA-II school to record 1,600 program wins.
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Charles Hammork led four Mules in double figures with 15 points.
Jordan Epps had 14 points, while
Dillon Deck chipped in 13 points and
TJ White finished with 10.
• UCM held LU to 38 percent shooting for the game, but the Blue Tigers did connect on 10 of 27 three-point attempts.
SCOUTING THE BLUE TIGERS
• Lincoln comes into the game at 3-19 overall and 1-13 in MIAA play. The Blue Tigers have lost 13 of their last 14 games.
• LU dropped a 97-78 decision at home to Northwest Missouri on Saturday afternoon.
• Mike Smith leads three Blue Tigers in double figures at 16.1 points per game. Joshua Buie averages 16.0 per contest, while Clay Crouch averages 11.9.
• Buie scored a team-high 14 points in the previous meeting between these two schools.
• Aaron Spudich leads the team in rebounding at 5.8 boards per game.
• The Blue Tigers average 74.6 points per game and shoot 43 percent from the field, while opponents are averaging 88.8 points per contest on 52 percent shooting.
• LU shoots 33 percent from three-point range and 70 percent at the free throw line. Opponents are shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.
• The Blue Tigers have been out-rebounded by almost 11 boards per game, 40.3-29.7, this season.
• Lincoln forces 14.7 turnovers per game defensively, but the Blue Tigers are turning it over 13.7 times per outing.
LAST TIME OUT • CENTRAL MISSOURI 97, MISSOURI SOUTHERN 92• 2/8/14
JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Central Missouri Mules shot 59 percent from the field and held off a late Missouri Southern charge for a 97-92 win at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon. The win improves UCM's record to 19-4 overall, 11-3 in MIAA play and clinches a spot in the MIAA Postseason Tournament.
   Central Missouri jumped out to an early 10-6 leading hitting four of the first five shots from the field. The Lions (15-5, 9-4 MIAA) used a 10-5 spurt to take their first lead of the game, 16-15, with 14:35 left in the half, but an 8-0 run by UCM gave the Mules a 23-16 lead with 13:08 left in the opening period.
   MSSU scored six quick points to pull within one, but UCM quickly pushed the lead back to six. The lead was still six, 34-28, at the 8:28 mark when the Lions went on a 6-0 run to tie the game with just over five minutes to play in the first half. The Mules took a 40-38 lead, but Missouri Southern closed the half on a 6-1 run to lead 44-41 at the intermission.
   The Mules opened second half red hot, scoring 20 points in the first 7:33 of the stanza to take a 10-point lead, 61-51, with 13:27 left in the game. Central Missouri pushed the lead to 11 with just under 12 minutes to play in the game, but the Lions kept themselves in it from the free throw line. MSSU went 9:15 without a field goal in the second half, but scored 13 points at the charity stripe between buckets and only trailed by six with 6:33 to play.
   A three-pointer from
Daylen Robinson pushed the lead back to nine at the 5:59 mark and later a steal and layup by
Charles Hammork pushed the lead to 11. The Mule lead was 10 with 3:36 to play, but four straight points from MSSU cut the lead to six with 2:47 remaining. Robinson hit a jumper and after the teams traded free throws, Lane Barlow hit a three to cut UCM's lead to five with 1:29 to play in regulation.
   The Lions cut the lead to three on a Marquis Addison trey with :57 to play, but four free throws for the Mules pushed the lead back to seven, 95-88, with 24 seconds remaining. The Lions would get back to within four at the :10 mark, but UCM beat MSSU for the second time in a week and earned the hard fought MIAA win.
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Dillon Deck led four Mules in double figures with a game-high 24 points on 10 of 11 shooting. He also added a team-high nine rebounds. Hammork finished with 19 points, while Robinson had 17 and
Ryan Magdziarz chipped in 12 off the bench.
   The Mules were 32 of 54 from the field for 59 percent and 9 of 16 from three-point range for 56 percent. UCM was 24 of 32 at the foul line for 75 percent.
   The Lions were led by Addison's 21 points. Jordan Talbert and Slim Magee each had 19, while Magee added 10 boards for a double-double. Cameron Cornelius had 11 points as well.
   The Mules had 13 assists in the game, but turned the ball over 14 times. MSSU had 14 assists and 11 turnovers. UCM held a 38-30 advantage in points in the paint, but the Lions pulled down 18 offensive rebounds leading to 23 second chance points.
   With the win, the Mules clinched a spot in the MIAA Postseason Tournament.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• Central Missouri is 154-66 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and 11-3 this season after the 97-92 win at Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon.
• The Mules were 13-5 in conference play last year and won a share of the MIAA regular season title for the second straight season.
• 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 152-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after beating Southwest Baptist last Thursday night.
• The Mules were 13-0 at home last season and have won 25 straight games at the Multi dating back to the 2011-12 season.
• Over the last nine years, UCM is 135-11 at home, including 53-1 against non-conference opponents and 82-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 463-88 in their 38th season playing home games at the Multi.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 5-4 on the road this season after the win at Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon.
• UCM is 68-56 on the road during the Kim Anderson. The Mules were 4-5 on the road last season.
A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 20-4 overall record and a 12-3 mark in MIAA play. It would keep the Mules no worse than two games behind first place Northwest Missouri.
• Give the Mules 14 straight wins over Lincoln and a 54-32 lead in the all-time series.
• Give the Mules 26 straight home wins.
• Give UCM 20 wins for the second straight season, the seventh time under head coach Kim Anderson and the 23rd time in program history.
• Move the Mules to within one game of clinching a bye to Kansas City for the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals.
A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 19-5 overall and 11-4 in MIAA play and into a possible tie with Fort Hays State for second in the league standings.
• Snap a 13-game winning streak against Lincoln and give the Blue Tigers a split of the season series.
• Snap a 25-game home court winning streak.
ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Now in his 12th season leading the Mules, Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 263-94 (.737).
• 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 (263), 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 1,604-923 (.635) record in 2,527 total games.
• The Mules are the third winningest program by victories in NCAA-II history.
• Central Missouri became just the third NCAA-II program with 1,600 all-time wins.
• 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, 23 former players have gone on to play professional basketball.
• Four players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster; Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet),
Reggie Stallings (Rochester Razor Sharks), Sanijay Watts (Germany, Dorsten) and Zack Wright (Germany, Brose Basket).
A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Following the fall 2013 seasons, Central Missouri has won a combined 196 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 142 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 head out on the road for three straight games beginning Saturday, Feb. 15 in St. Charles, Mo. against Lindenwood. Tipoff at Hyland Arena is set for 3 p.m.
• The Mules get a week off before the road trip continues at Southwest Bapist on Saturday, Feb. 22.