No. 20 Central Missouri Mules (28-5) vs No. 1 Metro State Roadrunners (32-1)
Thursday, March 27, 2014 | 6 p.m.
Evansville, Ind. | Ford Center (11,000)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: Central Missouri Sports Network
Listen Live | Live Stats | UCM Game Notes | MSU Game Notes
Twitter Updates: @UCMMULES
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STORY LINES

• The 20th-ranked Central Missouri Mules will make their third Final Four appearance under head coach Kim Anderson when they take on No. 1-ranked Metro State on Thursday night at 6 p.m. at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
• The game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network with Andrew Catalon, Dan Bonner and Evan Washburn on the call. KMOS TV will also be picking up the feed for Thursday night's game.

• The Mules beat Southern Connecticut State 98-88 in the Elite Eight on Wednesday afternoon to advance to the Final Four. UCM is now 3-0 in Elite Eight games under Anderson.

• The Mules won a share of their third straight MIAA Regular Season Championship this season. It was the sixth conference title under head coach Kim Anderson, the 24th in school history and the first three-peat in school history.

• Metro State advanced to the Final Four with a 106-87 win over Tuskegee in the Elite Eight. The Roadrunners come into the game at 32-1 overall and champions of the South Central Region. MSU won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament championships.

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 1,613 wins.

• The 28 wins this season are the fourth most in a single-season in school history and are the third best win total for Central Missouri during the Kim Anderson era.

• In the Mules' 28 wins this season they are averaging 81.8 points per game and shooting 51 percent from the field. They are limiting opponents to 40 percent shooting and 65.7 points per game.

• In the Mules' five losses they are averaging 75.2 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the field.

• The win over Southwest Baptist on Feb. 6 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 the longest streak in conference history. The Mules tied Northwest Missouri, which accomplished the feat from 1997-2008.

• The Mules 28 wins this season mark the seventh 20-win season under Kim Anderson and the 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.

MIAA POSTSEASON HONORS

• The Mules had three players named to the All-MIAA Team as voted on by the league coaches. Junior forward Dillon Deck was a first team selection, senior guard Daylen Robinson earned third team honors and senior guard Charles Hammork earned honorable mention accolades.

• This is the second straight All-MIAA honor for Hammork and the first for both Deck and Robinson. This is Deck's second straight first team all-conference award, however, as he was a first team All-GLVC pick last season at William Jewell.

DECK NAMED NABC ALL-DISTRICT

• Junior forward Dillon Deck was named to the NABC All-District Second Team as announced last week. The first team All-MIAA selection leads the Mules in scoring and is second in rebounding.

SERIES HISTORY VS METRO STATE

• This will be the third ever meeting between Central Missouri and Metro State. Each team has recorded a win in the series.

• The Roadrunners beat the Mules 96-80 in Denver in the first ever meeting during the 1988-89 season. The Mules returned the favor with a 78-69 win in Warrensburg during the 1991-92 season. The head coach of that team is current UCM Athletic Director, Jerry Hughes.

SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS

• Metro State enters the Final Four at 32-1 overall after beating Tuskegee 106-87 in the Elite Eight on Wednesday. The Roadrunners are riding a 29-game winning streak. Their only loss of the season was a 72-69 setback at Western Washington on Nov. 30.

• MSU is led by head coach Derrick Clark. In his fourth season, he has led the Roadrunners to a 111-19 record. He has led Metro State to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first four seasons, including three straight trips to the Elite Eight and a spot in the national championship game last season.

• Metro State is averaging 81.7 points per game offensively and the Roadrunners shoot 47 percent from the field. Opponents shoot 43 percent against them and are averaging 67.0 points per contest.

• The Roadrunners shoot 40 percent from three-point range and 78 percent at the free throw line. They hold opponents to just 34 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

• National Player of the Year Brandon Jefferson leads the team in scoring at 21.6 points per game. He shoots 46 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range. He is 228 of 248 (.919) at the free throw line.

• Two other Metro State players are averaging in double figures. Mitch McCarron averages 16.1 points per outing and Nicholas Kay averages 15.8 per contest. McCarron pulls down a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game and Kay averages 7.4 per outing.

• The Roadrunners force 15.3 turnovers per game, while committing just 9.6 of their own per outing.

LAST TIME OUT • CENTRAL MISSOURI 98, SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT ST. 88 • 3/26/14

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Central Missouri Mules had five players score in double figures, including a career-high 28 points from Daylen Robinson, as they beat No. 4 Southern Connecticut State 98-88 in the Elite Eight on Wednesday afternoon at the Ford Center. With the win, the Mules advance to their third Final Four under head coach Kim Anderson.

The Mules (28-5) came racing out of the gates jumping out to a 9-2 lead just 2:34 into the game. Hot-shooting Southern Connecticut State (30-3) found their footing and began to chip away at the lead. Four straight free throws from Greg Langston and Michael Mallory cut the UCM lead to one at 14-13 and following a TJ White bucket, DeShawn Murphy drilled a three to tie the game.

Murphy hit another three to put the Owls in front 19-16 and Mallory's layup gave the Owls a five-point lead. White scored a three-point play to cut the deficit to two, but Murphy got a dunk on the other end to push the lead back to four. 

A pair of free throws from Dillon Deck got UCM within two, but Langston drilled another three to put SCSU in front by five. The Owls extended the lead to six at 34-28 with 6:11 to play in the half, but three consecutive threes sparked a 15-0 run that gave the Mules a 43-34 lead with 2:10 to play in the opening period.

A layup from Langston and another from Tylon Smith cut UCM's lead to four, but Brennen Hughes was fouled with just 0.3 on the clock. He hit both free throws to give UCM a 45-39 lead at halftime.

Both teams came out of the intermission on fire. A three from Mallory cut UCM's lead to one at 56-55 with 15:55 to play in the game. Deck scored a bucket and Daylen Robinson drained a three to quickly put the Mules back in front by six. UCM pushed the lead to eight on a Jordan Epps steal and layup with 11:40 to play.

The lead grew to nine at 70-61 with 10:14 to play in the game on another three from Robinson, but SCSU used a 7-0 run to pull within 70-68 with 8:45 to play in the game.

A dunk by Charles Hammork put UCM back in front by four and Robinson's layup at the 8:03 mark made it a six point Mule lead.

Mallory hit back-to-back threes to cut Central Missouri's lead to three at 76-73 with 6:38 to play, but they would get no closer.

Hammork hit a driving layup to start an 8-0 run that gave UCM an 84-73 lead with 2:48 to play. The Owls were able to get back to within six at 84-78 at the 1:51 mark, but Hammork and Robinson went a combined 10-for-10 at the free throw line to ice the game away.

The Mules outscored the Owls 38-30 in the paint as Deck finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Robinson led UCM with a career-high 28 points on 7-of-13 shooting and 11-of-12 at the foul line. Hammork had 18 points and eight boards, while White and Jon Gilliam both finished with 11 points.

UCM shot 51 percent from the field, 33 of 65, and made 8 of 20 from beyond the arc for 40 percent. The Mules were 24 of 29 at the charity stripe for 83 percent.

Mallory led SCSU with 22 points, while Smith had 20 and Langston finished with 19 before fouling out. The Owls shot 42 percent, 28 of 66, and made 10 of 28 from three-point range for 36 percent. SCSU was 22 of 29 at the foul line for 76 percent.

The Mules are now 3-0 in Elite Eight games under Anderson and 4-1 overall. UCM will play the winner of No. 1 ranked Metro State and Tuskegee on Thursday night at 6 p.m. in the first national semifinal.

The game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network. The game can also be heard live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler on the call.

MULES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• Central Missouri has a 35-21 record in 22 NCAA Tournament appearances. UCM played in five regional consolation games between 1965 and 1985 after losing in the first round.

• Central Missouri is 15-6 overall in seven NCAA Tournament appearances under Kim Anderson. This is the third Elite Eight trip for UCM during his tenure.

• The Mules are 3-0 in Elite Eight games under Anderson after the 98-88 win over Southern Connecticut State on Wednesday.

• The Mules are 18-9 in NCAA Tournament games played on a neutral court, which will be the case for Thursday's Final Four matchup with Metro State.

• The Mules are making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and seventh overall under Anderson.

MULES IN THE FINAL FOUR

• Central Missouri is 1-2 in three previous Final Four appearances, including an 0-2 mark under Kim Anderson.

• The Mules fell in the 2007 Final Four to Winona State, 90-85, in overtime. UCM lost to Findlay 67-65 in the 2009 Final Four.

• The Mules lone win was an 89-85 win over North Alabama during the 1984 Tournament.

REGIONAL TOURNAMENT HONORS

• Senior guard/forward Charles Hammork was named the Central Regional's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 15.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game over the three games of the tournament.

• He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammate Dillon Deck.

30TH ANNIVERSARY OF MULES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

• This season marks the 30th anniversary of Central Missouri's last basketball national championship. The 1983-84 Mules beat St. Augustine's 81-77 to claim the national title in Springfield, Mass.

• That season marked the first time in NCAA history that the same school won the men's and women's national titles in the same year. The Mules won their title and immediately following that game, the Jennies claimed a national championship on the same court.

THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY

• Central Missouri was 16-3 in MIAA play this season, capturing a share of their third straight conference crown. The Mules are 159-66 in conference play during the Kim Anderson era.

• 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 captured their sixth MIAA regular season championship this season and have four MIAA tournament titles under Kim Anderson.

MULES IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION

• The Mules are 113-29 in non-conference games during the Kim Anderson era, including an 12-2 mark this season after beating Southern Connecticut State on Wednesday afternoon.

MULES IN THE NATIONAL POLLS

• Central Missouri dropped five spots in the latest NABC/Division II Coaches' Poll to No. 20 after their first round exit from the MIAA Tournament.

• The Mules have been ranked in 139 polls in the history of the program, the seventh most in NCAA-II history.

• This is Central Missouri's fifth week in the rankings this season.

THE MULES AT HOME

• Central Missouri is 154-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after beating Northwest Missouri on March 1 to close out the regular season.

• The Mules were 13-0 at home last season and have won 27 straight games at the Multi dating back to the 2011-12 season.

• Over the last nine years, UCM is 137-11 at home, including 53-1 against non-conference opponents and 84-10 in MIAA play.

• The Mules are 465-88 in their 38th season playing home games at the Multi.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD

• The Mules are 8-4 on the road this season, including 7-3 in MIAA play, after the win at Missouri Western on February 26.

• The Mules were one of just four MIAA teams to have a winning road record during conference play.

• UCM is 71-56 on the road during the Kim Anderson era. The Mules were 4-5 on the road last season.

MULES IN NEUTRAL SITE GAMES

• UCM is 48-20 overall in neutral site games during the Kim Anderson era and 7-1 this season after the 98-88 win over Southern Connecticut State on Wednesday.

DISHING IT OUT

• Senior guard Daylen Robinson moved into third place on UCM's single-season assist list when he dished out six assists in the regional win over Missouri Southern. Following the win over Southern Connecticut State he now has 178 assists on the season and is five assists shy of second place on the single season list.

• He was fourth in the MIAA in assists per game this season at 5.5.

SWATTING HIS WAY

• Junior forward Dillon Deck has registered 32 blocks this year, he moved into eighth place on UCM's single-season list with two blocks in the Elite Eight win over Southern Connecticut State.

A UCM WIN WOULD...

• Give the Mules a 29-5 overall record.

• Give the Mules their second trip to the national championship game in school history and the first since 1984.

• Give the Mules a 1-2 record under Kim Anderson in Final Four games.

A UCM LOSS WOULD...

• End the Mules season at 28-6 overall.

• Give the Mules their third Final Four loss in three trips under Anderson.

ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY

• Now in his 12th season leading the Mules, Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 272-95 (.741).

• His .731 winning percentage entering the 2013-14 season ranks seventh among all active NCAA Division II coaches.

• He has led UCM to six MIAA regular season titles, more than any other coach in school history, four MIAA tournament championships, three regional championships and three 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 (272), 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 1,613-924 (.636) record in 2,537 total games.

• The Mules are the third winningest program by victories in NCAA-II history.

• Central Missouri is one of just three NCAA-II programs with 1,600 all-time wins.

• The Mules have won 20 or more games 23 times in the history of the program, including this season.

• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games in a season twice, both during the Kim Anderson era.

• UCM has won or shared 24 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 (Greece, Panathinaikos Athens).

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS

• Following the 2013-14 winter seasons, Central Missouri has won a combined 198 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.

• This season, UCM has captured five MIAA Regular Season Championships.

• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 144 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 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 through the season.

UPCOMING

• A win over Metro State would give the Mules a spot in the National Championship game on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. That game will be broadcast on CBS.