25th-ranked Mules hit the road to take on Missouri Western on Wednesday night

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TIP-OFF
• The 25th-ranked Central Missouri Mules head to St. Joseph on Wednesday night to take on Missouri Western at 7:30 p.m. at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
• The Mules are 13-3 on the season and 4-3 in MIAA play after an 84-78 overtime loss to Emporia State on Saturday at home. The Mules led by as many as 16 in the game and led by 10 with 2:57 to play in the game, but couldn't hold on.
• The Griffons enter the contest at 7-7 overall and 3-4 in league play after a 63-61 loss to Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon. MWSU had won back-to-back games before falling to the Gorillas.
• The Mules were 30-5 a season ago when they captured the NCAA-II National Championship. It was the third 30-win season in program history, the seventh 20-win season in the last 12 years and the 23rd in school history.
• The 2013-14 season was the 11th straight season of at least 18 wins for UCM, the longest active streak in the MIAA and tied for the longest streak in conference history with Northwest Missouri, who accomplished the feat from 1997-2008.
• Central Missouri finished 16-3 in MIAA play last year and captured a share of the MIAA regular season championship for the third straight season. It was the sixth conference crown in the last 12 years and 24th in school history.

QUICK HITS
• This is the 110th season of Central Missouri Mules basketball.
• Central Missouri is third all-time in NCAA Division II men's basketball with 1,628 wins.
• The Mules have won two NCAA Men's National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four National Championships overall (1937 & 1938 NAIB).
• The Mules are averaging 77.4 points per game and shooting 51 percent from the field. The opposition is averaging 68.2 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc.

MULE TIDBITS
• TJ White has recorded his first three career double-doubles this season to lead all Mules.
• Dillon Deck has one double-double this season and seven during his two-year UCM career.
• Kyle Wolf recorded the second double-double of his career with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Nebraska-Kearney.
• Four Mules have recorded double-doubles this season (Deck, Dickerson, White, Wolf).
• Preston Brunz leads the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage at 57.1 percent ... he is also second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.6 (39 assists/11 turnovers).
• Ten different Mules have scored in double figures this season ... eight different Mules have led the team in scoring.

SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 59th all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Missouri Western. The Mules lead the series 31-27 after sweeping both games last season.
• UCM has won five straight in the series and 11 of the last 14 meetings between the two schools.
• The Mules won 81-63 in Warrensburg and 80-57 in St. Joseph last year.
• UCM has won two in a row at Missouri Western, but the Griffons lead the series 20-10 all-time in games played in St. Joseph.

LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI WESTERN
• The Mules shot 53 percent from the floor and held Missouri Western to 35 percent shooting in an 80-57 win on February 26, 2014 in St. Joseph.
• Dillon Deck led UCM with a career-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Daylen Robinson and Ryan Magdziarz added 10 points each, while Robinson also had six assists.
• The Mules out-rebounded the Griffons 39-29, including 11 offensive rebounds, and held a 40-14 advantage in points in the paint.
• UCM had just six turnovers in the game and forced 11 Griffon giveaway.
• Kalvin Balque led Missouri Western with 15 points, while Ryan Devers added 13 points and Charlie Marquardt chipped in 12.
• UCM shot 38 percent from three-point range, 6-of-16, while the Griffons struggled at just 29 percent, 5-of-17. MWSU was 18-fo-25 at the foul line for 72 percent while UCM shot just 42 percent, 8-of-19.

SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
• Missouri Western enters the week at 7-7 overall and 3-4 in MIAA play after a 63-61 loss to Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon. The Griffons are 6-2 at home this season, including a 2-2 mark during conference play.
• MWSU is averaging 69.4 points per game offensively, while giving up 68.7. The Griffons are shooting 43 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point range and 67 percent at the free throw line. Opponents are shooting 44 percent from the floor and 33 percent from beyond the arc.
• The Griffons have been out-rebounded by opponents by about a half a rebound per game and are averaging 34.8 boards per contest.
• Cortrez Colbert leads the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game. He is the only Griffon averaging in double figures for the season. He averages 19.4 points per contest during MIAA play and Cole Clearman is averaging 10.9 during conference action, compared to 9.1 for the season.
• The Griffons are averaging 7.1 made three-pointers per game and 12.7 assists.
• They turn the ball over just 12.7 times per outing and force nearly 15 per game, they also average almost eight steals per contest.

LAST TIME OUT • EMPORIA STATE 84, CENTRAL MISSOURI 78 OT • 1/10/15
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The 17th-ranked Mules led by as many as 16, but couldn't hold off an Emporia State rally and ultimately fell in overtime, 84-78, on Saturday afternoon at the UCM Multipurpose Building. The Mules led by 10 with under three minutes to play in regulation, but couldn't close it out.
    The Mules opened the game on a 9-0 run and didn't allow an Emporia State (9-7, 2-5 MIAA) field goal until the 13:47 mark. UCM pushed the lead to 11 at 15-4 with 12:00 left in the first half. The lead ballooned to 13 on a Dillon Deck tip-in before Terrence Moore drilled a three to pull ESU within 20-10 at the 9:02 mark.
    UCM pushed the lead to as many as 16 at 26-10 and 28-12, but a 12-5 spurt by the Hornets cut the lead to 33-24 in the waning seconds of the first half. Rakeem Dickerson hit a three-pointer at the buzzer and the Mules led 36-24 at the intermission.
    An 8-4 start to the second half pulled the Hornets back to within single digits at 40-32. A quick 6-0 spurt sent the Mules to a 14-point lead with 16:01 to play in the game, but ESU kept fighting back. The Hornets cut the lead to nine three different times, only to see the Mules go back in front by double digits.
    UCM led by 12 with 7:24 to play at 56-44 when ESU started to chip away. The Hornets cut the lead to seven at the 5:46 mark, but Dickerson drilled a three-pointer to put UCM back in front 60-50 with 5:19 left in regulation.
    A three from Perryonte Smith cut the UCM lead to seven and Moore's jumper made it a six-point game at 61-55 with 3:45 to play. Deck scored on a layup and Dickerson made two free throws to give the Mules another 10-point lead with 2:57 on the clock.
    Jevon Tayler hit a three to cut the lead to seven and following one of two free throws by Brennen Hughes, Terrence Sardin scored to make it a six point game with 2:18 left. Moore scored on a layup with 1:11 to play to cut the lead to four. Dickerson was fouled and made both free throws to give UCM a six-point lead with :46 to play. Taylor knocked down another three with :23 to play. Following a timeout, the Mules turned it over on the inbounds pass giving ESU a shot.
    The Hornets missed their first two three-point attempts, but got offensive rebounds on each miss. Smith found Taylor alone in the corner and he buried the three with :03 left to force overtime.
    ESU scored the first five points of overtime and built a seven-point lead with 2:28 to play. The Mules battled back and cut the lead to one at 79-78 with :29 left. On the ensuing inbounds pass, Moore broke free and was fouled as he made a layup at the other end. The Mules were called for an intentional foul giving ESU one free throw and the ball. They made all three free throws and took the six-point win.
    The Mules shot 55 percent from the field, 27-of-49, and 45 percent from three-point range, 5-of-11. UCM was 19-of-28 at the foul line for 68 percent.
    Dickerson led four Mules in double figures with 22 points. He dished out five assists, but did have six turnovers. Deck had 14 points off the bench, while Hughes had 12 and Preston Brunz finished with 10. TJ White had eight points and 10 rebounds.
    The Hornets were led by Moore's 38 points, while Taylor chipped in 20. ESU was 28-of-48 from the field for 58 percent and 9-of-16 from beyond the arc for 56 percent. The Hornets made 19-of-30 at the free throw line for 63 percent.
    The Mules turned the ball over 18 times, which led to 24 ESU points. UCM did out-rebound ESU 32-19 and out-scored the Hornets 42-36 in the paint.
    The loss was the first in the last 36 games for UCM when leading with 5:00 to play in the game and the second home loss, giving the Mules two home losses for the first time since the 2011-2012 season.

THE MULES AT HOME
• Central Missouri is 162-23 at the Multipurpose Building over the last 13 years and 8-2 under Doug Karleskint after the overtime loss to Emporia State on Saturday.
• Over the last nine years, UCM is 145-13 at home, including 59-1 against non-conference opponents and 86-12 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 473-90 in their 39th season playing home games at the Multi.

MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 2-1 on the road this season after the 63-60 win at Washburn on Monday night.
• UCM was 8-4 on the road last season, including 7-3 in MIAA play.

MULES IN NEUTRAL SITE GAMES
• UCM is 3-0 this year and 53-20 in neutral site games over the last 13 years after the 90-84 overtime win over Quincy on Nov. 25 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
• The Mules were 9-1 in neutral site games last season.

MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 4-3 in conference action under Doug Karleskint after the loss to Emporia State on Saturday afternoon.
• Central Missouri is 163-69 in MIAA play over the last 13 seasons.
• UCM has won or shared 24 MIAA regular season championships and five MIAA Tournament titles.

MULES IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
• The Mules are 9-0 in non-conference games this season and 124-29 over the last 13 seasons after the win over Culver-Stockton on December 15.
• The Mules went 14-2 in non-MIAA games last year.
• Central Missouri is 58-1 in the last 59 non-conference home games at the Multipurpose Building.

FOLLOWING A LOSS
• Central Missouri is 2-0 this season in the games immediately following a loss after the 63-60 victory over Washburn on Monday, January 5.
• The Mules have not lost back-to-back games since dropping three straight from Feb. 2-9, 2013.

A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 14-3 record overall and 5-3 in MIAA play.
• Give the Mules six straight wins against Missouri Western and three straight in St. Joe.

A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 13-4 overall and give UCM a 4-4 record in MIAA play.
• Snap the Mules' five-game winning streak against Missouri Western.
• Give UCM back-to-back losses for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

BLOCK PARTY
• Senior Dillon Deck now has 53 blocked shots in his UCM career, moving him past Doug Flowers and into sole possession of fifth place on the career list. He is three blocks shy of tying Mike Moultrie for fourth place.
• He blocked 32 shots last season, the eighth most in a single season in Central Missouri history.

KARLESKINT ERA OFF TO A GOOD START
• Doug Karleskint is 13-3 in his first season as the head coach at Central Missouri and 103-37 (.736) overall in his fifth season as a head coach.
• He became the first Mules' head coach to start his first season at UCM 7-0.
• He spent the previous five seasons at Arkansas Tech, including the last four as head coach. He compiled a 90-34 (.726) record with the Wonder Boys with four conference championships and four trips to the NCAA-II National Tournament, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2012.

MULES IN THE POLLS
• The Mules dropped eight spots to No. 25 in the latest NABC/Division II Rankings released on Tuesday.
• The Mules have been ranked in 146 polls in the history of the program, the seventh most in NCAA-II history.
• The Mules dropped out of the Division II Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA after being ranked 21st last week. The poll is in its first year of existence and is voted on by Division II Sports Information Directors.

MULES BASKETBALL HISTORY
• In the 110th season of UCM basketball, the Mules have compiled a 1,628-927 (.637) record in 2,555 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.
• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games in a season three times, including last year.
• UCM has won or shared 24 MIAA regular season championships and five MIAA tournament titles.

THE NEXT LEVEL
• In the past 12 years, 21 former UCM players have gone on to play professional basketball.
• Four players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster; Charles Hammork (Kosovo, Ylli Therande), Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet), Sanijay Watts (Germany, Dorsten) and Zack Wright (Germany, Brose Basket).

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Following the fall sports seasons, Central Missouri has won a combined 202 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured seven MIAA regular season titles, the most of any school in league history and the second time Central Missouri accomplished the feat.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 146 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won six national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003 and men's basketball in 2014) and eight national championships overall.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• Central Missouri had 220 student-athletes named to the 2013-14 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 41 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.
• 17 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had 12 student-athletes earn Academic All-Region awards in their respective sports with seven of those earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

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 and Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations, Mike Knipper.
• The Doug Karleskint Show, Live from Traditions Restaurant presented by Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp. will air on Monday nights at 6 p.m. on 98.5 The Bar and 1450 KOKO as well as warrensburgradio.com.

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
• Live video coverage for all Central Missouri home and away MIAA games will be available through Stretch Internet on a pay-per-view basis. The cost is $9.95 for a day pass or $89.95 for an all-season pass for UCM basketball. With a day pass, fans can access any MIAA game being broadcast that day. Fans can access webcasts through the GameCentral by Stretch Internet link on the UCM Athletics homepage or through the "Video" links on the Mules Basketball schedule page. Fans can also go directly to
portal.stretchinternet.com/ucmo/

UPCOMING
• The Mules return home for two straight games beginning on Saturday, January 17 against Northwest Missouri at 3:30 p.m. at the Multi.
• UCM will host Lincoln on Wednesday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Multi.