TIP-OFF• The Central Missouri Mules officially tip-off the 2015-16 season hosting a pair of in-region games this weekend at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• In honor of Veteran's Day, all military veterans and their families will receive free admission to the games.
• The Mules will open the season on Friday night at 6 p.m. hosting Minnesota-Duluth before taking on Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Multi.
• The Mules were 25-7 a season ago and advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. It was the eighth 20-win season in the last 11 years and the 24th in school history.
• Central Missouri finished 14-5 in MIAA play last year and finished as the regular season runner-up.
QUICK HITS• This is the 111th season of Central Missouri Mules basketball.
• Central Missouri is third all-time in NCAA Division II men's basketball with 1,640 wins.
• Last season was the 12th straight season of at least 18 wins for UCM, an MIAA record.
• Last season was the third straight 20-win season for UCM and the 24th in program history.
• The Mules shot 50.2 percent from the field last season and averaged 73.5 points per game. They allowed 43.4 percent shooting and 67.2 points per game defensively.
• UCM lost 77 percent of its scoring from last year's team and 76 percent of the rebounding.
• The Mules have won two NCAA Men's National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four National Championships overall (1937 & 1938 NAIB).
MULE FEED• Five Mules recorded double-doubles last season (
Dillon Deck,
Rakeem Dickerson,
Brennen Hughes,
TJ White and
Kyle Wolf). Only Wolf returns this season.
• Ten different Mules scored in double figures last season and nine different Mules led the team in scoring.
• The Mules were 12th in the nation in field goal percentage last season, shooting 50.2 percent from the field.
SERIES HISTORY• This will be the first ever meeting between Central Missouri and both Minnesota-Duluth and Concordia-St. Paul.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS• Minnesota-Duluth returns 11 letterwinners and three starters from the 2014-15 team that finished 16-14 overall and 12-10 in Northern Sun action.
• UMD is led by fourth-year head coach Matt Bowen. He is 36-48 in his first three seasons leading the Bulldogs and 100-150 in his 10th season as a college head coach.
• The Bulldogs were picked to finish 10th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• UMD lost leading scorer Brett Ervin (19.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg), but they return their next three highest scorers from a season ago. Pierre Newton (13.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Brendon Pineda (11.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), and Taylor Lavery (10.5 ppg, 1.8 apg).
• The Bulldogs averaged 68.7 points per game offensively last season, while shooting 45 percent. They gave up 69.3 points per outing and 44.8 percent shooting.
• UMD shot 139 more free throws than the opposition last year and shot nearly 76 percent at the foul line.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS• Concordia-St. Paul returns seven letterwinners and two starters from last season's squad that went 19-11 overall and finished third in the NSIC South Division with a 14-8 conference mark. The Golden Bears averaged 73.2 ppg a season ago and gave up 68.0.
• The Golden Bears are led by second year head coach Joey James. He has a 31-29 career mark in this, his third season as a head coach.
• CSP was picked to finish ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll and are receiving two votes in the NABC Preseason Poll.
• Guard Cole Olstad returns for his senior season after averaging a team-best 13.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last year. He shot over 42 percent from the field and nearly 84 percent at the foul line. He scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in CSP's 77-71 exhibition win over St. Thomas (Minn.).
• Four players finished in double figures in that game with Brandon McRoy scoring 17, Shea Mandli 16 and Jon Sobaski 12. CSP shot 50 percent from the field, while St. Thomas shot 48 percent.
THE MULES AT HOME• Central Missouri went 14-2 at home last season and the Mules are 168-23 at the Multipurpose Building over the last 13 years.
• Over the last 10 years, UCM is 151-13 at home, including 59-1 against non-conference opponents and 92-12 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 479-90 in their 39th season playing home games at the Multipurpose Building.
MULES ON THE ROAD• The Mules were 6-3 on the road last season and were one of only three teams with a winning record on the road during MIAA play.
MULES IN MIAA PLAY• The Mules finished the regular season 14-5 in conference action under
Doug Karleskint and second in the final league standings in 2014-15.
• Central Missouri is 172-71 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 were 11-2 in non-conference games last season and 126-31 over the last 13 seasons.
• Central Missouri is 59-1 in the last 60 non-conference home games at the Multipurpose Building.
MULES IN SEASON OPENERS• The Mules have won 13 straight season-openers and are outscoring their opponents 82.0 to 60.1 in those 13 games.
• Central Missouri beat seventh-ranked Minnesota State 67-66 in last year's season-opener at the Sanford Pentagon Showcase. It was the second straight one-point season-opening win over an NSIC team for the Mules.
• UCM's last loss in a season-opener was a 76-56 defeat to Evangel to tip-off the 2001-02 season
MULES IN HOME OPENERS• The Mules are 1-0 in home openers under
Doug Karleskint, beating Missouri S&T 93-70 in last season's home opener at the Multi.
• UCM has won 32 straight home openers.
KARLESKINT LEADING THE WAY•
Doug Karleskint has a record of 25-7 as he begins his second season as head coach at Central Missouri and a 115-41 (.737) overall mark in his sixth season as a head coach.
• He became the first Mules' head coach to start his first season at UCM 7-0.
• His 25 wins last year were the most by a first-year head coach in Central Missouri history.
• Karleskint became the fourth Mules' head coach to win at least 20 games in his first season.
• 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 NATIONAL POLLS• The Mules are receiving votes in the NABC Preseason Poll. UCM has been ranked in 152 polls in the history of the program, the seventh most in NCAA-II history.
• The Mules are preseason No. 4 in the USBWA Central Region Poll. The United State Basketball Writers' Association poll is voted on by a panel of Sports Information Directors from the Central Region.
MULES BASKETBALL HISTORY• In the 111th season of UCM basketball, the Mules have compiled a 1,640-931 (.638) record in 2,571 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 24 times in the history of the program, including each of the last three seasons.
• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games in a season three times (2006-07, 2008-09, and 2013-14).
• 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• Central Missouri has won a combined 205 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured five MIAA regular season titles, and three MIAA Tournament crowns.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director
Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 151 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won eight national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003, men's basketball in 2014, and women's indoor and outdoor track & field in 2015) and 10 national championships overall.
A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM• Central Missouri had 218 student-athletes named to the 2014-15 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 29 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 six student-athletes earn Academic All-Region awards in their respective sports with three of those earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
• Since the year 2000, UCM is tied for sixth in NCAA-II with 49 Academic All-Americans.
MULES BASKETBALL ON THE AIR• Central Missouri basketball is broadcast live on 98.5 The Bar, 1450 KOKO and online at warrensburgradio.com. Games are broadcast by 1450 KOKO/98.5 The Bar Sports Director, Greg Hassler and Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations,
Mike Knipper.
UPCOMING• The Mules are back in action on Wednesday night, Nov. 18, hosting Rockhurst in a non-conference game. Tip-off at the Multi is set for 7:30 p.m.
• UCM heads out on the road for the first time on Saturday, Nov. 21 for a non-conference game at Missouri S&T. Tip-off in Rolla is set for 7 p.m.
