TIP-OFF• The Central Missouri Mules look to make it back-to-back wins when they host Lincoln on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 3:30 p.m. at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• This will be the second straight game against a first place team for UCM.
• The Mules are 10-5 overall on the season and 4-5 in MIAA play after a 54-41 win over Lindenwood on Wednesday night. The win over LWU snapped a two-game skid for UCM.
• Lincoln enters the contest at 11-5 overall and 7-3 in league play after a 75-49 win at Southwest Baptist on Thursday night. The Blue Tigers have won two straight and seven of their last nine games. Five LU players scored in double figures in the win at SBU.
• 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 1,650 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 have won two NCAA Men's National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four National Championships overall (1937 & 1938 NAIB).
MULE FEED• The Mules are averaging 75.9 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. Opponents are averaging 70.3 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting.
• The Mules are shooting 37.1 percent (112-of-302) from three-point range compared to 32.5 percent (94-of-289) for the opposition.
• The Mules are eighth in the MIAA in scoring offense (75.9 ppg) and third in scoring defense (70.3 ppg). They are seventh in the league in field goal percentage (46.5), and third in field goal percentage defense (43.3) and first in three-point field goal percentage defense (32.5).
• Ten different players have scored in double figures for the Mules and six different players have led the team in scoring.
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Marquiez Lawrence (14 points, 10 rebounds) recorded the first double-double of the season for Central Missouri in the win over MidAmerica Nazarene. He has three double-doubles on the season.
SERIES HISTORY• This will be the 89th all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Lincoln. The Mules hold a 56-32 lead in the series.
• The Mules won both meetings last season and UCM has won 16 straight games in the series.
• Central Missouri won 71-62 in Warrensburg and 67-47 in Jefferson City last year.
• The Mules lead the series 29-14 in games played in Warrensburg and have won 10 straight games at the Multi.
LAST MEETING WITH LINCOLN•
TJ White went a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line to lead UCM with 12 points and seven rebounds to a 67-47 win over Lincoln.
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Kyle Wolf chipped in 11 points.
• The Mules shot 56 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free throw line in the win.
• UCM used runs of 20-2 and 12-1 to break the game open in the first half.
• The Mules out-rebounded the Blue Tigers 31-23 and held a 32-26 advantage in points in the paint.
• Nine of the 11 Mules who played in the game scored.
SCOUTING THE BLUE TIGERS• Lincoln enters the Saturday contest at 11-5 overall and 7-3 in MIAA play and in a four-way tie for first place in the league standings.
• The Blue Tigers have won two straight, seven of nine, and are led by second-year head coach John Moseley. He has compiled a 15-29 mark in Jefferson City so far.
• Lincoln leads the MIAA in scoring at 83.9 points per game and they are second in field goal percentage (.487) and fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.389). Defensively, they are seventh in the league in scoring defense (74.8 ppg), fourth in field goal percentage defense (.440) and eighth in three-point field goal percentage defense (.374).
• Junior guard Anthony Virdure is third in the MIAA in scoring at 21.9 ppg and also dishes out 3.7 assists per game. Jaylon Smith is second on the team at 19.5 points per contest.
• Tacourrus Mattox leads the team in rebounding at 4.9 boards per game and seven players average at least 3.7 rebounds per outing. As a team, Lincoln has been out-rebounded by a board per contest.
• The Blue Tigers force nearly 16 turnovers per game and average almost seven steals per game.
LAST TIME OUT • CENTRAL MISSOURI 54, LINDENWOOD 41 • 1/13/16WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Central Missouri Mules used a stifling defense to hold first place Lindenwood 31 points below their season and to just 34 percent shooting in a 54-41 win at the UCM Multipurpose Building on Wednesday night. The win snaps a two-game losing skid for the Mules and improves their record to 10-5 overall and 4-5 in MIAA play.
   The Mules opened the game on a 5-0 run to grab the early lead. The lead was 8-4 at the 15:57 mark as both teams struggled offensively. UCM led 10-7 when LJ McIntosh drained a three to tie the game at the 8:57 mark.
Brad Woodson responded with a three of his own to put UCM back in front, but McIntosh hit another trey and Zachary Biggs scored on a layup to give the Lions (11-5, 7-3 MIAA) their only lead of the night.
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Spencer Reaves scored on a jumper to tie the game at 15, but both teams went over three minutes without scoring. Reaves drained a three-pointer at the 3:34 mark to put UCM back in front for good and it sparked a 16-0 run that gave the Mules a 29-15 halftime advantage. Reaves scored 10 of the 16 points and
Isiah Sykes drained a three before the halftime buzzer to end the opening period on a high note.
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Tereke Eckwood scored four straight points out of halftime and the Mules led 33-15 with 18:11 to play in the game. A quick 5-0 run pulled the Lions to within 13 with 15:40 to play in the game, but a layup from Woodson and another Reaves three-pointer pushed the lead back to 16. The lead was again cut to 13 at 38-25, but a 9-3 spurt over a six minute span gave the Mules a 19-point lead, 47-28, with 6:19 to play in the game and the Mules were never threatened the rest of the way.
   Reaves led UCM with a game-high 20 points and also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
D'Marnier Cunningham dished out six assists with just one turnover to go along with seven points. Woodson also finished with seven points for the Mules.
   The Mules shot 34 percent in the game, 18-of-52, and made 8-of-22 three-point attempts for 36 percent. UCM was 10-of-12 at the foul line for 83 percent. They had nine assists on 18 made baskets and committed just six turnovers. UCM had 10 steals while forcing 16 Lindenwood turnovers.
   Lindenwood came in to the game averaging 72.3 points per game and Cory Arentsen was the league's fourth leading scorer at 22.3 points per game. He finished with just one point in the ball game and LWU was held 31 points below the season average. As a unit, the Lions were 16-of-46 from the field for 34 percent. They made just 3-of-14 three-point attempts for 21 percent and were 50 percent at the charity stripe, 6-of-12.
   Chandler Diekvoos led the Lions with nine points, while McIntosh had eight. Stanislas Heili finished with seven points and nine rebounds.
THE MULES AT HOME• The Mules are 8-3 at home this year after the 54-41 win over Lindenwood on Wednesday night.
• Central Missouri went 14-2 at home last season.
• Over the last 11 years, UCM is 159-16 at home, including 64-1 against non-conference opponents and 95-15 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 487-93 (.840) in their 40th season playing home games at the Multipurpose Building.
MULES ON THE ROAD• The Mules are 2-2 on the road this season after dropping a pair of road contests last week at Pitt State (80-69) and Missouri Southern (100-89).
• UCM was 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 are 4-5 in MIAA play and in eighth place in the league standings after the win over first place Lindenwood.
• UCM finished the 2014-15 regular season 14-5 in conference action under
Doug Karleskint and second in the final league standings.
• Central Missouri is 177-76 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 6-0 in non-conference action after the wins over SE Oklahoma State and MidAmerica Nazarene.
• The Mules were 11-0 in regular season non-con games last season and are 132-31 over the last 13 seasons.
• Central Missouri is 64-1 in the last 65 non-conference home games at the Multipurpose Building.
A UCM WIN WOULD...• Give the Mules an 11-5 overall record and get them back to .500 in MIAA play at 5-5.
• Give the Mules 17 straight wins over Lincoln and a 57-32 lead in the all-time series.
• Give UCM 11 straight wins over the Blue Tigers in Warrensburg.
A UCM LOSS WOULD...• Drop the Mules to 10-6 overall and 4-6 in MIAA play.
• Snap the Mules' 16-game winning streak against Lincoln and their 10-game home winning streak in the series.
• Give the Mules four home losses for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
UCM DURING THE KARLESKINT ERA•
Doug Karleskint has a record of 35-12 (.745) in his second season as head coach at Central Missouri and a 125-46 (.731) 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 when he accomplished the mark last season.
• 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.
• Before coming to UCM, 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 BASKETBALL HISTORY• In the 111th season of UCM basketball, the Mules have compiled a 1,650-936 (.638) record in 2,586 total games.
• The Mules are the third winningest program by victories in NCAA-II history.
• Central Missouri is one of just four 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• Entering the 2015-16 academic year, Central Missouri had 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 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar, 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.
• The
Doug Karleskint Show, presented by Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp., live from Traditions Restaurant airs on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. The Show is hosted by Greg Hassler and is broadcast live from Traditions Restaurant at Mules National Golf Club.
UPCOMING• The Mules head back out on the road next week for games at Northeastern State on Thursday, Jan. 21 and Central Oklahoma on Saturday, Jan. 23
• UCM returns home to host Washburn on Wednesday, Jan. 27 and Emporia State on Saturday, Jan. 30.
