TIP-OFF• The Central Missouri Mules wrap up their four-game road trip on Saturday afternoon against Southwest Baptist. Tip-off at the Meyer Wellness & Sports Center in Bolivar is set for 3:30 p.m.
• The Mules are 13-10 overall on the season and 7-10 in MIAA play after falling at Washburn 80-70 on Wednesday night,.
• Southwest Baptist is 9-14 overall and 4-13 in MIAA play following a 73-71 loss at Emporia State on Wednesday.
• 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 1,653 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 71.3 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field. Opponents are averaging 68.7 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting.
• The Mules are shooting 35.3 percent from three-point range compared to 33.7 percent for the opposition.
• The Mules are 13th in the MIAA in scoring offense and third in scoring defense. They are seventh in the league in field goal percentage and third in field goal percentage defense and first in three-point field goal percentage defense.
• Eleven different players have scored in double figures for the Mules and six different players have led the team in scoring this season.
•
Marquiez Lawrence (10 points, 13 rebounds) recorded his fourth double-double of the season against Nebraska-Kearney.
SERIES HISTORY• This will be the 65th all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist. The Mules lead the series 42-22 after a 70-64 in the first meeting this season back on Jan. 4 in Warrensburg.
• The Mules have won 10 straight games in the series dating back to the 2010-11 season.
• UCM has won four straight games against the Bearcats at the Meyer Wellness & Sports Center and hold a 16-13 advantage in games played in Bolivar.
LAST MEETING WITH SOUTHWEST BAPTIST• The Mules built a 15-point second half lead then withstood a late Southwest Baptist rally to beat the Bearcats 70-64 back on Jan. 4 in Warrensburg.
• SBU jumped out to an early five-point lead, but the Mules used an 18-5 run that gave them a 10 point lead late in the first half.
• An 8-2 run midway through the second half gave UCM a 50-35 lead before SBU rallied to within four late in the game.
• UCM shot 42 percent from the field compared to 47 percent for SBU.
•
D'Marnier Cunningham and
Jakob Lowrance led the Mules with 12 points apiece.
Kyle Wolf had 11 and
Brad Woodson chipped in 10.
Marquiez Lawrence had 10 rebounds.
• Logan Hovey led the Bearcats with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Brian Patterson had 17 and Cartier Dean finished with 13.
• The Mules forced 21 Bearcat turnovers.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS• Southwest Baptist is 9-14 overall and 4-13 in MIAA play after a 73-71 loss at Emporia State on Wednesday night. SBU has dropped three straight games and eight of nine.
• The Bearcats are led by second year head coach Clark Sheehy. He has a 20-32 record leading the Bearcats and a 202-138 overall record in his 11th season as a head coach.
• SBU is 12th in the MIAA in scoring at 71.8 points per game and 11th in scoring defense at 76.3 ppg. The Bearcats are eighth in field goal percentage (45.1) and fifth in field goal percentage defense (44.5).
• They are also fourth in the in the league in rebounding at 36.1 boards per contest and second in rebounding margin (+5.5).
• Logan Hovey leads the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game and rebounding at 7.5 boards per outing. Brian Patterson is the only other Bearcat averaging in double figures at 12.6 per contest.
• The Bearcats turn the ball over 15.5 times per game.
LAST TIME OUT • WASHBURN 80, CENTRAL MISSOURI 70 • 2/10/16TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn shot 52 percent for the game, including 54 percent in the second half in an 80-70 win over the Mules on Wednesday night at Lee Arena.
   The game was back and forth in the early going with neither team able to gain much of an edge. The Ichabods (13-9, 9-9 MIAA) broke a 12-all tie with six straight to lead at the 7:37 mark of the first half. The lead stretched to seven before the Mules (13-10, 7-10 MIAA) went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 24-24 with 3:17 to play in the first half.
   UCM grabbed a two point lead, 26-24, on a pair of
Jakob Lowrance free throws only to see WU come right back to tie the game.
Brad Woodson knocked down a pair of foul shots to put UCM back in front 28-26. Lowrance hit a three-pointer at the :46 mark to put UCM in front 31-28, but the Ichabods closed the first half on a 6-0 run to grab a 34-31 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
   The Ichabods seized control by opening the second half on a 12-2 run to lead 46-33 with 16:33 to play in the game. The lead grew to 14 by the 13:21 mark when the Mules started to creep back.
   A jumper from Woodson and a three from Lowrance cut the lead to nine, but Washburn answered right back to push the lead to 11. The Mules got back to within seven at the 6:04 mark on a pair of
D'Marnier Cunningham free throws, but a three from Cameron Wiggins pushed the WU lead back to double digits. UCM could get no closer than eight the rest of the way as they dropped their third straight game.
   Lowrance led UCM with a season-high 18 points.
Spencer Reaves had 17 points and Cunningham added 11 points and five assists. The Mules were 23-of-49 from the field, shooting 47 percent. They were 9-of-20 from beyond the arc for 45 percent and 15-of-20 at the foul line.
   Washburn was 26-of-50 from the field and 10-of-18 from beyond the arc for 56 percent. The Ichabods were 18-of-24 at the foul line and out-rebounded UCM 32-19. The 'Bods outscored the Mules 30-16 in the paint and 20-10 from the bench.
   Javion Blake led five Ichabods in double figures with 21 points. Wiggins had 16 while Brady Skeens had 13 and Christian Ulsaker and Randall Smith chipped in 10 apiece.
THE MULES AT HOME• The Mules are 10-4 at home this year after the 61-51 win over Emporia State on Saturday.
• Central Missouri went 14-2 at home last season.
• Over the last 11 years, UCM is 161-17 at home, including 64-1 against non-conference opponents and 97-16 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 489-94 (.839) in their 40th season playing home games at the Multipurpose Building.
MULES ON THE ROAD• The Mules are 3-6 on the road this season after the loss at Washburn on Wednesday night.
• 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 sit at 7-10 in MIAA play after a Wednesday night's loss at Washburn.
• 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 180-81 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 a 14-10 overall mark and snap a season-high three-game losing streak.
• Bring UCM to 8-10 in MIAA play with four regular season games left.
• Give UCM a season sweep of Southwest Baptist and 11 straight wins in the series, including five straight in Bolivar.
A UCM LOSS WOULD...• Drop UCM to 13-11 overall and 7-11 in conference play.
• Snap the Mules' 10-game winning streak over SBU and the four-game streak in Bolivar.
• Give the Mules four straight losses for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
UCM DURING THE KARLESKINT ERA•
Doug Karleskint has a record of 38-17 (.691) in his second season as head coach at Central Missouri and a 128-51 (.715) 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 1,653-941 (.637) record in 2,594 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 return home for their final two home games next week against Pittsburg State on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and Missouri Southern on Saturday, Feb. 20.
• Saturday's game against MSSU is the Hall of Fame Game and Senior Day. The Mules' seniors will be honored at halftime of the Jennies' game and the 2016 UCM Athletic Hall of Fame Class will be introduced at halftime of the men's game.
