TIP-OFF
• The Central Missouri Mules open MIAA Tournament play as the No. 12 seed on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at fifth-seeded Central Oklahoma.
• The Mules finished the regular season 14-14 overall on the season and 8-14 in MIAA play after a 63-62 loss at Missouri Western on Saturday.
• Central Oklahoma finished the regular season at 15-13 overall and 11-11 in league play after beating Fort Hays State 67-54 on Saturday afternoon in Edmond.
• 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 1,654 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 70.5 points per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. Opponents are averaging 68.9 points per game on 43.2 percent shooting.
• The Mules are shooting 36.3 percent from three-point range while the opposition shoots 35.2 percent.
• The Mules are 13th in the MIAA in scoring offense and third in scoring defense. They are sixth in the league in field goal percentage and third in field goal percentage defense and second 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 (11 points, 10 rebounds) recorded his sixth double-double of the season on Saturday against Missouri Western.
• Jakob Lowrance recorded his first career 20-point game in the loss at Southwest Baptist. He finished with 21 points on the night.
• Spencer Reaves had the first 30-point performance of his UCM career when he scored 33 points against Pittsburg State on Feb. 17.

SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 13th all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma. The series is tied 6-6 after UCO's 90-86 double overtime victory back on Jan. 23 in Edmond.
• The teams have split each of the last four meetings.
• The series is tied 2-2 in games played in at Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmond.
• UCM is 2-0 in games played in the MIAA Tournament, both of those were in Kansas City including last year's 67-66 win in the quarterfinals.

LAST MEETING WITH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
• The Mules had late leads in regulation and overtime, but couldn't close it out and fell 90-86 in double overtime at Central Oklahoma on Jan. 23.
• UCM led 61-58 with :16 left, but the Bronchos got an offensive rebound and Garen Wright a three-pointer with just under three seconds to play to force overtime. UCM went 2-of-4 at the free throw line in the final down the stretch.
• The Mules led 73-71 with :06 left in the first overtime, but Cornell Neal drove the length of the floor for the game-tying layup as the buzzer sounded.
• The Bronchos scored eight of the first 11 points in double overtime to seize control.
• D'Marnier Cunningham led UCM with a game-high 33 points. He also added four assists and four steals. Marquiez Lawrence finished with 13 points and nine boards, while Bret O'Neil chipped in 11.
• Neal led UCO with 26 points and seven steals. Wright and Jarred Bairstow each finished with 16 points.

SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
• Central Oklahoma enters the MIAA Tournament as the No. 5 seed with a 15-13 overall record and an 11-11 mark in MIAA play. They come in to play riding a three-game winning streak.
• The Bronchos are led by first-year head coach Tom Hankins.
• UCO is eighth in the MIAA in scoring (75.0) and scoring defense (74.8). The Bronchos rank ninth in field goal percentage (45.2) and fourth in field goal percentage defense (44.3). They are seventh in three-point field goal percentage (36.3) and 10th in three-point field goal percentage defense (38.0).
• They are fifth in the league in rebounding (34.4 rpg) and ninth in rebound margin (-0.1).
• Cornell Neal leads three Bronchos in double figures at 13.8 points per game. He also leads the team in assists with 3.9 per outing.
• Kendahl Amerson averages 12.0 per contest and Garen Wright chips in 10.0 per game.
• Trai Jordan pulls down a team-leading 6.2 boards per game

LAST TIME OUT • MISSOURI WESTERN 63, CENTRAL MISSOURI 62 • 2/27/16
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. –  Two made free throws by Missouri Western with just over a minute to play in the game proved to be the difference as the Mules fell 63-62 to the Griffons in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
    The Mules (14-14, 8-14 MIAA) led 62-59 with 2:24 to play in the game with a chance to extend the lead, but the Griffons (11-17, 9-13 MIAA) held on defense and held UCM scoreless the rest of the way.
    The Mules led by seven, 55-48, midway through the second half and had a chance to push the lead to 10, but Bret O'Neil's three-point attempt spun out and the Griffons grabbed the rebound. They came down and scored to spark an 8-0 run that gave them a 56-55 lead with 6:58 to play.
    The Mules went back in front on a D'Marnier Cunningham Layup, but the Griffons tied the game making one of two free throws. Spencer Reaves made two free throws with 3:33 to play to put UCM back in front, but the Griffons quickly tied the game. Jakob Lowrance put the Mules back in front with a three-pointer from the top of the key at the 2:24 mark, but the Mules went scoreless the rest of the way.
    Missouri Western opened the game fast, jumping out to an 11-4 lead to force a UCM timeout. The Mules got back to within three at 16-13 on a three-pointer from Reaves at the 11:56 mark of the opening half and two free throws from Brad Woodson pulled the Mules within one.
    Following a three-pointer from Miles Wentzien, one of his four in the game, Tony Cochran hit a three and was fouled. He made the free throw to tie the game at 19 with 10:24 to play.
    The Mules regained the lead at 24-23 on another Cochran three-pointer, but the Griffons scored six straight points to retake the lead at 29-24 with 6:37 to play. UCM got back to within two, but a 9-0 run by the Griffons pushed the lead to 40-29 with 2:48 left in the half.
    The Mules closed the half on a 6-0 run and trailed 40-35 at the intermission. The Mules opened the second half on a 20-8 run to grab the seven point lead midway through the frame.
    Reaves led Central Missouri with 14 points as the Mules shot 42 percent from the field, 19-of-45, and 10-of-23 from three-point range for 43 percent. The Mules were 14-of-16 at the foul line. Marquiez Lawrence finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.
    Missouri Western shot 45 percent from the field, 22-of-49, and made 9-of-21 from beyond the arc for 43 percent. The Griffs were 10-of-15 from the foul line. Wentzien was the only Griffon in double figures with 16, but seven different players scored at least five points.

MULES IN THE MIAA POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT
• The Mules are 33-29 all-time in the MIAA Tournament and 15-9 in games played in Kansas City after falling in the semifinals last year.
• This is the first MIAA Tournament play-in game for the Mules.
• The Mules have captured six MIAA Tournament championships in school history, more than any other league school. UCM has been in the championship game 14 times in the history of the tournament.
• The Mules have made the championship game five of the 13 years the tournament has been held in Kansas City.
• UCM has won tournament championships in 1981-82, 1983-84, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2008-09 and 2012-13.
• The Mules have played in every MIAA Tournament since it's inception, the only school to do so.

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules finished the season 10-6 at home.
• Central Missouri went 14-2 at home last season.
• Over the last 11 years, UCM is 161-19 at home, including 64-1 against non-conference opponents and 97-18 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 489-96 (.836) in their 40th season playing home games at the Multipurpose Building.

MULES ON THE ROAD
• UCM is 4-8 on the road this season after the loss at Missouri Western.
• 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 8-14 in MIAA play and in 12th place in the conference standings.
• 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 181-85 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.

MULES IN MIAA TOURNAMENT
• The Mules have clinched a spot in the MIAA Postseason Tournament and will go on the road for a play-in game on Tuesday night. The Mules have made the MIAA Tournament every year since it's inception, the only school in the league to do so.
• UCM's opponent for Tuesday night, March 1 will be announced after the completion of the final regular season games on Saturday. UCM will either be the No. 11 and play at the No. 6 seed or the 12th seed and play at No. 5.

PICKING A WINNER
• A pretty good indicator of a UCM win is how the Mules have played in the first half of games this season. The Mules are 14-2 when leading at the half this season and 0-12 when tied or trailing at the intermission.
• UCM is also 13-2 when leading with 5:00 left in regulation and 1-12 when tied or trailing after 35 minutes of action. The previous two seasons, the Mules were 46-2 when leading with 5:00 to play.
• The win over Lindenwood last Wednesday was the first this season for UCM when trailing with 5:00 to play.

BLOCK PARTY
• Junior Marquiez Lawrence has 32 blocked shots on the season, an average of 1.1 blocks per game. He moved in to a tie for 10th place on the UCM single-season blocks list with Dillon Deck (2013-14).

A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules a 15-14 overall mark and advance them to the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday in Kansas City.
• Give UCM a split of the season series with Central Oklahoma and a 7-6 lead in the all-time series.
• Give the Mules a 3-0 mark against the Bronchos in the MIAA Tournament.

A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• End the Mules' season with a 14-15 record, their first losing season since 2002-03.
• Give Central Oklahoma a sweep of the season series and a 7-6 lead all-time.
• Be the first to UCO in the MIAA Tournament.

UCM DURING THE KARLESKINT ERA
• Doug Karleskint has a record of 39-21 (.650) in his second season as head coach at Central Missouri and a 129-55 (.701) 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 1,654-945 (.636) record in 2,599 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.
• Three players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster; Charles Hammork (Kosovo, Ylli Therande), Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet), 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
• A win over Central Oklahoma would advance the Mules to the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday, March 4. UCM would take on fourth-seeded Fort Hays State at 8:15 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium.