OPPONENT:  MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers                

WHERE: Warrensburg, Mo. - Multipurpose Building

WHEN: Wednesday, December 12 - 7:00 p.m.

TIP-OFF

• Central Missouri Mules Basketball returns to Warrensburg to take on MidAmerica Nazarene on a mid-week match-up.
• The Mules started the season 4-0 for the third time in Coach Karleskint's first five years. All four games have been at home to start the year.
• The Mules were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• This past week, the Mules fell to Washburn 50-70 to fall to 5-3 on the season. n MIAA play, the Mules are now 0-2 on the season and looking to knock their three-game losing streak. 
• The Mules look to shake off a three-game losing streak at home and continue the trend of defeating the Pioneers at home. 
• The Pioneers, on the other hand, look to finally defeat the Mules in the Multi.

ON THE AIR
• The games will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with
Greg Hassler calling the action.
• The game will be web streamed on the miaanetwork, and live stats will be available from sbubearcats.com

PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
• This is the 114th season of Central Missouri Mules basketball.
• The Mules have won two NCAA Men's National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four National Championships overall (1937 & 1938 NAIB).

MULE FEED

• The Mules return seven letter winners from last season as well as three redshirts to their 2018-19 team while adding five transfers and only one true freshman to the program. 
• The Mules averaged 71.6 points per game and shot 48.2 percent from the field last season. Defensively, UCM allowed 66.3 points per game on 44.3 percent shooting.
• Back this season are three starters from a year ago: Jakob Lowrance, Blake Spellman, and Matt Wilkinson.
• This season the Mules are averaging 72.4 points per contest and shooting 45 percent from the field.
• Defensively, UCM allows 71.6 points per contest on 42.7 percent shooting.

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be the third meeting between the Mules and the Pioneers. 
• With the series only dating back to 2016, the Mules lead the series all-time 2-0 in games at the Multi. 

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS

• The Pioneers enter the 2018-19 season 8-3 after going on a four-game winning streak. The Pioneers hosted William Penn defeating them 63-61 then beat Mount Mercy 86-83.
• The Pioneers are scoring 75.5 points per game, shooting 44.9 percent from the field as a team 29 percent from behind the arc, and 70 percent from the free-throw line. 
• MNU is not just lead by one player, the Pioneers have four players averaging double-digits.
• Jo Green leads the Pioneers averaging 21.8 points per game. Green shoots 50 percent from the field and is a 75 percent free-throw shooter. Green also leads MNU in steals with 16.
•Forward Dante Scroggins, knocks down 12.6poimts per contest, he is a 43 percent shooter from the field, and he leads the team in offensive rebounds with 32. Center Dakota Quinn is right behind him with 12.3 a game, he is the Pioneers leading rebounder averaging 10 boards a game, and he leads the team in blocks with 67 on the season. 
• Trey Brow, the 5-11 guard averages 10.1 points per contest and shoots 78.8 percent from the free-throw line. Brown leads the Pioneers in assists with 65 and is second in steals with 15 thus far.

MULES STAT LEADERS

• The Mules have found a way to move the ball to get points on the board. UCM has seven players averaging 7.0 or more points per game with two in double-digits. Jafar Kinsey leads UCM scoring 13.4 points per contest. Blake Spellman is next up, scoring 11.4 points per game with Matt Wilkinson being the third and final Mule averaging double figures with 9.7 per game.
• The Mules are shooting 45 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three. Blake Spellman has been on fire through nine games shooting 42.9 percent from behind the arc after draining four three-pointers against SBU. He is fifth the MIAA in three-point percentage. 
• One Mule, Brandon Emmert, is just three boards shy of 50 rebounds on the year. His 47 boards leads the Mules thus far this season. 
• Blake Spellman is still the leading field general dishing out 34 assists so far which is 11th in the MIAA. His 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth in the MIAA. 

UCM DURING THE KARLESKINT ERA

• Doug Karleskint has a record of 85-44 (.517) as he begins his fifth season as head coach at Central Missouri and a 174-78 (.448) overall mark in his eighth 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 in 2014-15.
• His 25 wins in 2014-15 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 an 89-34 (.724) 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 114th season of UCM basketball, the Mules have compiled a 1,700-966 (.568) record in 2,666 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 26 times in the history of the program, including this year and five of the last six 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.