OPPONENT: Southwest Baptist Bearcats (9-8, 3-5 MIAA)
WHERE: Warrensburg, Mo.
WHEN: Saturday, January 26 - 3:30 p.m.
TIP-OFF
• Central Missouri Mules Basketball is back in the Multi, to take on Southwest Baptist this weekend after a long week of rest.
• Up until last week, the Mules were undefeated at home, but a loss to Lindenwood ended the 9 game winning streak in the Multi leaving the home record 9-1.
• Last week, the Mules defeated the Blue Tigers of Lincoln 71-55 in front of a roaring crowd. The Mules tried to continue the momentum Saturday but fell short to Lindenwood 62-57.
• SBU went 1-1 last week as well against Lindenwood and Lincoln. The Bearcats defeated the Lions of Lindenwood 80-71. But later fell to Lincoln 89-70.
• Southwest Baptist is 9-8 overall on the season and 3-5 in the MIAA, in their first meeting this year, which was the start of conference play, SBU defeated UCM 72-62.
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 70.1 points per contest and shooting 43.8 percent from the field.
• Defensively, UCM allows 68.4 points per contest on 42.0 percent shooting
SERIES HISTORY
• The series between the Mules and the Bearcats started in 1972. UCM leads SBU all-time 44-24 and 25-8 in the Multi.
• The Mules and the Bearcats met once this season in Bolivar to kick off MIAA play. The Mules fell to the Bearcats 72-62.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
• The Bearcats enter the 2018-19 season 9-8 after going 1-1 last week in the MIAA. SBU defeated Lindenwood 80-71 and fell to Lincoln 89-70.
• SBU is averaging 78.4 points per game, shooting 46.4 percent from the field as a team 38.1 percent from behind the arc, and 76.1 percent from the free-throw line.
• The Bearcats have four players averaging double-digits per contest thus far this season in Karim Mouliom, Chris Rossow, Damian Prgomet, and Godfrey Rolle.
• Karim Mouliom leads SBU averaging 13.1 points per game, shoots 48.7 percent from the field, 69 percent from the free-throw line, averages a team-high of 7.9 rebounds per contest, and is second on the team in blocks with 16 blocks on the season.
• Chris Rossow is next averaging 12.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds, shooting 82.6 percent from the free-throw line.
• Damian Prgomet leads the Bearcats in blocks with 20 and averages 12.1 points per game.
• Godfrey Rolle is the final SBU player averaging double-digits with 10.2 per contest. Rolle is second on the team in field goal percentage shooting 60.4 percent from the field.
MULES STAT LEADERS
• The Mules have found a way to move the ball to get points on the board. UCM has three players averaging double-digits, and two more players close to tapping into double-digits. Jafar Kinsey leads UCM scoring 12.9 points per contest. Jakob Lowrance is next averaging 11.4 per game. Blake Spellman is the final Mule in double-digits, scoring 11.1 points per game. Matt Wilkinson is a strong player for the Mules averaging 9.6 points, as well as Daniel Farris who averages 8.8.
• The Mules are shooting 43.8 percent from the floor, 69.0 percent from the free-throw line, and 34.7 percent from three. Jafar Kinsey, Matt Wilkinson, and Michael Winger have climbed up in the MIAA standings, Kinsey's 1.7 three-pointers a game has him sitting 24th in the MIAA, Wilkinson's 1.6 puts him at 28th, and Winger's 1.5 put him 31st. Jafar Kinsey's 70.3 free-throw percentage puts him at 22nd in the MIAA.
• One Mule, Brandon Emmert, who has 78 rebounds on the season is 30th in the MIAA rebounding standings.
• Daniel Farris is the leader in the field dishing out 65 assists so far which is 9th in the MIAA. Matt Wilkinson's 1.1 steals per contest make him 18th in the MIAA in steals, and James Byrd sits at 26th averaging 1.0 steals per game.
BACKCOURT NOTES
• The Mules will have a number of options in the backcourt this season as they return four letterwinners, one redshirt freshmen and welcome five talented newcomers. Blake Spellman, Daniel Farris, DJ Anderson, and Michael Winger will all return for the Mules this season. James Byrd and Jafar Kinsey join UCM as transfers from Division I schools Missouri State and North Dakota, and add three other transfers in Drew Apsher, Malik Barnett, and Solomon Finley, respectively.
• Kinsey is back in the mix averaging 12.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds. Spellman has started in 10 games this season while dishing out 46 assists. Farris has started in every game this season dishing out 65 assists thus far. Spellman averaging double digits with 11.1. Farris averages 8.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Winger is has seen some starting action shooting averaging 6.1 per contest with Byrd right above him at 6.9 per game.
FRONTCOURT NOTES
• Senior Jakob Lowrance is back on the court after an early injury. Lowrance is back averaging double-digits sitting at 11.4 per fame with 7.4 rebounds per contest.
• Freshman Gavin Pinkley and Sophomore Brandon Emmert have stepped up in the frontcourt after a few Mules fell to injury. So far on the season Pinkley is getting a feel of things on the court averaging 5.6 points per game, 3.2 rebounds. Brandon Emmert has had several standout games for the Mules averaging 6.6 points per contest and 4.6 rebounds per game.
• Matt Wilkinson went down due to injury in the Washburn game, which gave Pinkly his first career start as a Mules against Mid-America Nazarene. Wilkinson started in 14 games and leads the team in steals with 17 while grabbing 3.6 rebounds a game. Wilkinson returned against Avila and lead the Mules to an 86-71 victory with 16 points and is back averaging 9.6 points per game shooting, 74.4 percent from the free-throw line.
MULES IN CONFERENCE ACTION
• In the 2018-19 season, the Mules have had a rocky start to conference play but have come back strong within the last week with a record of 3-5 in the MIAA.
• A season ago the Mules were 11-8 in conference play.
• Under the direction of Head Coach, Doug Karlskint the Mules are 49-38 overall in conference play
MULES AT HOME
• The Mules are 52-15 all-time at home under Coach Doug Karleskint with their 4-0 start to the 2018-19 season.
• Mules captured their ninth home victory this season against Lincoln defeating the Blue Tigers 71-55 but lot their first home game to Lindenwood so they are now 9-1 in the Multi.
• Last season they were 11-4 at the Multipurpose Building and are 512-103 at the Multi in their 43rd year in the arena.
