OPPONENT: Missouri Southern Lions (11-3, 2-2 MIAA)
Pittsburg State Gorillas (10-3, 3-1 MIAA)
WHERE: Joplin, Mo.
Pittsburg, Kan.
WHEN: Thursday, January 10 - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 12 - 3:30 p.m.
TIP-OFF
• Central Missouri Mules Basketball hits the road for the first time in 2019 to battle two tough MIAA teams.
• The Mules have not had the best of luck on the road this season. Thus far UCM is 0-3 on the road but looks to keep their four-game winning streak alive.
• Last week, the Mules captured two more victories in the Multi against MIAA teams. The Mules defeated Fort Hays 63-54, before beating Nebraska-Kearney in a thrilling overtime performance 62-58.
• MSSU is on a two-game losing streak, putting them at 11-3 on the season and currently are 2-2 in conference play. The Lions fell to Lindenwood 79-57, and to Lincoln 90-83 last week.
• PSU comes into this game off of a win from last week over Lindenwood 85-76, which puts them at 10-3 on the season and 3-1 in the MIAA.
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 72.2 points per contest and shooting 44 percent from the field.
• Defensively, UCM allows 69.4 points per contest on 42.7 percent shooting.
SERIES HISTORY
• The series between the Mules and the Lions dates all the way back to 1970. UCM leads MSSU all-time 38-27 but trails them 13-16 on the road.
• UCM and PSU first played in the 1916-17 season and the Mules lead the series 73-44.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
• The Lions enter the 2018-19 season 11-3 after going on a two-game losing streak. The Lions fell to Lindenwood 79-57, and Lincoln 90-83 last week.
• MSSU is averaging 90.1 points per game, shooting 50.5 percent from the field as a team 36.7 percent from behind the arc, and 67.6 percent from the free-throw line.
• The Lions have three players averaging double-digits per contest thus far this season.
• Cam Martin is the glue of this team leading them in four categories. Martin leads in scoring with 23.1 points per game, shoots 69.1 percent from the field, 83 percent from the free-throw line, averages 8.3 rebounds per contest, and leads the team with 15 blocks on the season.
•Kinzer Lambert is next averaging 17.2 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, shooting 45.4 percent from the field. Lambert is fourth on the team in steals with 11, he is also shooting 66.2 percent from the free-throw line.
• Elyjah Clark is the final MSSU player averaging double-digits with 15.9 per contest. Clark is second on the team in free-throw percentage shooting 78.4 percent from the line and is second on in steals with 17.
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
• The Gorillas enter the 2018-19 season 10-3 heading into their MIAA matchup against Southwest Baptist Jan. 10, 2019 before taking on the Mules in Pittsburg.
• PSU is averaging 87.7 points per game, shooting 48.2 percent from the field as a team 33.2 percent from behind the arc, and 76.6 percent from the free-throw line.
• Pittsburg State has three players averaging double-digits this season.
• Grant Lozoya leads the Gorillas averaging 26.3 points a game, shoots 58.2 percent from the field. Lozoya shoots 91.0 percent from the free-throw line and 44.6 percent from behind the arc.
• Donovan Franklin is another asset for the Gorillas averaging 20.2 points per game and leads the team with 6.9 rebounds. Franklin shoots 47.3 percent from the field and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line.
• Demetrius Levarity is the final Gorilla in double-digits with 10.5 per contest.
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 three in double-digits. Jafar Kinsey leads UCM scoring 13.3 points per contest. Blake Spellman is next up, scoring 11.1 points per game with Jakob Lowrance averaging 10.8, and Matt Wilkinson being the fourth and final Mule averaging double figures with 10.3 per game.
• The Mules are shooting 44.3 percent from the floor, 68.4 percent from the free-throw line, and 35.5 percent from three. Blake Spellman's 2.5 three-pointers per contest put him at seventh in the MIAA in three-point percentage. Michael Winger has climbed up in the MIAA standings, Winger's 2.0 three-pointers a game has him sitting 27th in the MIAA. Matt Wilkinson's 75.6 free-throw percentage puts him at 17th in the MIAA. Jafar Kinsey's 73.2 free-throw percentage puts him at 21st the in the MIAA.
• One Mule, Brandon Emmert, who has 70 rebounds on the season is 22nd in the MIAA rebounding standings.
• Daniel Farris and Blake Spellman are the leading field dishing out 51 and 46 assists so far which is 10th and 12th in the MIAA. Spellman's 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio is sixth in the MIAA.
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 13.3 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and is shooting 72.0 percent from the free-throw line. Spellman has started in 10 games this season while dishing out 46 assists. Farris has started in every game this season dishing out 42 assists thus far. Spellman averaging double digits with 11.1. Farris averages 7.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Winger is has seen some starting action shooting averaging 6.0 per contest with Byrd right above him at 6.6 per game.
FRONTCOURT NOTES
• Senior Jakob Lowrance is back on the court after an early injury. Lowrance is back averaging double-digits sitting at 10.8 per fame with 6.2 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 7.0 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, and leading the team in blocks with eight. Brandon Emmert has had several standout games for the Mules averaging 8.0 points per contest and 5.4 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 all nine games and was tied for first in steals with 10 while grabbing 3.0 rebounds a game. Wilkinson returned against Avila and lead the Mules to an 86-71 victory with 16 points and is back averaging 10.3 points per game shooting, 75.6 percent from the field, and leading the team with 16 steals.
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 2-2 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 48-35 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 eighth home victory this season against UNK defeating the Lopers in overtime 62-58.
• Last season they were 11-4 at the Multipurpose Building and are 512-103 at the Multi in their 43rd year in the arena.
UCM DURING THE KARLESKINT ERA
• Doug Karleskint has a record of 89-44 (.511) as he begins his fifth season as head coach at Central Missouri and a 178-78 (.438) 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.
