OPPONENT: Lindenwood Lions (14-15, 7-10 MIAA) | Lincoln Blue Tigers (16-10, 9-8 MIAA)
WHERE: St. Charles, Mo. / Jefferson City, Mo.
WHEN: Wednesday, February 21 - 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, February 23 - 2 p.m.
TIP-OFF
• Central Missouri Mules Basketball hit the road after playing their final home game last week. This week the Mules will travel to St. Charles and Jefferson City for the final regular season games before the MIAA Tournament.
• Last week, the Mules took on No. 1 Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. The Mules fell to Northwest Wednesday, 64-49.
• The Mules came hard on Senior Day to sweep the series against the Griffons of Missouri Western in another close battle that came down to the final minutes. The Mules came out on top 69-66 over the Griffons.
• The Lions come into this match up 14-15 overall and 7-10 in the MIAA. Last time out Lindenwood defeated the Blue Tigers of Lincoln 86-82, but fell to Washburn 81.60.
• The Blue Tigers of Lincoln went 0-2 in two close games last week. Lincoln fell to Lindenwood 86-82, and to Washburn 75-70.
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 68.2 points per contest and shooting 43.7 percent from the field.
• Defensively, UCM allows 68.7 points per contest on 42.9 percent shooting.
SERIES HISTORY
• The series between the Mules and the Blue Tigers dates all the way back to 1954. UCM leads LU all-time 60-34.
• UCM and LWU first played in the 1979-80 season. The Mules lead this short series 9-6 overall as the two teams have only met 15 times.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
• The Lions enter the 2018-19 season 14-15 overall, and 7-10 in the MIAA. Last time out the Lions defeated Lincoln 86-82, but fell to Washburn 81-60.
• LWU is averaging 75.5points per game, shooting 45.6 percent from the field as a team 33.2 percent from behind the arc, and 72.4 percent from the free-throw line.
• Lindenwood has two players averaging double-digits this season in Brad Newman and Chandler Diekvoss.
• Brad Newman leads the Lions averaging 20.6 points a game, shoots 45 percent from the field. Newman shoots 84.9 percent from the free-throw line and 35.8 percent from behind the arc.
• Chandler Diekvossis another asset for the Lions averaging 15.4 points per game and leads the team with 6.7 rebounds per game. Diekvossis shoots 54.5 percent from the field, second on the team in steals with 34 so far, and 66.1 percent from the free-throw line• Chris King averages 7.3 points per game and has the team-high free throw percentage shooting 86.7percent from the line. Adam Pohlam will be a player to watch as well, he currently leads the team in steals with 37.
SCOUTING THE BLUE TIGERS
• The Blue Tigers enter the 2018-19 season 16-10 after heading into their MIAA matchup against Southwest Baptist before taking on the Mules in Jefferson City. The Blue Tigers defeated Missouri Southern 90-83, and Lindenwood 96-87 last week.
• LU is averaging 75.6 points per game, shooting 47.9 percent from the field as a team 39.8 percent from behind the arc, and 75.5 percent from the free-throw line.
• The Blue Tigers have five players averaging double-digits per contest thus far this season in Terrance Smith, Amariontez Ivory, Jonell Burton, Ni'Sean Rigmaiden, and Grant Olsson.• Terrance Smith leads LU averaging 16.4 points per game, shoots 54.6 percent from the field, 75 percent from the free-throw line, averages a team-high of 6.8 rebounds per contest, and leads the team with 24 blocks on the season.
• Amariontez Ivory leads the team in free-throw percentage shooting 86.9 percent, averaging 13.5 points per game, and averages 1.8 assists.
•Jonell Burton is next averaging 13.0 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, shooting 46.5 percent from the field. Ni'Sean Rigmaiden leads the Blue Tigers in steals with 35, leads the team in assists with 4.9 per contest, and averages 11.3 points per game.
• Grant Olsson is the final LU player averaging double-digits with 10.7 per contest. Olsson is second on the team in field goal percentage shooting 54.1 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 12.8 points per contest. Jakob Lowrance is next averaging 12.5 per game. Blake Spellman is the final Mule in double-digits, scoring 10.2 points per game. Daniel Farris is a strong player for the Mules averaging 9.4 points, as well as Matt Wilkinson who averages 8.1.
• The Mules are shooting 43.7 percent from the floor, 69.0 percent from the free-throw line, and 34 percent from three.
• Daniel Farris is the leader in the field dishing out 91 assists so far which is 10th in the MIAA. Farris's 1.3 steals per contest make him seventh in the MIAA in steals.
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 averaging 12.8 points per game, 4.9 rebounds. Spellman has started in 16 games this season while dishing out 55 assists. Farris has started in every game this season dishing out 91 assists thus far. Spellman averaging double digits with 10.2. Farris averages 9.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Winger has seen some starting action shooting averaging 6.0 per contest.
FRONTCOURT NOTES
• Senior Jakob Lowrance is back on the court after an early injury. Lowrance is back averaging double-digits sitting at 12.5 per game with 6.7 rebounds per contest.
• Freshman Gaven 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 4.3 points per game, 2.9 rebounds. Brandon Emmert has had several standout games for the Mules averaging 6.1 points per contest and 4.1 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 21 games and leads the team in steals with 20 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 8.3 points per game shooting, 73.9 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 7-10 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 53-43 overall in conference play.
MULES AT ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 22-28 all-time on the road under Coach Karleskint. The Mules got their first road victory against Central Oklahoma this season and are 2-7 on the year thus far. UCM went 4-5 on the road last season.
