WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 12, 2020) - This week, Central Missouri Mules Basketball kicks off a three-game home stretch beginning Thursday night in the Multipurpose Building. The Jennies and Mules will also honor their seniors in a Senior Day celebration on Saturday.
Opponents:
Fort Hays State Tigers (11-11, 4-9 MIAA)
Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (14-8, 8-5 MIAA)
When:
vs. Fort Hays State - Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
vs. Nebraska-Kearney - Saturday, Feb. 16 15 at 3 p.m.
Where:
UCM Multipurpose Building - Warrensburg, Mo.
How to Watch:
• Both games will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action.
•The game will also be webcast online through the MIAA's Blue Frame portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/. It is a pay-per-view webcast.
• Links to live stats and live video can also be found at ucmathletics.com.
Tip Off:
• Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney are the only MIAA teams the Mules have yet to face in the 2019-20 season.
• Last week, Central Missouri suffered two league losses on the road to No. 1 Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western.
• Currently rounding out the top-10 of the MIAA standings, the Tigers of Fort Hays have won their last four consecutive games which were all played on their home court in Hays, Kansas.
• The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers currently rank fifth in the league standings. UNK picked up two wins last week while playing at home after suffering three straight road losses in the end of January.
• The Mules are 8-5 over and 4-2 in MIAA match ups while playing in the Multipurpose Building this season.
• Saturday's game against the Lopers will be a Senior Day celebration. The Mules will honor their two senior players,
Kendale Hampton and
Matt Wilkinson, along with their two senior student-managers, Shane Sweany and Cody Stratton.
Mules Feed:
• Central Missouri's defense has ranked in the league's scoring defense top-three every week this season. The Mules currently rank third in the league allowing opponents to score an average of 67.5 points per contest.
• Central Missouri also ranks in the top-three while protecting the arc as their opponents shoot a low average of 33.2% from the three-point range.
• The Mules also rank second in the league with 7.8 steals per game, lead by
Kendale Hampton who ranks in the top-10 with 1.6 steals per game.
• Offensively, the Mules performance best from a distance, shooting 37.3% from the three-point range which ranks seventh in the MIAA.
• Sophomore forward
Gaven Pinkley paces Central Missouri averaging 13.9 points per game and about six rebounds per game. Pinkley's field goal percentage of 51.4% currently ranks sixth in the league.
• Pinkley has scored in double figures in 18 of the Mules 22 games so far this season.
• Last week against Missouri Western, Pinkley recorded a new career-high of 25 points, hitting 10-15 from the field and finishing 5-6 from the free throw line.
• Senior
Kendale Hampton is averaging 11.1 points per game and leads the Mules from the three-point range with 40 three's on the season. Hampton also leads the Mules in blocks with 17 which ranks 12th in the league.
• Junior guard
Daniel Farris is averaging 3.5 assists per contest to rank ninth in the MIAA.
Quick Hits:
Last Time Out
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (Feb. 8, 2020) - Central Missouri Mules Basketball battled back from a 16-point first half deficit to come within two points of Missouri Western in the final seconds before falling to the Griffons 84-80. Sophomore
Gaven Pinkley scored a career-high of 25 points while the Mules shot over 50% from the field for the fifth time this season.
• The Mules ended the game 29-58 from the field for 50%, 6-16 from the three for 37.5% and went 16-20 at the free throw line for 80%.
• The Griffons shot 52.5% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range with 15 makes.
• Missouri Western's 31 made field goals and their 21 assists are the most Central Missouri has allowed this season.
Perviously vs Fort Hays State
• Thursday night's game marks the 26th meeting between the Mules and the Tigers.
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series 14-11.
• The Mules have won the last two match ups against Fort Hays, defeating the Tigers 81-66 in the 2017-18 season and 63-54 last season.
• Central Missouri is 8-2 against Fort Hays while playing at home in the Multipurpose Building.
Perviously vs Nebraska-Kearney
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series against the Lopers 8-5.
• The Mules have won the last four consecutive match ups against UNK with the last two both going into overtime.
• The last time the UNK defeated the Mules was in the 2014-15 season. The Lopers defeated UCM 57-55.
Career Milestones
• Sophomore
Gaven Pinkley is 15 rebounds away from reaching 200 in his career.
Scouting the Competition:
Fort Hays State Tigers
• Fort Hays State posts an overall record of 11-11 and match the Mules MIAA record of 4-9.
• The Tigers rank second in the league from behind the arc, currently shooting 38.6% while averaging 7.9 three's per contest.
• From inside the arc, the Tigers' 47.2% field goal percentage ranks fifth in the league as does their defensive field goal percentage of 43.1%.
• Jared Vitztum leads the FHSU offense averaging 13.7 points per game. The junior forward is the only Tiger currently shooting over 50%, shooting 58.4% from the field and 54.2% from the three-point range.
• Vitztum also leads the Tigers defense with 7.6 rebounds per game and has the team-high of 13 blocks this season.
• Nyjee Wright led the FHSU offense last week, scoring a career-high of 26 points against Newman.
Nebraska-Kearney Lopers
• After being selected last in the MIAA preseason poll, the Lopers are currently one of the top-five teams in the league with a record of 8-5 and 14-8 overall.
• As a team, UNK currently ranks third in the MIAA with a field goal percentage of 47.7%.
• The Lopers rank one spot below the Mules in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score an average of 68.4 points per game compared to the Mules 67.5.
• Nebraska-Kearney leads the league in assists with 16.4 per game, however the Lopers also lead the MIAA in turnovers with an average of 14.7 per contest.
• Morgan Soucie leads the Lopers offense and ranks eight in the MIAA with an average of 16.5 points per game. Soucie's 53.8 field goal percentage ranks among the top-five scoring leaders in the league.
• Soucie also leads UNK with 6.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
• Averaging 12.4 points per game, Jake Walker leads the Lopers from outside the arc with 2.5 three's per game while his three-point field goal percentage of 37.2% ranks sixth in the MIAA.
• AJ Jackson is third on the team in field goal attempts but is currently shooting 62.1% from the field to average 14 points per game.
• Jackson and Walker each lead the Lopers offense last week, both recording over 20-point games against Newman and Central Oklahoma.
