WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 25, 2020) - Central Missouri Mules Basketball hits the road this week for their final regular-season MIAA contests of the 2019-20 season.
Opponents:
No. 17 Missouri Southern Lions (19-7, 12-5 MIAA)
Pittsburg State Gorillas (9-17, 5-12 MIAA)
When:
vs. Missouri Southern - Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
vs. Pittsburg State - Saturday, Feb. 29 at 3:30 p.m.
Where:
Wednesday - Leggett & Platt Athletic Center - Joplin, Mo.
Saturday - John Lance Arena - Pittsburg, Kan.
On The Air:
• 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:
• Central Missouri must win both games this week to keep their post-season chances alive.
• With a league record of 12-5, Missouri Southern has already punched their ticket to Kansas City for the MIAA Tournament.
• The Lions suffered two MIAA losses last week, falling to No. 1 Northwest Missouri 77-76 and Missouri Western 89-85.
• Sharing the same league record as the Mules, Pittburg State is also in the hunt for a spot in the tournament.
• The Gorillas are currently on a five-game losing streak with four of their five losses being to No. 1 Northwest and Missouri Western.
• Pitt State will take on Lincoln before meeting the Mules on Saturday. Lincoln must lose both of their games this week to increase UCM's chances of advancing.
• Central Missouri is 0-9 in road games this season.
Mules Feed:
• Central Missouri's defense has ranked in the league's scoring defense top-three every week this season.
• The Mules currently allow opponents to score an average low of 67.9 points per contest to rank third in the MIAA.
• Central Missouri also ranks in the top-three while protecting the arc as their opponents made an average of 33.6% from the three-point range.
• The Mules lead the MIAA in steals with an average of 7.38 per game.
• Offensively, the Mules are currently averaging the league-low of 66.7 points per game while shooting an average of 43.2% per contest.
• However, from outside the arc the Mules are shooting 44% to rank sixth in the league.
• Sophomore forward
Gaven Pinkley paces Central Missouri averaging 13.4 points per game and ranks as a top-25 scorer in the league at 19.
• Pinkley has scored in double figures in 21 of the Mules 26 games so far this season.
• Senior
Kendale Hampton is averaging 10.9 points per game and leads the Mules from the three-point range with 44 three's on the season.
• Hampton ranked seventh in the MIAA with 1.5 steals per contest and also leads the Mules in blocks with 17 which ranks 13th.
• Junior guard
Daniel Farris is averaging 2.3 assists per game to rank 8th in the MIAA.
Who's Hot:
•
Matt Wilkinson totaled 55 points last week. After scoring 24 points against the Blue Tigers, Wilkinson recorded a new UCM single-game record with 10 made three-pointers while recording a new career-high of 31 points against the Ichabods.
• Last week against Lincoln, Hampton recorded his second double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
•
Garrett Luinstra has started the last three games for the Mules and recorded a season-high of 13 points in UCM's win over Lincoln.
Quick Hits:
Last Time Out
TOPEKA, Kan. (Feb. 20, 2020) -
Matt Wilkinson broke the Central Missouri single-game record with 10 three-point field goals in the Mules close 76-74 loss to Washburn on the road.
• Washburn finished 25-54 from the field for 46.3% while shooting 9-27 from the three for 33.3% and 17-23 from the free throw line for 73.9%.
• The Mules hit their second-best field goal percentage of the season as they finished 28-48 for 58.3%.
• As a team, Central Missouri finished 12-21 for 57.1% from behind the arc. Wilkinson himself hit 10-14 for 71.4%.
• Central Missouri's season-high 19 turnovers allowed the Ichabods to stay in the game.
• Wilkinson set a new career-high with 31 points.
• Pinkley finished 6-9 from inside the paint and 3-4 at the line to total 15 points.
• Gaven,
Daniel Farris and Luinstra each recorded five rebounds.
• Farris tied his season-high eight assists.
Perviously vs Missouri Southern
• Wednesday's match-up marks the 68th meeting between the Lions and the Mules.
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series 39-28.
• The Mules upset Missouri Southern earlier this season when the Lions were ranked 10th in the nation. Central Missouri won 54-52 in the Multipurpose Building on January 18.
• The victory was the Mules second over a top-25 ranked team this season as they defeated No. 1 Northwest prior to facing the Lions.
Previously vs Pittsburg State
• Saturday's match-up will be the 120th meeting between the Gorillas and the Mules.
• Central Missouri holds a 73-46 advantage in the all-time series against Pitt.
• The Gorillas defeated UCM previously the season in a 68-57 victory over the Mules in the Multipurpose Building on January 15.
Individual Milestones
• Wilkinson is 4 points away from 700 career points.
• Farris is 10 assists away from 250 career assists.
•
Michael Winger is 14 three's away from 100 career three-pointers.
Scouting the Competition:
No. 17 Missouri Southern Lions (19-7, 12-5 MIAA)
• The Lions are ranked No. 17 in the NABC poll this week and 16th in the D2 SID's Poll.
• Missouri Southern currently paces the MIAA with the league-high average of 84.3 points per game.
• Their field goal percentage of 49% and three-point field goal percentage of 38.6% both rank second in the league while the team free throw percentage of 77.6% ranks third.
• As a team defensively, the Lions lead the MIAA in defensive rebounds per game (27.5), rebound margin (6.3) and total rebounds per game (37.8).
• The Lions are lead by their offensive and defensive powerhouse Cam Martin. Martin leads the MIAA in scoring (24.8 ppg), free throw attempts (75) and free throw makes (70), total points (646), while ranking second in total field goals made (227), field goal percentage (57.5), double-doubles (12), rebounds per game (5.0) and total rebounds (239).
• Last week in Missouri Southern's loss to Missouri Western, Martin set a MSSU new single-game scoring record with 54 points.
• Braelon Walker and Elyjah Clark lead the Lions from behind the arc. Clark leads MSSU with 62 three's on the year while shooting 38%. Walking has the team-high three-point field goal percentage of 43.9% while totalling 54 three's.
• The Lions are 10-2 while playing at home this season.
Pittsburg State Gorillas (9-17, 5-12 MIAA)
• The Pittsburg State offense currently ranks in the middle of the MIAA, averaging 74.2 points per game while the Gorilla's scoring defense ranks at the bottom of the league, allowing opponents to score an average of 76.8 points per game.
• A.J. Walker leads the Pitt State offense averaging 16.5 points per contest which ranks sixth in the MIAA. Walker also ranks third in the league with 1.6 steals per game and fifth with 4.1 assists per game
• Also averaging double figures is Jah-Kobe Womack. Womack is averaging 13.8 points and has made a team-leading 54 three-point field goals.
• Antonio Givens II leads the Gorillas with a 54.5 field-goal percentage. Givens only takes shots from inside the arc.
• Christian Edmondson leads the Gorilla defense with 146 total rebounds on the season and pulls down the team-high of 5.8 boards per game.
• Pitt State is 5-8 while playing at home this season.
