WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 20, 2021) - After a pair of road contests last week, Central Missouri basketball returns to the Multipurpose Building to kickoff a four-game home stint beginning with Northeastern State and Rogers State.
Opponents:
Northeastern State RiverHawks (2-7, 2-7 MIAA)
Rogers State Hillcats (5-5, 5-5 MIAA)
Where:
UCM Multipurpose Building - Warrensburg, Mo.
When:
Thursday, Jan. 21 - 7:30 p.m. vs. Northeastern State
Saturday, Jan. 23 - 3:30 p.m. vs. Rogers State
Fan Information:
• The UCM Multipurpose Building is limited to 25% capacity. Fans are strongly encourage to purchase their tickets in advance at the link above.
• Face masks are required at all times while on the UCM campus.
• Fans are strongly encouraged to socially distance themselves when seated and only sit with the group they entered the facility with.
• Restrooms and east-end concessions will be open, but fans are asked not to congregate in hallways or the lobby.
• There will be no reserved seating for visiting fans behind the visiting bench.
On the Air:
• Home games will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and now the all new 107.9 fm. You can also stream online at warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action.
• All games will also be webcast online through the MIAA's Blue Frame portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/.
• Links to live stats and live video can also be found at ucmathletics.com.
Tip off:
• Mules basketball returns to the Multipurpose Building after a pair of road games against Central Oklahoma and Newman last week.
• Central Missouri is on a single-game win streak after defeated Newman 62-57 in Wichita, Kan. last Saturday.
• With a record of 2-8, Northeastern State is one of just two teams in the MIAA with less wins than the Mules. They travel to Warrensburg after a 1-1 week with an 82-72 win over Newman and a 74-67 loss to Rogers State.
• Rogers State has yet to lose in the 2021 calendar year and are currently on a three-game win streak with victories over Emporia State (75-60), Newman (73-56), and Northeastern State (74-67).
• The Hillcats will face Lincoln in Jefferson City on Thursday, Jan. 21 before traveling to Warrensburg to take on the Mules of the first time in program history.
• The Mules are currently 2-2 while playing in the Multipurpose Building this season.
Mules Feed:
• The 3-8 Mules are currently shooting 45.0% (264-587) from the floor to rank sixth in the MIAA.
• The Mules have out-scored their opponents in the second-half in all games but four games.
• Five players,
Cameron Hunter,
Jalen Blaize,
Ja'Cor Nelson,
Koray Gilbert and
Gaven Pinkley, are currently averaging in double-figure scoring.
• The Mules offense is lead by Hunter who ranks 13th in the league in scoring averaging with 14.2 ppg. Hunter also leads UCM in free-throws (56) and assists (34). He ranks seventh in the league with 3.6 assists per contest and fifth with a .870 free-throw percentage.
• Averaging 12.3 ppg is Gilbert. Gilbert was the only Mules to score in double-figures both games last week, including a career-high 26 points to lead all scorers against Central Oklahoma.
• Nelson currently shooting 54.3% from the field to average 11.6 points per contests. Nelson leads UCM offense with 50 made field goals on the season and leads the defense with 20 steals.
• Pinkley leads the Mules at the boards with 4.9 rebounds per game while also averaging 11.5 ppg. Pinkley is currently shooting 44.7% (42-94) from the field and 37.8% form the three (17-45).
• Blaize leads the Mules from the three-point range with 18 three's on the season while averaging 10.1 ppg.
•
Ante Sustic leads UCM from inside the paint shooting 67.6%
• The Mules rank third in the league with 8.64 steals per game.
• Central Missouri has shot over 50% in four games this season, including a season-high 56% in their win over Pittsburg State.
Series History vs. Northeastern State:
• Thursday's meeting between the Mules and the RiverHawks will mark the 10th match up between the two teams with UCM leading the series 5-4.
• Northeastern State has won the last two meetings, defeating the Mules 84-72 in the 2018-19 season and 79-63 last season, both times in Tahlequah, Okla.
• The RiverHawks haven't traveled to Warrensburg since the 2017-18 season when the Mules earned the 75-66 victory.
• Northeastern State is 0-3 while playing in the Multipurpose Building.
Series History vs. Rogers State:
• The Mules and the Hillcats met for the first time last season.
• Rogers State defeated the Mules in Claremore, Okla. 74-63.
• Saturday's match up will mark the first time Rogers State will compete in the UCM Multipurpose Building.
Scouting the RiverHawks (2-7, 2-7 MIAA):
• The 2-8 RiverHawks are currently averaging 73.9 ppg to rank sixth in the league.
• As a team, Northeastern is shooting 43.8% (245-560) from the field and currently ranks at the bottom of the league with a .290 (61-210) three-point field goal percentage.
•.The RiverHawks also have four player currently scoring in double-figures: Brad Davis (13.7 ppg), Troy Locke (12.9 ppg), Trey Sampson (11.9 ppg), and Rashad Perkins (11.4 ppg).
• Sampson currently leads NSU and the MIAA with a .622 field goal percentage while Davis leads the RiverHawks from the three with a .368 three-point field goal percentage which ranks fifth in the league.
• Davis leads NSU in field goals (47), threes (25), assists (31), and steals (13).
• Sampson also leads the RiverHawk defense with 5.2 boards per game and six blocks.
• Obi Agu has started the last seven games for NSU and is averaging 8.7 ppg and 4.9 rebounds per game. Agu leads the RiverHawks with 52.9% shooting from the three and is also shooting over 50% in the field with a .516 field goal percentage.
• Two freshmen have led NSU's offense in their last two games.
• Dillon Bailey led the RiverHawk offense with 16 points in NSU's 74-67 loss to Rogers State, while Christian Cook scored a career-high 20 points to lead the RiverHawks in a 82-72 victory over Newman.
• Northeastern State is currently 1-4 on the road this season.
Scouting the Hillcats (5-5, 5-5 MIAA):
• The 5-5 Hillcats are currently averaging 73.5 ppg and have yet to lose in the 2021 calendar year.
• Rogers State has one of the best defenses in the league, ranking third in the MIAA with a .296 defensive three-point field goal percentage and fourth with a .446 defensive field goal percentage.
• The Hillcats offense is lead by Devin Pullum who currently ranks 12th in the MIAA with 14.5 ppg. Pullum also has the best free-throw shot in the league, shooting 93.9% (31-33) from the foul line.
• Pullum also leads RSU in field goals (48), threes (18), free-throws (31), and assists (35).
• Also averaging in double-figures is Darraja Parnell (10.7 ppg), Brewster Peacock (10.5ppg), and Jett Sternberger (10.1 ppg).
• Destin Eke leads the Hillcats defense with 6.3 rebounds per game while also averaging 10.0 ppg. Eke is shooting 56.7% from the field and 72.7% from the foul line.
• Also averaging in double-figures is Darraja Parnell (10.7 ppg), Brewster Peacock (10.5ppg), and Jett Sternberger (10.1 ppg).
• In RSU's last outing, Pullum scored a season-high 31 points to help the Hillcats defeated Northeastern State 74-67. The Hillcats also recorded a season-high 45 rebounds against the RiverHawks.
Last Time Out:
WICHITA, Kan. (Jan. 16, 2021) - Central Missouri Mules basketball defeated Newman 62-57 after a 40 minute battle that saw five lead changes and multiple ties. Senior guard
Koray Gilbert led the Mules offense for the second-straight game with the team-high 14 points.
• After
Ja'Cor Nelson scored the opening points with a jumper in the paint, it was a point-for-point battle for the next 10 minutes following the tip-off.
• The Jets saw their largest lead of the game with a 23-16 advantage over UCM with five minutes left to play in the first.
•
Gaven Pinkley and
Easton Darling landed back-to-back threes which were followed up with a Luinstra jump shot to regain the lead at 24-23.
• The Mules and Jets went into the break tied 26-26 for the Mules first halftime tie of the season.
• The point-for-point battle continued into the final 20 as the scored was tied three different times in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
• A pair of free-throws by
Cameron Hunter sparked a 10-0 Mules run to give them a 56-51 lead with under two minutes left to play.
• Central Missouri hit 6-6 at the foul line in the final minutes to secure the victory over Newman.
• Overall, the Mules shot 22-50 from the floor for 44%, 4-15 from the three-point range for 26.7%, and 14-16 at the line for 87.5%.
• Similarly, the Jets finished 20-45 for 44.4% from the field, 7-23 from behind the arc for 30.4%, and 10-16 from the free-throw for 62.5%.
• The defensive battle was just as close as the offensive one as the Mules collected just three more boards than the Jets at 30-27.
• Gilbert led the UCM offense for the second-straight game with 14 points. Gilbert also tied with Nelson for the team-high seven rebounds.
• Luinstra tied his season-high 12 points with a 4-8 performance in the field and a perfect 4-4 at the line. The junior guard also led the Mules with three assists.
Individual Milestones:
• Gavin Pinkly surpassed 600 career points in UCM's win over Newman.
• Pinkley is 21 rebounds away from his career 300th.
•
Garrett Luinstra is seven rebounds away from his career 100th and 24 points away from his career 200th at UCM.
