WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 27, 2021) - Mules basketball looks to carry last week's momentum into week eight as they host another pair of MIAA match ups against nationally ranked competition. 

Opponents:
No. 23 Missouri Western Griffons (8-2, 8-2 MIAA)
No. 3 Northwest Missouri Bearcats (10-1, 10-1 MIAA)

Where:
UCM Multipurpose Building - Warrensburg, Mo. 

When:
Thursday, Jan. 28 - 7:30 p.m. vs. Missouri Western
Saturday, Jan. 30 - 3:30 p.m. vs. Northwest Missouri 

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:
• The Mules enter week eight on a three-game win streak, their longest of the season. 
• Missouri Western continued to stay ranked at No. 23 after pausing all team activities last week and not playing a game. 
• The Griffons look to bounce-back from their second loss of the season as they fell to Nebraska-Kearney 75-67 in their last outing on January 14th. 
• The Bearcats regained first place in the MIAA standings after an 2-0 performance last week with wins over Newman (81-70) and Central Oklahoma (90-68).
• Northwest Missouri will travel to Missouri's capital to take on Lincoln on Thursday before visiting the Burg. 
• Northwest is on a five-game win streak since their lone loss to No. 13 Washburn earlier this season. 

Mules Feed:
• The 5-8 Mules are currently shooting 45.3% (319-704) from the floor to rank seventh in the MIAA.
• The Mules have out-scored their opponents in the second-half in all games but four games.
• Four players, Cameron Hunter, Ja'Cor Nelson, Koray Gilbert and Gaven Pinkley, are currently averaging in double-figure scoring. 
• Three different Mules have led the UCM offense in their last three games. Gilbert led UCM with 14 points against Newman, Nelson led with 23 points against Northeastern State, and Garrett Luinstra led the offense with 13 against Rogers State. 
• Cameron Hunter leads the Mules offense with 13.5 ppg. The senior guard also leads UCM in free-throws made (69), free-throw percentage (86.3%) and assists (44). Hunter's free-throw percentage ranks fourth in the MIAA while his 3.7 assists per game ranks seventh. league with 3.7 assists per contest and fifth with a .870 free-throw percentage.
• Currently shooting over 50% from the field, Ja'Cor Nelson leads the offense with 61 made field goals to average 12.5 ppg. Nelson also leads the Mules with 24 steals and is the second-best rebounded on the squad with 4.0 boards per game. 
• Last week, Nelson scored a season-high 23 points to lead the offense in UCM's 89-82 victory over Northeastern State. 
• Gaven Pinkley leads the Mules at the boards with 4.5 rebounds per game while also averaging 11.3 ppg. Pinkley is currently shooting 42.6% (49-115) from the field and 34.4% from the three (21-61). 
• Koray Gilbert has scored in double-figures in three of the last four games and is currently averaging 11.2 ppg. 
• Blaize leads the Mules from the three-point range with 22 three's on the season while averaging 9.5 ppg. 
• Ante Sustic leads UCM from inside the paint shooting 62.8% with 5.3 ppg. 
• The Mules rank third in the league with 8.64 steals per game and fourth with a .750 team free-throw percentage. 
• 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. Missouri Western:
• Central Missouri and Missouri Western previously met this season on Dec. 5th in St. Joseph. The Griffons recorded a season-high shooting performance with 71 attempted field goals and hit a season-high 15 threes to defeated the Mules 100-81. 
• Cameron Hunter went 3-7 from the field and made a season-high 17 free-throws on 70 attempts to finished with the game-high 23 points against the Griffons.
• Last season, the Mules lost both meetings against the Griffons by four points. 
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series against Missouri Western 41-31.

Series History vs. Northwest Missouri:
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series against the Bearcats, 128-99.
• In their previous match up this season on Dec. 3rd, the Mules came within single digits the top-ranked Bearcats, falling 74-67 in Maryville. 
• The Mules and the Bearcats met twice last season. Central Missouri upset the No. 1 Bearcats early in the season with a 72-60 victory in Warrensburg. Northwest took revenge later their second match up, defeating the Mules 81-47 in Maryville. 
• The Bearcats have won 11 of the last 13 matchups against the Mules. 

Scouting the #23 Griffons (8-2, 8-2 MIAA):
• The 8-2 Griffons continued to stay ranked at No. 23 after pausing all team activities last week and not playing a game. 
• Missouri Western currently tops the MIAA in both offensive and defensive categories. 
• The Griffons are averaging 82.7 ppg to lead the league in scoring while their .404 defensive field goal percentage and .280 defensive three-point field goal percentage rank first in the league. 
• The defense has allowed a league-low of 246 opponent field goals made and 58 opponent three-pointers made. 
• The Grffons also lead the MIAA in rebounding with 39.7 boards per game, steals with 10.1 per game, and blocked shots with 3.9 per game. 
• All of Missouri Western's starters are currently averaging in double-figure scoring. 
• The Griffons are lead by Tyrell Carroll who ranks fifth in the league with 18.4 ppg. The junior guard has scoring in double-figures every game this season. Carroll leads the MIAA with 2.8 steals per game while his 4.1 assists per game ranks fifth and his .484 field goal percentage ranks ninth.
• Will Eames leads the MWSU defense and ranks second in the league with 9.7 rebounds per game while also scoring 13.1 ppg. 
• Reese Glover averages 10.3 points per game and leads the Griffons from the three with 27 on the season.
• The Griffons are 3-2 on the road this season. 

Scouting the #3 Bearcats (10-1, 10-1 MIAA): 
• The 10-1 Bearcats regained first place in the MIAA standings after an 2-0 performance last week with wins over Newman (81-70) and Central Oklahoma (90-68). 
• Northwest leads the MIAA and ranks fifth in the nation with a .533 field goal percentage. The Bearcats have shot better than 50% in eight of their 11 games this season.
• The Bearcats also lead the league from behind the arc, shooting 41.4%. Their 115 made three-pointers ranks fifth in Division II while their three-point field goal percentage ranks seventh. 
• Northwest has starters, Ryan Hawkins and Trevor Hudgins, who rank in the MIAA's top-five scorers.
• Senior forward Hawkins leads the Bearcats offense and ranks second in the league averaging 20.6 ppg. He also ranks sixth in the MIAA with 8.1 rebounds per contest. 
• Hawkins was named this week's MIAA Athlete of the Week. He averaged 26.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and shot 62.1% from the field, including 64.7% from three-point range in the Bearcats victories last week.
• Juinor guard Hudgins ranks fourth in the league with 19.3 ppg. Hudgins leads the MIAA with 2.7 three-pointer per game. He also ranks second in assists (5.7 per game) and three-point field goal percentage (49.2%), and ranks third in free-throw shooting with 90% accuracy.    
• Diego Bernard is shooting 58.5% from the field and 56% from the three to average 13 ppg. He also leads the Bearcats with seven blocks and averages five rebounds per game. 
• Northwest has won 12 consecutive road games, which ranks as the second-longest active streak among NCAA Division II schools. Valdosta State currently holds the mark with 13 straight road wins.

Last Time Out:
WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 23, 2021) - The Central Missouri Mules basketball team picked up its third straight win with a 77-64 victory over Rogers State. Central Missouri hit a season-high 12 threes while four Mules finished in double-figures.
• After a 37% shooting performance in the first half, UCM's offense came to life in the second half hitting 16-30 from the field for 53.3% and 7-15 from the three for 46.7%.
• In total, the Mules shot 45.6% (26-57) from the floor, 41.4% (12-29) from the three-point range, and 76.5% (13-17) from the free-throw line.
• Rogers State finished 19-48 from the field for 39.6%, 7-23 from behind the arc for 30.4%, and 19-48 from the line for 82.6%.
• The Hillcats also missed multiple chances to get shots off as they finished with 17 turnovers which UCM capitalized on, scoring 27 points off RSU's mistakes.
• Defensively, Rogers State did see an advantage at the boards as they out-rebounding the Mules 36-27.
• Central Missouri's 12 threes are the most the Mules have made this season.
• The Mules protected the ball well, finishing with a season-low six turnovers.
• Starting guard Garrett Luinstra finished 6-9 from the floor and 1-2 from the three to lead the Mules offense with 13 points.
• Jalen Blaize led all shooters from behind the arc with a game-high four threes to finish with 12 points. Blaize also tied the team-high three steals.
• Ja'Cor Nelson hit 3-7 while also going 5-7 at the foul line to end with 11 points. Nelson joined Blaize with three steals and tied the team-high three assists.
• Koray Gilbert finished with 10 points.
• Dillon Blain led the UCM defense with six rebounds and added nine points.

Individual Milestones:
• Gavin Pinkly surpassed 600 career points in UCM's win over Newman. 
• Pinkley is 16 rebounds away from his career 300th. 
• Garrett Luinstra surpasses his 200th career point last week against Rogers State and is just three rebounds away from his career 100th.
• Koray Gilbert is 28 points away from his career 200th.