WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 3, 2021) - After a week off, Mules Basketball is rested up to face No. 16 Washburn at home.
Opponents:
No. 16 Washburn Ichabods (13-3, 13-3 MIAA)
Where:
Saturday - UCM Multipurpose Building - Warrensburg, Mo.
When:
Saturday, Feb. 13 - 3:00 p.m.
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.
Special Promotions
• Saturday will be Military Appreciation Day. All active and retired military members and their families receive free admission with a valid military ID.
• Prior to the men's game, Jennies Basketball is hosting it's the annual Pink Out/Play4Kay game. The Jennies will be wearing pink uniforms to promote the Play4Kay fight against breast cancer. There will also be stations set up for donations going to UCM Assistant Athletic Director of Development
Michelle Schubert and Jennies sophomore Sydney Schovanec's mother who are currently battling cancer.
On the Air:
• Saturday's game 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:
• After a six-day game break, Mules Basketball will be back in the Multipurpose Building for the first time this month.
• Central Missouri is coming off an 0-2 week on the road losing to Pittsburg State 79-72 and Missouri Southern 86-67.
• Washburn currently the16th-ranked team in Division II and second in the MIAA with a record of 13-3.
• The Ichabods are on a two-game win streak after defeating Lincoln 87-72 Tuesday night in Topeka.
• Washburn won the first meeting against the Mules this season back in mid December. Central Missouri recorded their second-lowest field goal percentage of the season at 33% for the game and were 4-21 from three while Washburn connected at a 52% clip and were 15-34 from behind the arc.
• Central Missouri is 1-4 against ranked competition this season.
Mules Feed:
• The 6-11 Mules are currently averaging 69.5 points per game shooting 44.7% (413-923) from the floor and 32.8% (112-341) from the three to rank 10th in the MIAA in each category.
• Four players,
Cameron Hunter,
Ja'Cor Nelson,
Koray Gilbert and
Gaven Pinkley are currently averaging in double-figure scoring.
• Senior guard
Koray Gilbert is leading the Mules with 13.2 ppg. Gilbert leads UCM from outside the arc with 46.9% shooting and posts the second-best field goal percentage on the team at 54.3%.
• Gilbert has led the offense in the last three games, including a career-high performance against Pittsburg State. Against the Gorillas, Gilbert shot 11-16 from the floor, 5-8 from the three, and 4-5 from the free-throw line to lead all scorers with 31 points. That total is also the most single-game points scored by any Mules this season.
•
Cameron Hunter is averaging 11.8 ppg despite scoring a combined 10 points in the Mules last three games. The senior guard also leads UCM in free-throws made (80), free-throw percentage (87%) and assists (57). Hunter's free-throw percentage ranks fourth in the MIAA while his 1.6 assist to turnover ratio ranks fifth.
•
Ja'Cor Nelson leads the offense with 77 made field goals at 50% shooting and is averaging 11.6 ppg. Nelson also leads the Mules with 31 steals and is the second-best rebounder on the squad with 4.0 boards per game.
•
Gaven Pinkley leads the Mules at the boards with 4.6 rebounds per game while also averaging 10.6 ppg. Pinkley is currently shooting 42.8% (62-145) from the field and has the second-most three-point field goals with 23.
•
Jalen Blaize leads the Mules with 26 threes on the season while averaging 8-6 ppg.
• Central Missouri's big
Ante Sustic posts the team-high 64% field goal percentage and averages 4.6 ppg.
• The Mules have the second-lowest turnover average in the league with just 12.0 per game. They also rank second in the MIAA with 8.53 steals per game and fifth with a .742 team free-throw percentage.
• Central Missouri has shot over 50% in five games this season, including a season-high 56% in their win over Pittsburg State earlier in the season.
• Proven to be more of a second-half team, the Mules have out-scored their opponents in the final 20 minutes in 10 of their 17 games.
Series History vs. Washburn:
• Saturday's meeting will be the 106th between these two teams with Washburn leading the all-time series 53-52.
• The last meeting between the Mules and Ichabods in the Multipurpose Building resulted in a 59-56 UCM victory last February.
• Earlier this season, UCM suffered a 80-60 loss to Washburn in Topeka. Gavin Pinkley led the Mules with 21 points and seven rebounds while
Ja'Cor Nelson also finished with seven rebounds and 20 points.
• The Ichabods have won six of the last 10 match ups.
Scouting the Ichabods (13-3, 13-3 MIAA):
• Washburn leads the MIAA in scoring averaging 83.1 ppg.
• The Ichabods 42.3% team shooting percentage from the three-point range is the best in the league while their .489 field-goal percentage ranks second.
• The offense also leads the league with 15.4 assists per game and a 1.27 assist to turnover ratio. The Ichabods also have the third-lowest average turnovers per game, behind the Mules, at 12.2.
• Washburn also has one of the best defenses in the league ranking first in defensive field goal percentage (.423), third in defensive three-point field goal percentage (.330), and third in scoring defense (71.8 ppg).
• The Ichabods hold an undefeated 7-0 record at home but are 6-3 while competing on the road this season.
Washburn Key Players:
• Tyler Geiman leads the Ichabods in scoring (332 pts), assists (98), rebounds (104), and steals (29). Geiman's 6.1 assists per game leads the MIAA and ranks third in Division II while his 20.8 ppg ranks third in the league and his 6.5 rebounds per game ranks 10th. The senior guard also ranks seventh in the MIAA with a .532 field goal percentage.
• Jalen Lewis (11.9 ppg), Jonny Clausing (10.6 ppg), and Drew Maschoff (10.0 ppg) are also averaging in double-figure scoring for Washburn.
• Levi Braun is currently the best three-point shooter in the MIAA. Bruan leads the league in three-pointer made (48), three-point field goal percentage (.558) and threes per game (3.0).
• In Washburn's last game outing, the Ichabods shot 56% from the field, including 58% in the second half and finishing 30-54 overall while holding the Blue Tigers to 43%shooting.
• Jalen Lewis led the Ichabods with a game-high 20 points hitting three 3-pointers. Tyler Nelson scored 15 with six assists and six rebounds while Tyler Geiman had 13 points with six assists and seven rebounds.
Last Time Out:
JOPLIN, Mo. (Feb. 6, 2021) -
Koray Gilbert led the Mules offense for the third consecutive game in Central Missouri's 86-67 loss to Missouri Southern. The Lions recorded their second-best field goal percentage of the season, shooting 30-54 from the floor for 55.6%.
• Missouri Southern gained an early advantage over the Mules with 7-0 run to lead 14-7 just five minute after the tip.
• Central Missouri answered with a quick 7-0 run of their own as a
Jalen Blaize three brought the Mules within one point, 17-16, at the 10 minute mark in the first half.
• The Lions outscored the Mules 25-14 in the final 10 minutes before the break, gaining as much as a 16-point lead over UCM. Central Missouri went into the half down by 12 at 42-30.
• Missouri Southern shot lights out in the second half, finishing with 68.2% shooting from the floor and 72.8% from the three in the final 20 minutes. The Lions saw their largest lead over the Mules at 82-55 with just under five minutes left to play.
•
Easton Darling's bask-to-back threes in the final minute helped shaved the Lions lead by a few scores as MSSU defeated the Mules 86-67.
• The Lions second-half performance helped MSSU record their second-best field goal percentage of the season at 55.6%. Overall, MSSU finished 30-54 from the field, 14-29 (48.3%) from behind the arc, and 12-17 (70.6%) at the foul line.
• Central Missouri's offense stay consistent throughout each half as the Mules finished with 41.2% shooting before and after the break.
• In total, the Mules went 28-68 from the floor for 41.2%, 9-26 from the three-point range for 34.6%, and shot a season-low four free-throw attempts to finish 2-4 from the line.
• Missouri Southern also dominated the battle at the boards, out rebounded the Mules 34-21.
• The Mules committed five less turnovers than the Lions as UCM totaled 19 points of MSSU's 18 turnovers.
• Gilbert finished 6-11 from the floor, 2-4 from the three, and 1-1 at the foul line to lead the UCM offense with 15.
• Blaize went 4-9 and led the Mules with three three to total 11 points.
•
Ja'Cor Nelson tied his season-high five steals while also adding nine points.
•
Cameron Hunter recorded the team-high five assists.
•
Gaven Pinkley led the defense with six rebounds.
Individual Milestones:
•
Ja'Cor Nelson is 2 points away from recording a 200-point season.
•
Cameron Hunter is 12 points away from recording a 200-point season.
•
Koray Gilbert is seven field goals away from his career 100th.
•
Gaven Pinkley surpassed his 300th career rebound in the Mules last outing against Missouri Southern.
•
Garrett Luinstra surpassed 100 career rebound and 200 career points last week against Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern.
