Game 25: Central Missouri (12-12, 9-11 MIAA) at No. 15 Central Oklahoma (22-4, 17-3 MIAA)
Wednesday, Feb. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Edmond, Okla. (Hamilton Fieldhouse)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR
Live Stats
Game 26: Central Missouri at Lincoln (3-22, 2-18 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 26 | 3:30 p.m. | Jefferson City, Mo. (Jason Gymnasium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR
Live Stats
TIP-OFF
• Central Missouri Mules basketball is scheduled to wrap up its 2021-22 regular season with a pair of MIAA games at No. 15 Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla., and Lincoln in Jefferson City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 23, and Saturday, Feb. 26.
• UCM is coming off a 61-54 loss to No. 22 Fort Hays State Feb. 19 in Warrensburg.
ON THE AIR
• Both games will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The Bar and 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.
LAST TIME OUT
•
Koray Gilbert scored a season-high 15 points and tallied six rebounds as the Central Missouri Mules basketball team fell to No, 22 Fort Hays State, 61-54, Saturday, Feb. 19, inside the Multipurpose Building on Senior Day.
• Gilbert scored his 15 points on just 6-for-11 shooting from the floor but went 3-of-3 at the free-throw line while
Cameron Hunter was 6-of-12 from the field, including a 2-of-4 showing from three-point range for 14 points. Gilbert and
Gaven Pinkley each snagged a team-best six rebounds in the contest.
• Central Missouri was 40 percent from the floor in the contest, converting 21 of 53 shots, and 5-of-19 from beyond-the-arc for 26 percent. The Mules went 7-for-9 at the charity stripe for 78 percent.
• UCM and FHSU (21-4, 16-4 MIAA), both had the same amount of turnovers at nine, but Central Missouri was outrebounded, 35-25, and outscored in the paint, 38-22.
MIAA LEADERS
• Ja' Cor Nelson leads the MIAA in steals through 24 games with 2.3 steals per game and 54 takeaways.
• As a team, Central Missouri paces the conference in steals with 7.94 steals per game.
• UCM has done a great job of taking care of the basketball this season. It is second in the MIAA in turnover margin at +3.72 going to Wednesday's evening.
CAREER MILESTONE
•
Gaven Pinkley surpassed the 1,000 career milestone after scoring 16 points in the overtime victory over Nebraska Kearney Feb. 17. Pinkley is at 1,010 points going into Wednesday's game at Central Oklahoma.
SERIES HISTORY VS. CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
• Wednesday's game in Edmond, will mark the 23rd meeting in the all-time series with the Bronchos dating back to 1957. UCO leads the series, 13-9.
• Last meeting: Central Oklahoma claimed an 82-60 win over UCM Jan. 13, 2022, in Warrensburg, Mo.
SCOUTING CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
• The Central Oklahoma Bronchos come into Wednesday' game at 22-4 overall and 17-3 in the MIAA after defeating Northeastern State Saturday, 75-62. UCO is ranked 15th in the latest NABC Division II Coaches' Poll and has won its last three games.
• Through 26 games, Central Oklahoma is paced by senior forward Isaiah Wade (19.0 ppg., 8.6 rpg., 26 assists, .581 FG%, .415 3FG%, .681 FT%), junior guard Callen Hayden (14.8 ppg., 2.8 rpg., 7 blocks) and junior guard Jaden Wells (14.5 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 42 assists, 29 steals). Wade leads the MIAA in field-goal percentage, ranks third in rebounding and is fifth in scoring. Hayden is second in the conference in assists at six assists per game.
• The Bronchos lead the MIAA in scoring through 26 games at 82.9 points per game and are in the top-three in field-goal percentage (.499), three-point field-goal percentage (.381) and free-throw percentage (.795). UCO also paces the conference in rebounding (36.2 per game) and assists (16.42 per game).
SERIES HISTORY VS. LINCOLN
• Going into Saturday's contest against the Blue Tigers, the Mules lead the all-time series, 62-36.The first meeting in the series was 1954.
• Last meeting: Central Missouri defeated Lincoln in Warrensburg, Mo., 72-49, Dec. 5, 2021.
SCOUTING LINCOLN
• The Lincoln Blue Tigers are 3-22 overall and 2-18 in the MIAA entering the week after winning, 67-62, against Newman Monday.
• Through 25 contests, the Tigers are led by redshirt junior guard Tre'vion Crawford (10.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg.and freshman guard Chuck Wilson (8.6 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 40 assists, 14 steals, 6 blocks).
• The Blue Tigers are 14th out of 14 teams in the MIAA in scoring defense, allowing 76.7 points per game.
MULES IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
• The Mules are 159-42 over the last 18 seasons.
• Central Missouri is now 82-5 in the last 87 non-conference home games at the Multipurpose Building.
MULES AT HOME
• The Mules are 8-7 at home in 2021-22 after falling to Fort Hays State.
• The Mules are 62-52 at home under Karleskint.
• Central Missouri has posted a 191-38 record at home over the last 14 seasons, including 82-7 against non-conference opponents and 115-31 in MIAA play.
UCM DURING THE KARLESKINT ERA
•
Doug Karleskint enters the 2021-22 season with a record of 112-88 (.588) as head coach at Central Missouri and a 193-107 (.643) overall mark in his 12th season as a head coach.
• Doug saw is 100th career win as head coach of the Mules last season in a 93-62 victory over Saint Mary's. Their 93 points was the most single game points scored by the Mules all season.
• Karleskint became the first Mules' head coach to start his first season at UCM 7-0 when he accomplished the mark in 2014-15.
• His 25 wins in 2014-15 were the most by a first-year head coach in Central Missouri history.
• Karleskint became the fourth Mules' head coach to win at least 20 games in his first season.
• Before coming to UCM, he spent the previous five seasons at Arkansas Tech, including the last four as head coach. He compiled an 88-34-2 (.718) record with the Wonder Boys with four conference championships and four trips to the NCAA-II National Tournament, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2012.
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
• This is the 116th season of Central Missouri Mules Basketball.
• Central Missouri is third all-time in NCAA Division II men's basketball with 1,719 wins.
• The Mules have won two NCAA Men's National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four National Championships overall (1937 & 1938 NAIB).
MULE FEED
• Central Missouri returns four starters and six letterwinners from last season's team.
• Returning starters include redshirt junior forward
Gaven Pinkley, redshirt senior guard
Ja'Cor Nelson, redshirt senior guard
Koray Gilbert and redshirt senior guard
Cameron Hunter.
• Other returners for UCM include redshirt junior guard
Garrett Luinstra, redshirt freshman guard
Easton Darling and redshirt freshman forward
Austin Murrow.
• Central Missouri welcomes nine newcomers for 2021-22, including five transfers and four freshmen. Incoming transfers include redshirt junior guard
Matt Todd, redshirt sophomore guard
Ikenna Okeke, redshirt sophomore guard
Trey Sides, redshirt freshman guard
Reggie Morris and redshirt sophomore forward
Mark Mayle, while incoming freshmen are guard
Connor Arment, guard/forward
Blake Busateri, guard
Jaden Rogers and forward
Ben Fritz.
MULES BASKETBALL HISTORY
• In the 116th season of UCM basketball, the Mules have compiled a 1,721-1,001 (.633) record in 2,722 total games.
• The Mules are the third winningest program by victories in NCAA-II history.
• Central Missouri is one of just four NCAA-II programs with 1,700 all-time wins.
• The Mules have won 20 or more games 26 times in the history of the program.
• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games in a season three times (2006-07, 2008-09, and 2013-14).
• UCM has won or shared 24 MIAA regular season championships and five MIAA tournament titles.
THE NEXT LEVEL
• In the past 16 years, 23 former UCM players have gone on to play professional basketball.
• Four players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster: Donte Adams (Conejos De Tuxtla (Mexico), Charles Hammork (Kosovo, Ylli Therande), Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet), and Zack Wright (Germany, Brose Basket).
ON THE HORIZON
• The Mules will play in the MIAA tournament March 2-6 at Historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
