Game 21: Central Missouri (10-10, 7-9 MIAA) vs. Newman (4-15, 1-13 MIAA)
Wednesday, Feb. 9 | 6 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Multipurpose Building)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR
 
 Game 22: Central Missouri at Washburn (13-9, 10-6 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 12 | 3 p.m. | Topeka, Kan. (Lee Arena)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR
 

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TIP-OFF
• Central Missouri Mules basketball is scheduled to host the Newman Jets at the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. before traveling to Topeka, Kan., for a road contest at Washburn Saturday, Feb. 12, at 3 p.m. inside Lee Arena.
• UCM is coming off an 81-78 home loss to Pittsburg State Monday at the Multipurpose Building.
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
• Cameron Hunter and Ja'Cor Nelson each scored 21 points, but it wasn't enough, as Central Missouri Mules basketball fell to Pittsburg State, 71-68, Monday, Feb. 7, inside the Multipurpose Building.
• Hunter, a redshirt senior from Olathe, Kan., scored 21 points on a 6-of-11 shooting performance and a 7-of-11 performance at the free-throw line.
• Nelson netted his 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting and added a team-best nine rebounds.
• UCM shot 45 percent (22-of-49) from the floor, 30 percent (6-of-20) from beyond-the-arc and were 18-of-25 at the free-throw line (72 percent) for the game.
• The Mules outrebounded the Gorillas (6-16, 5-11 MIAA), 33-25, and outscored Pittsburg State off turnovers, 20-15. Both teams tallied 26 points in the paint.
 
MIAA LEADERS
• Ja' Cor Nelson leads the MIAA in steals through 20 games with 2.2 steals per game and 44 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.

MILESTONE ALERT
• Gaven Pinkley sits at 958 career points going into the week, just 42 points shy out of 1,000.
SERIES HISTORY VS. NEWMAN
• Wednesday's game in Warrensburg, will mark the third meeting in the all-time series with the Jets dating back to 2017. The Mules lead the series, 2-1.
• Last meeting: Central Missouri claimed an 62-57 win over Newman Jan. 16, 2021, in Wichita, Kan.

SCOUTING NEWMAN
• The Newman Jets come into Wednesday's game at 4-15 overall and 1-13 in the MIAA after falling at home to Nebraska Kearney Feb. 5, 89-75. Newman has lost five straight games coming into Wednesday.
• Through 19 games, Newman is paced by red shirt junior guard Israel Barnes (19.5 ppg., 5.2 rpg., 14 assists, .451 FG%, .364 3FG%, .704 FT%), freshman guard Stevie Strong (13.9 ppg., 2.3 rpg., 6 blocks) and sophomore guard Ian Lee (9.9 ppg., 3.0 rpg., 27 assists, 17 steals).

SERIES HISTORY VS. WASHBURN
• Going into Saturday's contest against the Ichabods, the all-time series sits at 56-52 in favor of Washburn going back to the inaugural meeting in 1912.
• Last meeting: Washburn defeated UCM in Warrensburg, Mo., 67-65, Dec. 31, 2021.

SCOUTING WASHBURN
• The Washburn Ichabods are 13-9 overall and 10-6 in the MIAA entering the week after a 77-60 setback at Rogers State Monday in Claremore, Okla.
• Through 22 contests, the Ichabods are led by senior guard Tyler Geiman (14.4 ppg., 6.1 rpg., 99 assists, 17 steals), junior guard Jalen Lewis (13.3 ppg., 29 assists, 16 steals, 2 blocks, .433 FG%, .382 3FG%, .848 FT%) and freshman guard Michael Keegan (9.4 ppg., 5.8 rpg.).

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 6-6 at home in 2021-22 after falling to Pittsburg 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 host two home MIAA games against Nebraska Kearney Feb. 17 and Fort Hays State Feb. 19