HEAD COACH TOM SMITH GOES FOR 600TH VICTORY AGAINST FONTBONNE

Game Notes

Setting the scene:
The Griffons will open up 2011-2012 season with a non-conference match-up against NCAA Division III opponent Fontbonne University out of St. Louis, Mo. on Saturday, November 12 at 7:30 pm from the fieldhouse. Last season the Griffons opened up with NAIA opponent Avila University in the Hillyard Classic. Western defeated Avila 95-85 on Friday, November 19, 2010. This marks the first ever meeting between the two schools.

Griffons on Radio:
The game will be broadcasted live on KFEQ 680 AM. The game can also be heard on the internet at www.gogriffons.com by following the “webcast” link under game day. Play-by-Play will be done by Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Orf. The broadcast will start approximately one half hour prior to tipoff.

The Coaches:
Missouri Western head men's basketball coach Tom Smith is in his twenty fourth season as the Griffons head coach. Smith is 429-245 at Western and 599-429 (.583) overall. He leads the MIAA in active coaches with 515 victories. Smith became the third head coach in Griffon basketball history in April of 1988 and became the winningest coach in Missouri Western history on Jan. 21, 1998, surpassing the first Missouri Western basketball coach Gary Filbert. Smith became the seventh active coach in NCAA Division II to win 500 games on February 16, 2005, with a win over Southwest Baptist at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Smith is 429-245 at Missouri Western. Smith won his 400th game at Western on November 20, 2009 in a 89-58 victory over the Lincoln Blue Tigers in the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic. Smith has guided the Griffons to 12 seasons of 20-plus victories and had a string of six straight seasons of 20 or more wins (1989-1995). Smith was also named MIAA Coach-of-the-Year and the NABC District Coach-of-the-Year following the 1989-90 season. Smtih coached his 1,000 career game against the University of Central Missouri on March 13, 2010 in the 2010 NCAA Division II Men's National Tournment. Only one other coach has taken a MIAA team to the same number of NCAA tournament appearances than Smith since the Griffons joined the league in 1989. Coach Smith has won 19 of 23 season openers since taking this helm in 1988-1989 season.

Fontbonne head men's basketball coach Steve Schafer was hired as the head men's basketball coach at Fontbonne University in the Spring of 2011. Coach Schafer is the second head men's basketball coach in Fontbonne history. Coach Schafer came to Fontbonne from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois where he has served as an assistant coach since 2009. Benedictine won the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) championship this past season and earned a trip to the NCAA Div. III National Basketball Tournament. Benedictine posted a 21-8 overall record and a 13-3 NAC record this season. Prior to Benedictine, Coach Schafer served as an assistant coach at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois from 2004-2009. Coach Schafer began his coaching year at Augustana College where he served as a student assistant in 2000-2001. He replaces longtime Fontbonne University athletic director and former head men's basketball coach Dr. Lee McKinney.

Record in Season Openers:
Since basketball started in 1969-1970 the Missouri Western men's basketball team has been outstanding in season openers going 32-10. The Griffons have won 16 of the last 17 season openers which included a 95-85 victory last season against Avila University on November 19 in the fieldhouse. The Griffons are 23-3 in season openers which are played at home and 5-7 when they play games that are on the road. Western is 4-0 in season openers which are at a neutral site. Western went 9-4 in season openers under its first head coach Gary Filbert and 8-1 at home. Under Skip Shear the Griffons when 4-2 in season openers and were 3-0 at home and 1-2 on the road. Under Tom Smith the Griffons have compiled a remarkable 19-4 record in season openers. Coach Smith is 12-2 in home season openers, 3-2 on the road and 4-0 at a neutral site.

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HEAD COACH TOM SMITH GOES FOR 600TH VICTORY AGAINST FONTBONNE