MIAA Action Missouri Western (4-6, 0-2 MIAA) @ University of Central Oklahoma (3-7, 1-1 MIAA) Thursday, January 3, 2013 Edmond, Okla. - Hamilton Field House - 7:30 pm Game Notes I Listen Live I Live Stats | Watch Live Missouri Western (4-6, 0-2 MIAA) @ Missouri Southern State University (6-3, 1-0 MIAA) Saturday, January 5, 2013 Joplin, Mo. - Leggett & Platt- 7:30 pm Game Notes I Listen Live I Live Stats | Watch Live

The Missouri Western men's basketball team, will continue MIAA play after the holiday break. The Griffons will be on the road for two MIAA contests the first week of January. MWSU first action since December 19, 2012 will be on Thursday, January 3 against MIAA newcomer Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. The Griffons will continue road MIAA play on Saturday, January 5 in Joplin, Mo. to take on the Missouri Southern Lions. Both games are scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Griffon Notes
• This marks the 43rd season of Griffons men's basketball
• Head Coach Tom Smith is in his 25th season overall at Missouri Western and 38th season overall as a head coach at the collegiat level...Smith has won 612 career games with 442 coming at Missouri Western. He announced on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 that he will be retiring at the end of the 2012-2013 season.
• The Griffons have struggled in its past few games falling twice by four points or less and once in overtime.
• Griffon junior center Cedric Clinkscales has been outstanding this season recording three double-doubles in the Griffons eight games. He has recorded back-to-back double-doubles scoring 14 points against Truman State and Fort Hays State. He snared 10 rebounds against Truman and 12 against Fort Hays State.
• For the third time since the 2003-2004 season the Griffons have started MIAA play with an 0-2 record. This also marks the second staright season that the Griffons have opened up MIAA play with two losses.
• Dating back to last season the Griffons have lost 13 MIAA games by 10 points or less which includes both of its losses this season. The Griffons fell to Truman State 71-69 and Fort Hays State 84-74 in overtime.
• The Griffons have lost five of its six games by 10 points or less and three of them by four points or less.
• The Griffons were picked to finish 11th in the MIAA coaches preseason poll and 12th in the MIAA media preseason poll.

Coaches vs. Each Program - UCO:
This marks the 13th meeting for coach Smith and the Bronchos. Coach Smith is 7-5 all-time against Central Oklahoma. Bronchos head coach Tim Evans is in his 11th season and has met the Griffons seven times. He is just 2-5 all-time and 1-0 in Edmond. He is 1-3 on a neutral floor and 0-2 in St. Joseph.

Series vs. the Bronchos:
The Griffons have a 7-5 overall record against the Bronchos. The Griffons are 4-1 in St. Joseph, 3-3 on a neutral floor and 0-1 in Edmond. The last time the two teams met was on November 27, 2010 in Edmond. The 10th ranked Bronchos defeated the Griffons 92-86. The Griffons last victory against the Bronchos was on November 21, 2009 in St. Joseph. The Griffond beat the 17th ranked Bronchos 83-79.

Coaches vs. Each Program - MSSU:
Coach Tom Smith is 25-20 against the Lions. Smith is 17-5 at home but the Griffons are just 8-13 when traveling to the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Missouri Southern head coach Robert Corn is just 20-24 overall against the Griffons since becoming the Lions head coach in the 1989 season (just one season after Smith joined the Griffons).

The Series vs. the Lions:
This is the 84th meeting between the two teams with Missouri Western holding slight lead in the series, 44-39. The Griffons and Lions have battled close as of late. MWSU's win on Dec. 7, 2011 was just the third by the Griffons in the last 11 contests. The two teams split last season meetings with MWSU winning on December 7, 2011 in St. Joseph by a score of 75-67 when the MSSU was ranked #1 in the nation. MWSU is 33-11 at home and 11-28 in Joplin.

Griffon Wins Against Top-25 Ranked Teams:
Since 2001-2002 the Griffons have defeated 13 teams that were ranked in the top-25 which includes their biggest upset yet on Dec. 7 in the fieldhouse when they defeated No. 1 Missouri Southern 75-67.
12/7/11 vs. #1 Missouri Southern - W, 75-67
12/11/10 vs. #6 Fort Hays State - W, 78-77
02/01/10 vs. #3 Fort Hays State - W, 75-69
02/24/09 vs. #2 Central Missouri - W, 55-49
12/18/09 vs. #12 Drury - W, 91-84 in High Desert Classic in Las Vegas
11/21/09 vs. #17 Central Oklahoma - W, 83-79 in Hillyard Tipoff Classic
2/19/05 @ #6 Central Missouri - W, 70-68
12/29/04 vs. #6 Washburn - W, 73-70
1/29/03 @ #18 Washburn - W, 68-67
1/23/02 vs. #13 Missouri Southern - W, 80-73
1/2/02 @ #4 Washburn - W, 95-92
1/30/02 vs. #11 Washburn - W, 73-71
2/4/02 @ #3 Northwest Missouri State - W, 64-59

Up Next
The Griffons wrap-up the road swing on Wednesday, January 9th in Kearney, Neb. against the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Game time is set for 7:30 pm.