Missouri Western (12-5, 5-4 MIAA) @ #16 University of Central Missouri (14-2, 6-2 MIAA)
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Warrensburg, Mo. - UCM Multipurpose Building - 5:30 pm
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Missouri Western (12-5, 5-4 MIAA) @ Lincoln University (8-9, 3-6 MIAA)
Saturday, January 23, 2013
Jefferson City, Mo. - Jason Gym - 1:30 pm
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The Missouri Western women's basketball team, will continue their three game MIAA road swing this week. The Griffons will travel to Warrensburg, Mo. on Wednesday, January 23 to take on the Jennies of Central Missouri. Game time is set for 5:30 pm from the Multipurpose Building. On Saturday, January 26 the Griffons will be in Jefferson City, Mo. to take on the Lincoln Blue Tigers. Game time is set for 1:30 pm from Jason Gym.

The Griffons will be taking on two former Griffons. Jennies head coach Dave Slifer coached at MWSU for nine years from 1995-2004 before moving on to UCM. Lincoln head coach Nicole Collier spent two seasons playing at Missouri Western before graduating in 2003.She was an All-Region and All-Conference player with the Griffons, ultimately leading Missouri Western a No. 1 national ranking during each season. During the 2001-02 season, she led MWSU to an MIAA title and for 2002-03 she served as a team captain.

Griffon Notes
• This marks the 37th season of Griffons women's basketball.
• The Griffons are under first year head coach Rob Edmisson who became the eighth head coach in Griffons history on March 29, 2012, he has led them to its best start since the 2004-2005 season when they started 12-4 through 16 games.
• The Griffons have had seven different starting line ups this season...the Griffons are 4-1 when starting, Griswold, Dever, Howard, Bell and Lawrence and 2-0 when starting Howard, J. Lewis, Dever, Bell and Lawrence. They are 3-1 starting  Abrams, Howard, Bell, Lawrence and J. Lewis. They used a new strating line-up last week. MWSU went with Clouser, Dever, Howard, Bell and Lawrence. That line-up is 1-1 defeating Lindenwood 65-59 and falling 62-55 against ESU.
• The Griffons have had numerous close games this season, but have been able to come out on the winning end. The Griffons are 8-3 when the game is decided by less than 10 points and are 10-4 when they game is decided by 15 points are less. Three of the last four Griffon victories have been by six points or less with two being by two. (UCO 78-76 & NWMSU 68-66).
• The Griffons are 6-1 at home this season and 3-1 at home in MIAA play defeating Truman State, Northwest Missouri State & Lindenwood. They fell before Christmas break against Fort Hays State University.
• The Griffons have played pretty well away from the MWSU Fieldhouse going 6-2 in road games. The Griffons are 2-2 in MIAA play defeating Central Oklahoma and Nebraska-Kearney. They fell to Missouri Southern 78-76 on January 5, 2013 and Emporia State last week. They continue a three game road swing with games this week at Central Missouri and Lincoln..
• The Griffons beat a Division I team for just the second time in history when they beat UMKC . The Griffons only victory against a Division I opponent was on November 21, 1997 when they defeated IUPU-Indianpolis, 70-49.
• The Griffons victory against #7 Metro State was their first over a top-25 team since January 26, 2011 when MWSU defeated 14th ranked Emporia State 78-71 in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons are 1-1 against ranked teams this season.
• The Griffons have struggled in Warrensburg, Mo. losing the last six. They have also struggled against the Jennies falling in 10 straight.
• The Griffons have lost two straight for the first time all season. The Griffons were undefeated in Jefferson City against the Blue Tigers until last season when they fell 68-56. The won earlier this season in Jefferson City by a score of 65-57.
• 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 - UCM:
Rob Edmisson is 0-0 against the Jennies while Dave Slifer is 11-5 against the Griffons since he moved on to Central Missouri.  Slifer is 4-4 in the fieldhouse and 7-1 in the Multi.

Series vs. the Jennies:
This will mark the 56th meeting between the two schools with the Jennies leading the series 29-23 because Missouri Western was forced to vacate three victories. Missouri Western leads the series at home 15-10 in St. Joseph and trails 19-6 in Warrensburg. Missouri Western was forced to vacate two victories in St. Joseph and one in Warrensburg. The Jennies have won nine straight against the Griffons which includes five straight in the Multi.

Coaches vs. Each Program - LU:
This marks the second meeting for head coach Rob Edmisson and the Lincoln Blue Tigers. This also marks the second meeting for former Griffon women's basketball player Nicole Collier. This is her first head coaching job as she was an assistant at UCM and LU before getting the head job at LU.  She was an assistant under Katie Vaughn who was 2-3 against the Griffons. MWSU won the earlier meeting this season.

Series vs. the Blue Tigers:
The Griffons and the Blue Tigers first met in 1980 in the NAIA women's basketball national tournament. The Blue Tigers got the best of the Griffons 65-62. The Griffons have controlled the series the rest of the way winning 24 straight before the loss last year in Jefferson City. MWSU won the first home game in 1987, 55-46 and the first road game 59-55 on January 17, 1990. The Griffons are 13-0 in St. Joseph and 11-1 in Jefferson City. MWSU is 2-1 on a neutral floor and had to vacate one neutral site victory in 2006 due to NCAA violations.

Up Next
The Griffons return home on Wednesday, January  30 and Saturday, February 2 with games against Pittsburg State and Northeastern State. Game time on Wednesday is 5:30 pm and on Saturday it is 1:30 pm from the MWSU Fieldhouse.