This Weeks MIAA Action
Missouri Western (5-7, 1-3MIAA) @ University of Nebraska-Kearney (4-8, 1-3 MIAA)
Wednesday, January 8, 2013
Kearney, Neb. - Health and Sports Center - 7:30 pm
Game Notes I Listen Live I Live Stats | Watch Live

Missouri Western (5-7, 1-3 MIAA) vs. Northwest Missouri State University (11-2, 4-0 MIAA)
Saturday, January 12, 2013
St. Joseph, Mo. - MWSU Fieldhouse - 3:30 pm
Game Notes I Listen Live I Live Stats  | Watch Live

The Missouri Western men's basketball team, will continue MIAA play this week with a pair of games. The Griffons will wrap up its three game road swing on Wednesday, January 8 as they travel Kearney, Neb. to take on MIAA newcomer Nebraska-Kearney. The Griffons will return home on Saturday, January 12 hosting rival Northwest Missouri State in the MWSU Fieldhouse. Game time on Wednesday is scheduled for 7:30 pm while tip time for Saturday is 3:30 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 613 career games with 443 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 snapped its four game losing streak last week with a thrilling 78-77 comeback victory against Central Oklahoma.
• 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 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 two of its three 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 seven 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 - UNK:
This marks the third meeting with the Lopers for coach Smith. He is 1-1 all-time taking on the Lopers twice in his first year at Missouri Western. Smith beat Kearney 84-81 at home and fell 103-93 in Kearney in the 1988-89 season. This marks the first meeting with the Griffons for coach Kropp.

Series vs. the UNK:
This marks the 27 meeting all-time for the two teams. The Lopers hold a 16-10 advantage and a 9-2 advantage in Kearney. All of the games were played when the two teams were in the CSIC. The last time the two teams met was in the 1988-89 season when the two teams split. The Griffons are 8-7 in St. Joseph against UNK. The two teams split the last four meetings. All the wins came on the home teams floor.

Coaches vs. Each Program - NWMSU:
Head Coach Tom Smith is 27-29 all-time against the Bearcats at MWSU. Smith is 14-10 at home and 8-15 in Bearcat Arena. He has won three of seven neutral floor meetings. Missouri Western has won just four meetings in the last 22 match-ups. Ben McCollum is 5-1 against the Griffons and 3-0 in Bearcat Arena and 2-1 in St. Joseph.

The Series vs. the Bearcats:
Saturday marks the 75th meeting between the two teams. A five game win streak has given the Bearcats a seven game advantage all-time over the Griffons (41-34).

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 will be at home on Wednesday, January 16 for an MIAA contest with MIAA newcomer Lindenwood University. This will mark the first game between the two schools. Tip time is set for 7:30 pm in St. Joseph, Mo.