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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Three home games are on the schedule this week; on Wednesday night NAIA Tournament Participant Midland will be in the fieldhouse at 7 PM and then in the 22nd Annual Hillyard Tip-Off Classic this weekend the Griffs host William Jewell Friday at 8 PM and Midwestern State at 8:30 PM on Saturday.
Griffon Notes
• This marks the 44th season of Griffons men's basketball
• This marks the first season in 25 years that the MWSU basketball team will be playing under a new head coach.
Brett Weiberg enters his first season at MWSU and 8th season overall. He is 130-88 as a head coach with the previous seven seasons being at Northeastern Oklahoma College. He is just the 4th head coach in MWSU history and had a 27-4 record last season at Northeastern.
• Record in Season Openers: Since basketball started in 1969-1970 the Missouri Western men's basketball team has been outstanding in season openers going 35-10. The Griffons have won 19 of the last 20 season openers which included a 65-64 victory over Augustana on November 9, 2013 and last season they won 75-44 against Sterling College on November 13, 2012. Coach Weiberg is 1-0 in season openers.
• The Griffons are 25-3 in season openers which are played at home and 5-7 when they play games that are on the road. Missouri Western is 4-0 in season openers which are at a neutral site.
• MWSU went 9-4 in season openers under its first head coach Gary Filbert and 8-1 at home.
• Under Skip Shear the Griffons went 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 21-4 record in season openers. Coach Smith was 14-2 in home season openers, 3-2 on the road and 4-0 at a neutral site.
Series vs. Each Team:
vs. Midland University: This marks the first meeting between the Griffons and the Warriors.
vs. William Jewell: The Griffons are 13-9 overall against the Cardinals of William Jewell. They are 9-6 at home and 3-3 on the road. MWSU leads the series 1-0 on a neutral floor. The last time that the Griffons played William Jewell they lost 76-60 in the Hillyard Classic on November 16, 2012. MWSU has won the seven of the last eight meetings with the Cardinals. The marks the first time that Weiberg and coach Larry Holley will meet. The Griffons and the Cardinals are 1-1 in the Hillyard since 2011.
vs. Midwestern State: The Griffons lead the overall series with Midwestern State 1-0 defeating the Mustangs 102-87 on November 26, 1999 in the Hillyard Tipoff Classic. This marks the first meeting between the two coaches.
Griffons in the Hillyard Classic
The Griffons will be hosting the Hillyard Classic for the 22nd season. MWSU has a 36-6 record in the classic and are 26-4 while playing in the MWSU Fieldhouse. During the first seven years of the Hillyard Classic's existence, MWSU Fieldhouse served as the site where the Griffons posted a 14-0 record. The Griffons moved the Hillyard Classic to the Civic Arena from 2000-2005 and posted a 10-2 record there. Missouri Western went 1-1 in the tournament last year, beating Rockhurst and falling to William Jewell.
Griffon Wins Against Top-25 Ranked Teams:
Since 2001-2002 the Griffons have defeated 14 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.
02/06/13 @ #17 Washburn - 79-74
01/12/13 vs. #24 Northwest Missouri State - 71-58
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
Season Openers since 2000-2001 (13-1 - 13-0 in home openers during that span)
Date Opponent Location W/L Score
11/17/00 vs. Abilene Christian, NA, W, 92-65
11/17/01 William Jewell St. Joseph, Mo. W, 125-99
11/23/02 William Jewell St. Joseph, Mo. W, 101-61
11/17/03 Central Bible St. Joseph, Mo. W, 111-75
11/15/04 Northeastern State Talequah, Okla. W, 56-55
11/15/05 Manhatten Christian St. Joseph, Mo. W, 107-59
11/17/06 Missouri-Rolla St. Joseph, Mo. W, 98-49
11/16/07 Upper Iowa St. Joseph, Mo. W, 76-69
11/21/08 Arkansas Tech St. Joseph, Mo. W, 99-70
11/17/09 Quincy St. Joseph, Mo. L, 73-65
11/19/10 Avila University St. Joseph, Mo. W, 95-85
11/12/11 Fontbonne St. Joseph, Mo. W, 69-55
11/13/12 Sterling College St. Joseph, Mo. W, 75-44
11/9/13 vs. Augustana College Sioux Falls, S.D. W, 65-64
Hillyard Tipoff Classic Games since 1999-00 (22-6, 10-2 in Civic, 12-4 in MWSU Fieldhouse)
Date Opponent W/L Score
11/26/99 Midwestern State* W, 102-87
11/27/99 Central Oklahoma* W, 114-81
11/24/00 Lee's-McRae* W, 112-70
11/25/00 Michigan Tech* L, 71-60
11/23/01 St. Mary's* W, 124-85
11/24/01 Lincoln* L, 126-112
11/29/02 Hillsdale* W, 85-75
11/30/02 Central Oklahoma* W, 77-59
11/28/03 Lincoln* W, 87-78
11/29/03 Northeastern State* W, 63-48
11/19/04 Central Bible* W, 98-40
11/20/04 Lincoln* W, 78-65
11/18/05 Baker W, 97-59
11/19/05 Rockhurst W, 74-69
11/17/06 Missouri-Rolla W, 98-49
11/18/06 Armstrong Atlantic State L, 65-61
11/16/07 Upper Iowa W, 76-69
11/17/07 Lincoln University W, 78-77
11/21/08 Arkansas Tech W, 99-70
11/22/08 Rockhurst University L, 73-72
11/20/09 Lincoln University W, 89-58
11/21/09 #17 Central Oklahoma W, 83-79
11/19/10 Avila University W, 95-85
11/20/10 Michigan Tech L, 68-61
11/18/11 William Jewell W, 65-64
11/19/11 Rockhurst University W, 68-58
11/16/12 William Jewell L, 76-60
11/17/13 Rockhurst W, 60-45
* = Games played in civic arena
Up Next
The Griffons return to road action on Saturday, November 23 with a contest against Illinois-Springfield in Springfield, Ill. Game time is set for 5:00 pm.
