Doubletree Houlihans Drury Thanksgiving Classic
O'Reilly Family Event Center – Springfield, Mo.
Friday, Nov. 28 – 1 p.m.
Missouri Western (2-1) vs. East Central (3-2)
Live Stats | Live Audio
Saturday, Nov. 29 – 3 p.m.
Missouri Western vs. #4 Drury (2-1)
Live Stats | Live Audio
 
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Coming off their first loss of the season, Griffon Men's Basketball stays on the road this weekend with a trip to Springfield, Missouri for the Doubletree Houlihans Drury Thanksgiving Classic.
 
Missouri Western will take on East Central (3-2) on Friday before a matchup with the host school, No. 4 Drury. The Griffons enter the classic 2-1 after two wins last week in the 23^rd Annual Hillyard Tip-Off Classic over Rockhurst and William Jewell. Earlier this week, the men lost their first road contest of the year, 70-82 at Upper Iowa.
 
The Griffons are shooting 42 percent from the field and 29 percent from three-point range. At the line, Missouri Western is shooting 58.5 percent. Missouri Western has held opponents to a 42 percent field goal percentage and 27.5 percent from behind the arc. The team averages 66.3 points per contest, while opponents are averaging 67.7 points. On the boards, MWSU holds a slim, 39-35 advantage, while the team averages 31 assists and 33 turnovers per game.
 
Three Griffons are neck and neck in scoring average. Aaron Emmanuel (11.7), Currie Byrd (11.3) and Kevin Thomas (11.3) are the team's leading scorers through the first three games. Emmanuel is shooting 62.5 percent from the field, tops on the team. Byrd leads the squad with seven rebounds per game with Thomas close behind at 6.7 per game. Ryan Devers is 50 percent from three-point range with seven made threes. Devers also leads the team with 3.3 assists per game.
 
East Central enters this weekend's event with a 3-2 record coming off a loss Tuesday night to Rogers State. The Tigers are averaging 78.4 points per game while allowing 78.6. They're shooting just over 51 percent from the field and 33 percent on 3-point attempts.
 
Stirling Thomas is averaging 24 points per game for East Central. Henry Pwono averages 16.2 and Braxton Reeves averages 11.4 points per game. Pwono leads the team with 8.6 rebounds per contest.
 
Drury enters the classic 2-1 after suffering their first loss of the season Tuesday night at Northwest Missouri State, 47-60. The Panthers are averaging just over 70 points per game while allowing 67. Hey have shot 45 percent from the field, 29.5 percent from 3-point range and 67 percent from the free throw line.
 
They're led by Kameron Bundy's 18.7 points per game. Cameron Adams averages 16 a game and Mike Nwelue chips in 10.3 per contest. Adams is shooting 75 percent from the field and also leads the team in rebounds, averaging seven per game.