Missouri Western (7-6, 3-3 MIAA) vs. Pittsburg State (7-6, 3-2)
Saturday, Jan. 10 - 3:30 p.m. - St. Joseph Mo., MWSU Fieldhouse
 

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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Two straight wins have moved Missouri Western into the thick of things in a wide open MIAA. After another gutsy, comeback win Thursday night, the team sits in the top half of the league standings, just two games out of first place. MWSU can make up more ground Saturday afternoon when Pittsburg State visits the fieldhouse, where the Griffons are 6-1 this season.

THE GRIFFONS
Four huge three pointers, three from Cortrez Colbert and one from Cole Clearman helped the Griffons to a 54-50 win over Emporia State on Thursday. It was the second straight come from behind win for the team after an 81-77 win at Nebraska-Kearney on Monday.
 
Cortrez Colbert scored a game-high 22 points on Thursday for his fourth 20 point game in his team's last five contest. Colbert leads the team, averaging 14.2 points per game but has averaged 21.4 points per game over the last five. Freshman Cole Clearman has heated up of late, now averaging 8.3 points per game. Clearman leads the team with 23 made threes.  Kevin Thomas averages just under nine points per game and leads the team with 5.2 rebounds per game.
 
The stats show just how close the team has been all season long. Scoring 70.1 points per game, the Griffons allow 69.2 to their opponents. MWSU is shooting 43 percent from the field, same as their opponents. The Griffons are 36 percent from three point range and 68 percent at the line. On the glass, the team holds a narrow +0.1 rebounding margin.
 
PITTSBURG STATE GORILLAS
Pitt State comes in Saturday with a 7-6 record and a 3-2 mark in MIAA play. The Gorillas are coming off a 66-54 loss at Central Missouri on Thursday night. Josiah Gustafson leads the team, averaging 16.1 points per game and Devon Branch averages 15.2 per game for Pitt. State. Lamine Dieng leads the Gorillas on the glass, averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.
 
The Gorillas have been outscored by 17 points in the first half this year but have pulled away for a 42-point advantage in the second half. Pitt averages 70.8 points per game and is holding opponents to 68.8 points. They shoot 48 percent from the field, 39 percent from behind the arc and 72 percent at the free throw line.
 
LAST YEAR'S MEETING
MWSU 82, PSU 85 at Pittsburg, Kan. on Jan. 11, 2014
The Griffons men lost another close road battle this time by the score of 85-82 against the Pittsburg State Gorillas. The Griffons are still winless on the road this season, falling to 6-7 overall and 2-5 in MIAA play. Four Griffons scored in double figures with Ryan Devers leading the way with 19.

The Gorillas (6-6, 2-3 MIAA) led by just a point, 80-79, when Jake Bullard was fouled on an in-bound play with 37 seconds to play. He made both charity shots for an 82-79 advantage.

Adarius Fulton missed a 3-point attempt with 21 seconds to play and Bullard was fouled five seconds later. He made both free throws again to stretch the margin to five, at 84-79.
 
COMING UP
The Griffons wrap up the three game home stand when defending national champion, Central Missouri, visits the fieldhouse next Wednesday. That game on the 14th against the Mules will be sponsored by Commerce Bank and include the annual cash grab. Four lucky fans will enter the cash
machine to grab as many bills as they can before time runs out.