ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Griffons will open their 2015-16 season up with a pair of games in the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic. Missouri Western will face off against Wayne State on Friday night at 7:30 and Upper Iowa on Saturday night at 7:30.
 
Previewing Missouri Western

• Missouri Western finished 12-15 overall and 8-11 in conference for the 2014-15 season
• The Griffons suffered a first round loss to Central Oklahoma in the first round of the MIAA
• Missouri Western finished 10^th in the MIAA last year
• The Griffons were picked to finish tied for ninth in the MIAA for the 2015-16 season
• MWSU fell to University of Missouri last weekend 92-53 in their lone exhibition game
• The Griffons return six letter winner from a year ago including three starters
• Missouri Western will have to replace All-MIAA performer Cortrez Colbert who averaged 16.4 points per game
• Forward Kevin Thomas is the lone senior on the roster and will look to up his production from last year where he averaged 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game
• Missouri Western added two junior transfers in Matiaka Koyamainavure and Trey Sampson that will help contribute
• The Griffons have a trio of sophomore that will look to make an impact including Seth Bonifas, Currie Byrd, and Cole Clearman
• MWSU also added two freshman in Calvin Winker and Miles Wentizen that will look to make some noise in their first year of action

 
Previewing Wayne State

• Wayne State finished last season with an overall record of 7-22 and 4-18 in conference action
• The Wildcats were picked to finish 15^th in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll
• Wayne State ended last season in the first round of the NSIC tournament against Minnesota-Moorhead
• The Wildcats lost their top-3 scorers from a year ago and will look to replace their top rebounder as well
• Kendall Jacks was named to NSIC Player to Watch list after averaging 8.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season
• Jacks scored in double-figures 10 times last season as a freshman
• WSU added seven new players to the roster including six freshman

 
Previewing Upper Iowa

• The Peacocks have started off 0-3 on the young season
• UIU faced off against two top-15 teams including #15 Western Washington University and #11 California Baptist in Anaheim, California
• The Peacocks have three players averaging double-figures and four others averaging at least five points per game
• Josh Weeber is averaging 16 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories
•  Carson Parker and Luke Lenhart each average 10.3 points per game
• Offensively, the Peacocks are averaging 73.7 points per game
• In their first three games, the Peacocks are shooting 41 percent  from the field and 36  percent from three
• UIU's roster includes three seniors and six juniors for the 2015-16 season