THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON MEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Nov. 17, 3:00 p.m. at
Missouri S&T (1-0)
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western (3-1) will hit the road for the first of five-straight road games as they travel to Rolla to take on Missouri S&T on Saturday. It will be the first game that the Griffons will have played outside of Civic Arena, and the team will not play another home game until December 6.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- The lower the score the better so far for Missouri Western. Even with an offense that is scoring 74 points per game through four games, the Griffons are limiting their opponents to an MIAA-best 36 percent shooting from the field.
- The bench unit has proved to be a strength for the Griffons thus far. Jonathan Mesmacque, Tyrell Carroll, and Sam Siganos all average over 20 minutes per game off the bench.
- Rebounds tend to tell the story in the first four games. The Griffons won all three games in which they out-rebounded their opponent and lost the only game in which they lost the rebounding battle.
- The Griffons enter Saturday's game shooting the ball well from deep. They are shooting 39 percent from three-point range in their last two games after shooting just 28 percent in the first two games.
- Missouri Western has placed a high priority on attacking the glass. Lavon Hightower, Alex Martin, and Jonathan Mesmacque have all recorded double-digit rebounds in a game this season. The Griffons had just one player reach double-digit boards in all of last season.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
- Lavon Hightower leads the team in points (20.8), rebounds (8.3), and minutes (35.5) per game. Hightower has scored 13 or more points in his last 15 games dating back to last season.
- Bryan Hudson is the team's most-efficient scorer, averaging 9 points per game on 60 percent shooting.
- The Griffons have outscored their opponents in the second half in all four games this season.
- The Griffons are allowing just 69 points per game.
MISSOURI S&T
- The Miners won their season opener against Div. III institution Blackburn College 111-65.
- In 2018-18, the Miners went 3-23 with one conference win.
- The Miners return three starters from last year's team.
- Romain Louiserre is the team's top returning scorer from last season when he averaged 13.5 points per game.
