THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON MEN'S BASKETBALL
27^th Annual Hillyard Tip-Off Classic
Civic Arena
Friday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs. Winona State
Saturday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. vs. Upper Iowa

 
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western (1-1) will be back at Civic Arena in downtown St. Joseph this weekend for another early season invitational. This time, the Griffons will take on two teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) in Winona State and Upper Iowa. The event will also feature fellow MIAA institution and fifth-ranked Northwest Missouri (2-0) for the second-straight weekend.
 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• Lavon Hightower will be coming off a weekend performance in which he averaged 26 points per game on nearly 50 percent shooting. Hightower was the focal point of the offense in both games and has took twice as many shots as any other player on the team.
• Both games will be rematches of last year's games at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic. The Griffons fell to Winona State in overtime before defeating Upper Iowa in the weekend's final game.
• The Griffons have made it a point of emphasis to be aggressive early and get to the free throw line. The Griffons shot nearly 20 more free throws than their opponents this weekend and were shooting at them at 76 percent.
• Sam Siganos will continue to be the team's sixth man unless there was to be a lineup change. Siganos played the second-most minutes on the team despite coming off of the bench in both games.
• Coach Wicks has said that he wants his teams to "muck it up" and they have done just that. The Griffons held their opponents to 36 percent shooting and are forcing 13 turnovers per game.

 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS

• The Griffons shot 43 percent from the field in their first two games.
• Lavon Hightower leads the team with 26 points per game.
• Bryan Hudson is averaging 14.5 points per game on a stellar 82 percent field goal percentage.
• Missouri Western is dead-even in the rebounding battle with its opponents at 64 total rebounds.
• Unlike many teams, the Griffons have not centered their offense around the three point shot. Griffon opponents have shot eight more threes per game than Missouri Western

WINONA STATE

• The Warriors will be coming off a 19-10 season in 2017-18.
• Winona State enters the season returning four of the team's five starters from last season.
• Tommy Gathje returns for his senior season after averaging a team-high 13.4 points per game.
• The Warriors shot the third-most three-pointers in the NSIC last season and shot .404 as a team from deep.
• Allowing just 73 points per game, the Warriors were one of the best defensive teams in the NSIC last season.

 
UPPER IOWA

• The Peacocks have finished above .500 in five of the last six seasons.
• Joe Smoldt returns after being named NSIC Freshman of the Year last season. Smoldt averaged over 13 points per game in his first year at Upper Iowa.
• Munachiso Okonkwo should play the majority of the minutes at forward for the Peacocks. Okonkwo averaged nine points and seven rebounds last season.
• The team fared well in neutral site games a year ago, going 5-1 in those contests.

 
NORTHWEST MISSOURI

• Redshirt freshman guard Trevor Hudgins has already proven to be a go-to guy for the Bearcats. Hudgins was named Small College Basketball MVP after averaging 25.5 points and 5.5 assists per game last weekend.
• The Bearcats have shot over 22 three-point shots per game so far this season.
• Northwest Missouri lost four of its five starters from last year's MIAA Championship team.
• The Bearcats' two wins at the SCB Classic last weekend came against the teams playing in the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship.