THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON MEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 24 at Fort Hays State (12-5, 6-2 MIAA)
Saturday, Jan. 26 at Nebraska Kearney (6-11, 1-7 MIAA)
               
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Men's Basketball (8-10, 2-5 MIAA) will travel to Fort Hays State and Nebraska Kearney with hopes of snapping its three-game losing skid.
 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• The Griffons will be trying to do what no other team has been able to do this season, and that is to beat Fort Hays State on their home floor. The Tigers are 10-0 at home this season.
• In order to pick up a win on Thursday, the Griffons will need to slow down Fort Hays State's big man Brady Werth. The Hays native is averaging nearly 16 points and seven boards per game, and is second in the MIAA in blocked shots.
• Despite losing depth at the post position, the Griffons have out-rebounded their opponents in each of the last four games.
• It will be the first two game road swing for the Griffons since the team went 2-0 in its Oklahoma road trip in the first weekend on January.

MISSOURI WESTERN NOTES

• The Griffons shoot the second-most three pointers in the conference at 26 attempts per game.
• Lavon Hightower leads the team with 18 points per game and has scored in double-figures in 17 of the team's 18 games this season.
• The Griffons are holding opponents to a field goal percentage of 45 percent.
• Tyrell Carroll is averaging 19 points per game over the last seven games.

SCOUTING FORT HAYS STATE

• The starting lineup has remained consistent all season long for the Tigers, with four players starting every game this season.
• Point guard Kyler Kinnamon is third in the MIAA with 5.1 assists per game.
• The Tigers are one of the best defenses in the conference, allowing only 72 points per game.
• Fort Hays State has had 11-straight winning season under the Tigers' all-time wins leader, Mark Johnson.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA KEARNEY

• The Lopers snapped a five-game losing streak in their last game, picking up their first conference win of the season in a 59-53 victory over Emporia State.
• Kanon Koster is the team's leading scorer at 16.5 points per game.
• Koster also leads the team with six rebounds and four assists per game.
• The Lopers are one of the top shot-blocking teams in the MIAA at nearly four blocks per game.