THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON MEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern (16-4, 7-3 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 2, 4:00 p.m. vs. Pittsburg State (14-5, 7-3 MIAA)
 
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Men's Basketball (9-11, 3-6 MIAA) returns home for two more conference games this week. The Griffons will be coming off an 83-79 road victory against Nebraska Kearney in their last game.
 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• The Griffons will hope for Lavon Hightower to continue his offensive production this week. Hightower scored 56 points on just 25 shot attempts in the team's last two games.
• The Missouri Western frontcourt will be tasked with slowing down Missouri Southern's big man Cam Martin on Thursday. The sophomore is third in the MIAA with 21.8 points per game and is the conference's most efficient scorer at an impressive 65 percent.
• The defensive assignments will not get any easier for the Griffons on Saturday. Pitt State's Grant Lozoya and Donovan Franklin are the top-two leading scorers in the MIAA, averaging a combined 46 points per game.
• The Griffons have just four home games remaining on their schedule and are trying for their first home win since an 89-81 victory over Rockhurst on Dec. 19.
• JJ Jones' production has risen as he has seen his role increase. Jones scored a career-high 14 points in the Griffons' road win on Saturday and is averaging 21 minutes per game over his last three games.

MISSOURI WESTERN NOTES

• One of the strengths of the Griffon defense is its ability to defend the three-point line, allowing opponents to shoot just 32 percent from deep.
• Bryan Hudson is the team's second-leading scorer at nearly 14 points per game.
• The Griffons are averaging fewer than 10 turnovers per game over the last six games, their best stretch this season.
• The Griffons average 8.7 made three's per game.

 
SCOUTING THE LIONS

• The Lions have the top offense in the MIAA at 87.7 points per game.
• Missouri Southern point guard Reggie Tharp averages five assists per game.
• The Lions are also an excellent free-throw shooting team at 77 percent.
• The team has not played as well on the road as it does at home. The Lions are 4-3 in road games compared to 10-0 at home.

 
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS

• The Gorillas average 82 points per game, third in the MIAA.
• Lozoya also leads the team in rebounds (6.7) and assists (3.2) per game.
• Kim Anderson is coaching in his second season at Pittsburg State. Anderson led fellow-MIAA institution Central Missouri to the 2014 NCAA Div. II National Championship before becoming the head coach at the University of Missouri for three seasons.
• The Gorillas turn the ball over just 10 times per game this season.