THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON MEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m. at Central Missouri
Saturday, Dec. 7, 3:30 p.m. at Lincoln University
 
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Men's Basketball opens conference play on the road this week. The Griffons (3-5, 0-0 MIAA) will head to Warrensburg to take on Central Missouri (3-4, 0-0) on Thursday and Jefferson City on Saturday to play Lincoln (2-4, 0-0 MIAA).
 
The Griffons are hoping to bounce back this week after a tough Thanksgiving break in Colorado. Missouri Western fought hard through both matchups at the Thanksgiving Classic but suffered two single-digit losses to Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado.
 
PREVIEWING THE GRIFFONS
 

• Missouri Western leads the MIAA in blocked shots per game averaging 4.88 blocks per contest.
• The Griffons also rank in the top-five of the conference in free throw percentage averaging 75% through eight games.
• Tyrell Carroll ranks in the top-five of the conference in scoring, averaging 19.6 points so far this season.
• Carroll also ranks in the top-five of the league in field goal percentage averaging 54% from the field.
• Carroll also leads the MIAA in steals per game with a rate of 2.8 per game.
• Tyus Millhollin is in the top-five of the conference in average three-point percentage with a rate of 32% from beyond the arc.
• Alex John ranks fourth in the league in average blocked shots per game with 1.6 rejections per contest.

 
SCOUTING CENTRAL MISSOURI
 

• The Mules rank in the top-10 of the MIAA in three-pointers made per game averaging eight per contest.
• Central Missouri also ranks seventh in the conference in blocked shots per game averaging 3.14 through seven games.
• Gaven Pinkley ranks fourth in the league in field goal percentage averaging 54% per game.
• Daniel Farris also ranks in the top-five of the MIAA in assists per game, averaging five.
• Dyllan Robinson ranks in the top-10 of the conference in blocked shots per game averaging one per contest.

 
SCOUTING LINCOLN
 

• The Blue Tigers rank sixth in the MIAA in rebounds averaging 39 per contest.
• Lincoln also ranks sixth in the league in blocked shots averaging 3.33 rejections per match-up.
• Jonell Burton ranks third in the conference in scoring averaging 19.7 points per game.
• LT Taylor ranks second in the league in rebounding averaging 10.5 per game.
• Cam Potts ranks second in the MIAA in steals per game averaging 2.2 per contest for the Blue Tigers.