THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON MEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. vs. #1 Northwest
Saturday, Feb. 29, 3:30 p.m. vs. Washburn
 
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Men's Basketball finishes regular season play with two crucial matchups this week. The Griffons (16-12, 12-5 MIAA), after clinching their first winning season in a decade, will host the defending national champions #1 Northwest (26-1, 16-1)  on Tuesday and close out the week with Washburn (16-10, 11-6) for Senior Day on Saturday.
 
The Griffons are coming off a wild weekend with a huge upset win over #17 Missouri Southern in MWSU Fieldhouse. Saturday's win also snapped a five-game losing streak to the Lions. After going 1-0 11 times this year, the Griffs are looking to finish the regular season on a statement-making week heading into the MIAA tournament with going 1-0 13 times and have their best home record in 15-plus seasons.
 
PREVIEWING THE GRIFFONS
 

• Missouri Western has moved up to third in the MIAA in offensive scoring averaging 79 points per game.
• The Griffons also lead the league in blocked shots averaging 4.21 rejections per game. Their block total (115) ranks them 14^th-best in all of Division II.
• MWSU ranks in the top three of the conference in both offensive and defensive rebounding. They rank second in offensive boards averaging 10.5 per game on that end of the glass, while ranking third in the league in defensive rebounding averaging 27.2.
• The Griffs also average 9.6 made three-point field goals per game. This average ranks them third in the league behind Missouri Southern and Northwest.
• Tyrell Carroll ranks fourth in the MIAA in scoring averaging 17.6 points per game while averaging 47% from the field.
• TC also ranks second in the conference in steals averaging 2.1 takeaways per game.
• Carroll also ranks second in the league in assists averaging 5.8 dimes per game.
• Will Eames averages 7.3 rebounds per game, ranking him sixth in the conference in that stat category.
• Tyus Millhollin and Reese Glover are lights out from beyond the arc. Millhollin ranks second in the league in three-point field goals made per game averaging 3.2 while Reese ranks fourth in that category with 2.6. Glover averages 42% from downtown, while Millhollin averages 39%. Millhollin's total attempts from three (218) ranks him 15^th-best in all of Division II.
• Tyree Martin and Alex John are shutting down the lane this season averaging 1.1 blocks per game each. Both Griffons rank in the top-10 of the conference in that category.

 
SCOUTING NORTHWEST
 

• The Bearcats lead the MIAA in field goal percentage averaging 53% per contest. NWMSU also averages 46% from three-point range which is another league leading average.
• Northwest also ranks second in the conference in scoring averaging 84 points per game.
• NWMSU leads the league in average three-point field goals made per game averaging 11.3 made shots from beyond the arc.
• Ryan Hawkins and Trevor Hudgins rank second and third in the conference in scoring averaging 22.7 and 19.8 points per game, respectively. Hawkins averages 57% from the field, while Hudgins is averaging 52%.
• Hudgins also leads the league in assists this season averaging 5.9 per contest.
• Hawkins, Hudgins and Diego Bernard rank in the top-five of the league in steals. Hawkins averages 2.2, while Hudgins and Bernard average 1.6 per game.

 
SCOUTING WASHBURN
 

• The Ichabods rank second in the MIAA in assists averaging 15.27 per game.
• WU also averages 3.23 blocked shots per game ranking them in the top-five of the conference in that stat category.
• Washburn also ranks fourth in the league in three-point field goals made per game with 9.3.
• Tyler Geiman is their leading scorer averaging 15.2 points per game for the Ichabods.
• Geiman also averages 5.7 assists per contest ranking him third in that stat category.
• Jonny Clausing ranks seventh in the conference in rebounding averaging 7.2 boards per game.