Game 9 | Missouri Western vs Rogers State
Thursday, December 2
7:30 p.m. | St. Joseph, Mo.

Griffon Sports Network
680 AM | 95.3 FM | 680kfeq.com/live-stream Broadcast Team
Tommy Rezac (@TommyKFEQ)
Tom Smith

Broadcast - themiaanetwork.com/mwsugriffons
Live Stats - gogriffons.com/livestats-mbb

The Coaches
Will Martin
2nd Season | 18-15 (.545)

Justin Barkley
12th Season | 223-106 (.678)

Saturday is the 74th meeting of the teams, with Missouri Western holding a 31-24 record in the previous meetings. The Mules upset the #23-ranked Griffons the last time these two teams faced off, although MWSU was coming off a two-week pause due to COVID-19 results. Prior to that, Missouri Western had won three straight including a 100-81 home win to start the 2020-21 season.

Central Missouri has struggled a bit over the past several seasons under Doug Karleskint, falling off from a 20-9 record in 2017-18 to a 7-15 record last year. Offensively, the Mules are paced by Gaven Pinkney and Ja’Cor Nelson, each averaging 11.6 points per contest. Nelson adds 6.4 rebounds per game for UCM, although the team trails its opponents slightly on the boards, 35.4-33.4 per game.

As a team, Central Missouri shoots at a solid 44.1 percent (128-290) pace from the floor and holds opponents to a 37.8 percent (99-262) pace, but trails off from distance (28.2 percent; 31-110). Its 69.0-56.2 scoring edge is buoyed slightly by big wins in the last two games (84-47 vs. Baker[NAIA], 72-59 vs. Lincoln), and the Mules also hold a big edge in turnovers, forcing 16.8 and allowing just 9.8 per game.

Caleb Bennett (19 pts) was one of four Missouri Western players in double figures on Thursday night as the Griffons moved to 3-0 in MIAA action with a 78-76 win at Lincoln. MWSU overcame a 35.1 percent (13-37) shooting performance in the second half to beat the Blue Tigers.

It was a slow start for Missouri Western, as Reese Glover knocked down a three-pointer with 17:22 on the clock after five Griffon misses, putting MWSU in front 3-2. Three quick see-saws later and Missouri Western hit its stride, with a Q Mays jumper sparking a 15-0 run to put the Griffons in front 20-6.

The Griffons held off a couple of Lincoln pushes as the first half wound to a close, taking a 46-38 lead into the locker room. As the final buzzer sounded, there was a brief exchange that resulted in offsetting technical fouls to Mays and Josh Wallace.

Bennett stretched the Missouri Western lead back to double-figures on the first possession of the half with a 15-footer, but Lincoln was able to whittle the deficit over the next 10 minutes, tying the game at 59-59 on a Derrick Woods three-pointer.

Glover answered right back for MWSU with a triple off a helper from Mays, and the Griffons edged out to a 71-61 lead with 6:57 to play, as Mays found Alex John on the break for a big dunk.

Chris Baldwin knocked down a triple with 44 seconds on the clock to make the game interesting, and Tre’vion Crawford grabbed a rebound off a miss by Missouri Western then drew contact on the break. He was only able to make one of two free throws, with the Griffons holding tight to a 78-76 lead with 20 seconds on the board.

With a couple of fouls to give, Lincoln tried to keep as much time on the clock as possible, managing to send Bennett to the line with 11 to go. Bennett wasn’t able to connect on the front end of the one-and-one, but a strong defensive effort from Missouri Western preserved the win, as Ni’Sean Rigmaiden was forced into a bad look.

The No. 23 Missouri Western men’s basketball team suffered its second consecutive loss for the first time in over a year as they fell at Central Missouri Thursday, 70-64.  The Griffons drop to 8-3 this season as UCM improved to 6-8 with their fourth straight win.

MWSU played its first game in two weeks after having to pause all team activities due to positive COVID-19 results among their Tier 1 personnel after the Griffons’ loss to Nebraska-Kearney on January 14.  After going back-and-forth with UCM in the first ten minutes, Central Missouri went on an 18-2 run to build a 15-point lead, 32-17.  Western ended the half strong to get back in the game as they scored eight straight and eventually trailed 34-25 at halftime.

Missouri Western pulled to within five points two different times in the first nine minutes of the second before Central Missouri extended its lead to 13 points, 61-48, with 11 minutes to play.

The Griffons then outscored UCM 16-3 over the next 10 minutes to tie the game 64-64 with 1:11 left in regulation, but MWSU failed to score again.  The Mules scored on their final three possessions and Western came up empty on theirs.

For the second straight year, Missouri Western has the opportunity to start the conference slate 4-0. The Griffons started the 2020-21 season 4-0, with wins at Rogers State (68-55 OT), against Lincoln (89-73), against Central Missouri (100-81) and at Northeastern State (103-82) before dropping their fifth conference game to Pittsburg State (87-84) on the road.

Before 2020-21, the last time Missouri Western opened league play with three wins was the 1998-99 season. The Griffons downed Central Missouri 84-71 at home then picked up road wins at Truman (71-67) and Missouri-Rolla (76-59) before falling 75-53 at Washburn.

With makes in all 11 contests to open the season, Missouri Western continues to extend its school record with 498 consecutive games with a made three-pointer. The last time MWSU didn’t make a three-point field goal in a game was February 4, 2004 at Emporia State when the Griffons went 0-of-7 in a 70-53 loss to the Hornets.

Over the stretch, Missouri Western has shot a respectable 37.1 percent (3765-10987) from distance. The best full-season pace during the run came during the 2010-11 season as the Griffs nailed almost two of every five from downtown, hitting at a 37.4 percent (246-657) clip.

With the addition of 7-footer J.C. Anthony to regular rotations in the lineup, Missouri Western has shot up the league block rankings and now ranks first with 3.73 per game. Emporia State is second, turning away 3.67 shots per contest.

Individually, Alex John ranks third in the league with 1.18 blocks per game and has a rejection in all but two (Embry-Riddle, Henderson State) of Missouri Western’s games. Anthony’s pace of 1.4/gm will put him first in the league as soon as he hits the 75-percent minimum games played threshold. 

Missouri Western finished No. 2 in the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage defense at 33.8% last year. Through 11 games this season, the Griffons have tightened up, allowing just 30.9% shooting from downtown, good for third in the league.

With the upset of RV/#17 Oklahoma Baptist to open the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic, Will Martin collected his fourth victory over a ranked team in his young tenure. The Griffons are 4-2 against teams ranked in the top 25 under Will Martin, and 2-0 in regular season games against top-10 foes.

Jan. 9, 2021 - W 74-67 vs. #5 Washburn
Feb. 6, 2021 - L 70-64 at #3 Northwest Mo. St.
Feb. 9, 2021 - L 79-56 vs. #3 Northwest Mo. St.
Feb. 19, 2021 - W 81-77 at #15 Washburn
Nov. 7, 2021 - W 93-82 vs. #8/#12 St. Thomas Aquinas
Nov. 19, 2021 - W 74-71 vs. RV/#17 Oklahoma Baptist

Missouri Western returned to the win column in overtime against William Jewell, after dropping both of their previous forays into the extra five minute period (83-77 vs. RV Embry-Riddle; 81-77 vs. Henderson State) this year.

It marks the third overtime win under head coach Will Martin, as the Griffons won both of their bonus basketball outings (68-55 at Rogers State, 84-76 vs. Lincoln) on the 2020-21 slate.

Making his debut as the “Voice of the Griffs” this season is Tommy Rezac. Joining Rezac for a majority of our home broadcasts is Griffon Hall of Famer Tom Smith. Danielle Sachse will be providing color commentary when Missouri Western is on the road this year.

For the 20th year, KFEQ 680 AM/95.3 FM is the home of the Griffon Sports Network, and Rezac also hosts the weekly Missouri Western Coaches Luncheon at the Hi-Ho Bar and Grill, carried on JoeTown 107.5.