The Missouri Western men's basketball team plays host to Newman on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. as the Griffons wrap up their five-game homestand.  MWSU stopped its seven-game losing streak on Saturday with an 82-81 win over Pittsburg State to improve to 9-8 this season.

This is the sixth game in 11 days for MWSU as they had to make up games with Central Oklahoma and Northwest last week, and this game is a rescheduled game from January as well.  The Griffons will be without head coach Will Martin and assistant coach Tim Peete for the fourth straight game Tuesday, as Coach Martin announced last week that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Missouri Western nearly let an eight-point lead with 1:30 left slip away Saturday, but Caleb Bennett made a shot at the buzzer against Pitt State to stop the skid.  Tyrell Carroll led the Griffs with 25 points, Reese Glover scored 19 and Will Eames added 12 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.  MWSU is currently 7th in the MIAA standings with two weeks left in the regular season.  The top-eight teams will make the MIAA Tournament this season.

Newman comes into the game 2-15 as they lost their 11th straight game on Saturday at Central Oklahoma, 94-61.  The Jets have struggled to score the ball this season as they're last in the MIAA in scoring (66.3), field goal percentage (40.9%) and turnovers (16.1/game).  Joel Boyce lead NU with 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.  Branden Bunn is also in double figures at 12.4 per outing.  R.J. Allen (45-57 overall, 5-31 MIAA) is in his fourth season as the head coach at Newman.

This is just the second all-time meeting between the two teams as this is the second year for Newman in the MIAA.  Missouri Western won the game in Wichita last season, 81-57.

BUSY MONTH
Missouri Western is in the middle of a stretch of six games in 11 days after having to reschedule four games from last month due to health and safety protocols.  The Griffons played two of the makeup games last week against Central Oklahoma and Northwest.  This game with Newman was pushed back a day after it was originally scheduled for January 21.  The Fort Hays State game from January 16 will now be in Hays, Kansas on Tuesday, February 23.  MWSU is now playing 10 of their 22 games this season in the month of February.

CONSECUTIVE GAMES MAKING A 3
Missouri Western made nine three-pointers at home Saturday against Pitt State to extend a school record with their 479th consecutive game 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. 

STARTING TO CONNECT FROM DEEP
The Griffons were last in the MIAA in 3FG percentage 10 days ago, but they've climbed up to No. 11 in the league as they've shot 39.7% (50-126) from behind the arc in their last five games.  In the five games prior to this stretch, MWSU shot only 23.9% (26-109) from the three-point line. 

LOCKING DOWN THE ARC
Opponents have struggled to shoot the ball from behind the three-point line against Missouri Western this season as the Griffons are no. 1 in the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage defense (31.7%) and they're sixth in the league in overall field goal percentage defense (45.4%).

TAKE-A-WAYS
The Griffons lead the MIAA in turnovers forced (15.5), turnover margin (3.1) and steals per game (8.7).  MWSU has forced 13+ turnovers in 12 games this season and they've forced 18+ turnovers in seven games.  Western also have 65 more steals than their opponents and have 10+ steals in eight games.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
MWSU is averaging just 10.0 turnovers per game over its last three.  They've had nine turnovers in two of those games after having less than 10 in just three games prior to that.

ON THE GLASS
Missouri Western is third in the MIAA in rebounds per game (35.8) and they're second in offensive rebounds per contest (10.0).  The Griffons are also second in the MIAA in blocked shots per game (3.3).

RECORD SETTING HALF
Missouri Western scored 71 second half points in their loss to Southern on Thursday to set a new school record for points in a half.  The previous mark was 70 set by the 2001-2002 team against Lincoln on 11/24/01.

BACK IN THE TOP 25 THIS SEASON
The Griffons were ranked in the NABC Top 25 earlier this season for the first time since the 2001-2002 campaign.  MWSU stayed in the rankings for six consecutive polls, while was the fourth longest streak in school history.

HOME WINNING STREAK SNAPPED
Missouri Western stopped its three-game losing streak at home with their 82-81 win over Pitt State.  It was the first time since the 2018-19 that they had lost three straight inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.  Before this skid, MWSU had won six straight and 17 of their previous 18 games at home.