Missouri Western will play No. 3 Northwest Missouri State for the second time in four days on Tuesday as the two rivals tip at 7:00 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons lost the first match up on Saturday in Maryville, 70-64. MWSU will try and stop its five-game losing streak as they also lost at home to Central Oklahoma Sunday, 101-96. It's the Griffons longest skid since the 2017-18 season when that team dropped seven straight games.
This is the third game for Missouri Western in a stretch of six games in 10 days because of postponements earlier this season due to health and safety protocols.
Missouri Western (8-6) had one of its best shooting days on Sunday against UCO as they made 17 three-point fields, which is the second most in school history, but the Bronchos shot over 60% from the field and outscored MWSU in the paint 50-10 to get the victory.
Caleb Bennett led four Griffs in double figures with a career-high 28 points and a career-high five assists.
Reese Glover (21),
Tyrell Carroll (19) and
Will Eames (16 P, 11 R) also scored in double figures.
The Griffons hung with the 3rd-ranked Bearcats on Saturday as they led 37-30 at halftime in Maryville, but Northwest used a 23-5 second half run to take the lead. Missouri Western rallied and regained the lead with just under four minutes to go, but the Bearcats outscored MWSU 11-4 the rest of the way to win their 18th straight in the series.
Reese Glover and
Will Eames led Western on Saturday with 13 points each, while Ryan Hawkins had 18 points for Northwest. The Griffons did have 15 steals on Saturday and they forced the Bearcats into a season-high 19 turnovers.
Northwest lead the all-time series 58-35, including a 25-21 mark in St. Joseph. The Bearcats have won seven straight games inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.
BUSY MONTH
Missouri Western is in the middle of a stretch of six games in 10 days after having to reschedule four games from last month due to health and safety protocols. This game with Northwest Missouri State was originally schedule for December 12, postponed to January 19 and eventually was rescheduled for Tuesday. The Fort Hays State game from January 16 will now be in Hays, Kansas on Tuesday, February 23. The Newman home game that was supposed to be played on January 21 will now take place on Monday, February 15. MWSU is now playing 10 of their 22 games this season in the month of February.
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 had its six-game winning streak inside the MWSU Fieldhouse snapped on Sunday with UCO's 101-96 victory. Despite the loss, the Griffons are still 5-1 this season at home and they've won 17 of their last 19 games at the Fieldhouse. The other loss during that stretch came to then No. 1 Northwest Missouri State last season. Western struggled at home in Coach Martin's first year on staff as they went just 2-9 inside the MWSU Fieldhouse during the 2018-2019 season.
CONSECUTIVE GAMES MAKING A 3
Missouri Western has struggled from behind the three-point line this season as they are 13th in the MIAA in three-point FG percentage, but they made 17 three's at home on Sunday against Central Oklahoma to extend a school record with their 475th 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. The 17 three-pointers are the second most in school history.
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
The Griffons are second in the MIAA in scoring (80.4) and have scored 80+ points in seven of their 14 games, eclipsing the 100-point mark twice this season. Despite being second in the league, MWSU had scored 74 points or less in five straight games before getting 96 on Sunday against UCO. Missouri Western had averaged 91.3 in the five games prior to that stretch.
TAKE-A-WAYS
The Griffons lead the MIAA in turnovers forced (16.5), turnover margin (3.64) and steals per game (9.7). MWSU has forced 13+ turnovers in 11 of 14 games and they've forced 18+ turnovers in seven games this season. The Griffons also have 65 more steals than their opponents and have 10+ steals in eight games.
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 (29.5%) and they're fifth in the league in overall field goal percentage defense (44.0%). Only five teams have made more than six three-point field goals in a game and eight of their 14 opponents have shot 30% or less against the Western defense. Two teams (LU, UCO) has shot better than 50% from the field against MWSU and the Griffs have held nine of their 14 opponents to 45% shooting or less from the field.
ON THE GLASS
Missouri Western is third in the MIAA in rebounds per game (36.5) and they're fourth in offensive rebounds per contest (9.9). The Griffons are also second in the MIAA in blocked shots per game (3.4).
