No. 3 seed Missouri Western plays host to No. 6 Lincoln on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Championships.  The Griffons wrapped up the No. 3 seed with wins at Fort Hays State (78-73) and at home against Nebraska-Kearney (74-72) last week.  The third-place finish in the league is the highest for MWSU since the 2002-2003 season.

Missouri Western will host an MIAA Tournament game for the first time since the championship game in 2002 against Northwest Missouri State.  That was the last time that campus sites were used for the quarterfinals, semifinals and the championship game as the tournament has been played at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium since 2003.  It has gone back to campus sites this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

This the first meeting in the MIAA Tournament between the Griffons and Blue Tigers.  The teams split their two meetings in the regular season this year as MWSU won in St. Joseph, 89-73, on December 3 and Lincoln rolled to a 95-74 victory in Jeff City on January 30.  

Missouri Western comes into the postseason having won five of its last six games, which is the second best stretch of the season for the Griffons.  Lincoln had won four of their last five games before falling at Central Missouri on Saturday, 81-62, in their regular season finale.  Four Blue Tigers average double figures as Sai Witt (16.1 P, 8.2 R), Quinton Drayton (16.0 P, 4.8 R), Derrick Woods (11.5 P, 3.5 R) and Cameron Potts (11.0 P, 5.6 R, 5.5 A) have led LU all season long.  John Moseley is in his seventh season as the head coach at Lincoln as he is 93-106 during his time in Jeff City.

The Griffons lead the all-time series 35-13, including a 21-5 mark at home.  MWSU has won two straight games at home against Lincoln, but the Blue Tigers had won three in-a-row in St. Joe and six of their previous seven games overall against Missouri Western.

BACK IN THE TOP 3 IN THE MIAA
Missouri Western finished third in the MIAA this season, which is their highest finish in the league since the 2002-2003 season when they finished second.  Prior to this year, the highest finish in the MIAA was fourth, as they did that in 2010 and 2020.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The Griffons finished 8-3 at home this season and are 20-4 over the last two years inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.  The home court dominance also carries over in home games in the MIAA Tournament.  This it the first game MWSU has hosted since the 2002 championship game, but in the history of this event, Missouri Western is 16-4 in game played inside the Fieldhouse. 

MWSU IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT
The Griffons are 26-22 all-time in this history of the MIAA Tournament.  MWSU got to the semifinals last season for the first time since 2010, and they're playing in the quarterfinal round in back-to-back years for the first time since 2009 and 2010.  They Griffons are 14-7 all-time in the quarterfinal round, including an 8-1 at home in the quarters.  This is their 27th all-time appearance in this event and they've won four titles, the last coming in 2003.

SCORING MORE CONSISTENTLY
Missouri Western is fifth in the MIAA in scoring at 79.4 points per game and they've now scored 71 or more in eight of their last nine games.  They're averaging 79.8 points over their last nine after putting up just 68.8 points per game over the previous six.

STARTING TO CONNECT FROM DEEP
The Griffons have made 10 or more three-point field goals in five of their last nine games after doing that just once in their first 13 games.  Over this nine-game stretch, Missouri Western has shot 38.3% (87-227) from three-point range after shooting just 29.7% (91-306) from behind the arc in their first 13 games.  They were last in the MIAA after those 13 games.

CONSECUTIVE GAMES MAKING A 3
Missouri Western extended a school record with their 484th consecutive game with a made three-pointer against UNK.  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. 

DEFENDING THE ARC
MWSU is No. 1 in the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage defense at 33.0%, while the Griffons are sixth in the league in overall defensive field goal percentage (46.0%).

TAKE-A-WAYS
The Griffons also lead the MIAA in turnovers forced (15.5), turnover margin (3.6) and steals per game (9.1).  MWSU has forced 13+ turnovers in 16 games this season and they've forced 18+ turnovers in nine games.  Western also have 98 more steals than their opponents and have 10+ steals in 12 games.

ON THE GLASS
Missouri Western is No. 1 in the MIAA in offensive rebounding at 10.3 per game.  The Griffons had 16 offensive rebounds against UNK on Saturday with 13 of those coming in the second half.  MWSU also is second in the league in blocked shots per game (3.5).

0 Reese Glover
- 15+ points in six of last 9 games
- Has shot 46.1% (41-of-89) from beyond the three-point line in his last ten games
- In the six games he's made 5+ threes over the last 10 games, he's shooting 52.3% (34-of-65)
- Moved into 4th on the all-time 3FGM list as he now has 147 career three-pointers made.
- Made 5+ 3FG in six of last nine games
- Made 3+ three-point field goals in 13 games
- Has made at least one 3PT FG in 20 of 21 games this season, 31 of his last 33 games, and 44 of 51 career games
- 1st in the MIAA in 3FG made/game (3.24)
- 1st in MIAA/1st in NCAA in total 3FG made (68)
- 1st in MIAA/2nd in NCAA in 3FG attempted (168)

3 Tyrell Carroll
- Scored a career-high 32 vs. MSSU
- Averaging 22.7 P, 5.6 A, 2.9 S and a 2.9:1 assist:turnover ratio in his last seven games
- Scored 20+ in five of his last seven
- Scored double figures in 28 of his last 29 games
- Scored in DF is 39 of his last 41 and 70 of his 81 career games played
- 5 or more assists in 12 of last 16 games
- Moved into 3rd on the all-time assists list and 7th all-time in scoring
- 2+ steals in 15 games and 5+ steals in four games
- 5th in the MIAA in Assists/game (4.6)
- 4th in the MIAA in Assist-Turnover Ratio (1.9)
- 1st in the MIAA in FT made (107)
- 1st in the MIAA in FT attempted (149)
- 6th in the MIAA in Points/game (18.5)
- 1st in the MIAA in Steals/game (2.6)

4 Alex John
- 4+ rebounds 6 of last 8 games, and 11 overall
- 2+ blocks in eight games
- Career-high three steals vs. UNK
- Season-high 12 points vs. UNK
- Tied for 1st in the MIAA in total blocks (23)

5 Caleb Bennett
- Scored in double figures in 12 games
- Scored a career-high 28 points vs. UCO
- 8 steals vs. WU is tied for 2nd most in a game in MWSU history
- Career-high 9 rebounds at WU
- 4+ rebounds in seven games
- 2+ steals in eight games
- 10th in the MIAA in Steals/game (1.5)

10 Q Mays
- Scored in double figures in 15 games this season
- 4+ rebounds in nine games
- Double-Double in the opener at Rogers State (13 points, 11 rebounds)
- Made 8 consecutive free throws in the final 1:30 vs. #5 Washburn

13 Tyree Martin
- 5+ rebounds in six games this season
- 3+ rebounds in 13 games
- 2+ blocks in five games
- 2+ steals in four games

33 Will Eames
- Scored in double figures in 15 games
- Career-high 17 rebounds vs. PSU
- 11+ rebounds in seven games
- 9+ rebounds in 12 games
- 7 double-doubles
- 4th in MIAA/14th in NCAA in Double-Doubles (7)
- 4th in the MIAA in rebounds per game (8.9)