ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Will Martin's Griffons open up the 2024-25 season this weekend at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic hosted by West Texas A&M at First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas. The Griffons will face Lubbock Christian (Texas) on Friday at 1:30 p.m. and St. Cloud State (Minn.) at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
 
The pregame coverage with Tommy Rezac will begin at 1:00 p.m. for both games on The Varsity Network app and at GoGriffons.com/listen.

KICKING OFF THE SEASON IN THE LONE STAR STATE
Missouri Western will open the season a week earlier than in previous seasons in their first appearance at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic, which features NCAA Division II programs from five states.
 
Tomorrow afternoon, MWSU will face Lubbock Christian from the Lone Star Conference (LSC) for the first time in school history. The Chaps finished the 2023-24 season with an impressive record of 23-11 (16-6 LSC) and were picked to finish third in the LSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Last season, they suffered a heartbreaking loss in the LSC Championship game and were eliminated in the opening round of the NCAA Regional Tournament, falling 86-72 to No. 5 Fort Lewis.
 
The weekend will conclude with a matchup between the Griffons and St. Cloud State from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). This will be the first time these two teams meet in program history. Last season, SCSU faced challenges with consistency, finishing with a record of 12-17 overall and 8-14 in conference play. They were predicted to place ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Huskies' season ended abruptly in the conference tournament's opening round when they lost to Southwest Minnesota State by a score of 74-63.
 
HOSTING THE HILLYARD CLASSIC
Following the opening weekend trip south, Missouri Western will return home to host the 2024 Hillyard Tipoff Classic at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
 
The event will feature teams from the MIAA and NSIC, including Augustana (S.D.), Emporia State (Kan.), Missouri Western, Northern State (S.D.), Northwest Missouri State and Wayne State (Neb.).
 
MWSU will compete against the Northern State Wolves on Friday at 2:00 p.m. and will conclude action on Sunday against the Augustana Vikings at 4:00 p.m. See below the competition schedule and start times.
 
Friday, November 8
10:00 a.m. - Wayne State vs. Emporia State
12:00 p.m. - Augustana vs. Northwest Missouri State
2:00 p.m. - Northern State vs. Missouri Western
 
Sunday, November 10
12:00 p.m. - Emporia State vs. Northern State
2:00 p.m. - Northwest Missouri State vs. Wayne State
4:00 p.m. - Missouri Western vs. Augustana
 
WRAPPING UP NON-CONFERENCE
Non-conference play will extend well beyond the Hillyard Classic. Western will have its final road non-conference games of the regular season against Maryville (11/16) and No. 24 Arkansas Tech (11/22). Additionally, it will host five more games at home against Rockhurst (11/19), William Jewell (11/26), Kansas Christian (12/18), Truman State (12/21) and Haskell (Kan.) (1/29).
 
MIAA AT A GLANCE
In the 2024 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Griffons were picked to finish sixth with 105 points. MWSU finished the 2023-24 campaign ninth in the final standing with a 10-12 record in league play. Martin's squad opened the conference tournament with a 62-56 win over Missouri Southern before falling to the NWMSU 80-52.
 
No. 10 Washburn (Kan.) was selected by the league coaches as the preseason favorite in the MIAA for the 2024-25 season. The Ichabods received 161 points, garnering eight first-place votes. Fort Hays State (156), Pittsburg State (149), Pittsburg State (149) and the defending MIAA champions, No. 20 Northwest Missouri State (125), rounded out the top five.
 
Missouri Western will begin MIAA play with a mid-week matchup against rival Northwest Missouri State on December 3 before returning to conference action for their home opener against Emporia State on December 7.
 
Missouri Western will play Nebraska-Kearney, Fort Hays State, Washburn, Central Missouri, Northwest Missouri State, and Emporia State in both home and away matches. Additionally, MWSU will host home games against Pittsburg State, Missouri Southern and Newman, while they will travel to compete against Central Oklahoma, Rogers State and Northeastern State.
 
On February 20, Missouri Western will face Arkansas-Fort Smith, the newest addition to the MIAA, on the road. These two teams previously met in 2017 when the Lions secured the victory on their home court.
 
The MIAA tournament will showcase the top 10 teams from the regular season standings and will be held at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City beginning on March 5.
 
MEET THE GRIFFONS
The 2024-25 season roster features a talented mix of returning players and new additions. Missouri Western retains three starters and five letter winners from the previous season while also bringing in three transfers to enhance the veteran presence in the locker room. The team consists of nine seniors, one junior, two sophomores, one redshirt freshman and two true freshmen.
 
THE SENIORS
Zion Swader is looking to build on his solid performance in the 2023-24 season, averaging 10.6 points per game. He shot 43.1% from the field and 40% from three-point range. Originally from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, he also recorded 115 rebounds, 73 assists, 43 steals and three blocks in 30 starts.
 
Julius Dixon is returning to the lineup after an impressive season last year, during which he averaged 10.4 points per game and recorded a total of 116 rebounds, with 88 of those coming on the defensive end. Kiani Saxon also had a standout season, leading the team with 37 blocks while contributing an average of 8.1 points per game on an efficient shooting percentage of 55%.
 
Other Griffon returning seniors looking for a breakout season include Justin Bubak, Ethan Kilgore, J.C. Anthony and Matt Nunez.
 
Kidtrell Blocker comes to St. Joseph after playing at the Division I level for three seasons. Last season, he appeared in 29 games and started 16 for IUPUI, averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
 
Zane Nelson transferred to MWSU following a successful season at Arkansas-Monticello, where he was named Newcomer of the Year and earned Second-Team All-Conference honors in the GAC. He averaged 19.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
 
THE JUNIOR
Devin Butler is the sole junior on the team. A native of Ridgeland, South Carolina, he joins Western after completing four years at D1 Virginia Military Institute. Butler played in every game for the past two seasons and was a starter in all games last season. During his time with the Keydets, he averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.
 
The SOPHOMORES
Josh Book and Matthew Schneider make up the sophomore class. Book provided depth from the bench last season, as he was 51.3% from the field with 45 rebounds, 39 assists and three steals in 28 games. Schneider appeared in 15 games last season, finishing 10-26 (36%) from the field and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
 
THE REDSHIRT FRESHMEN
After redshirting last season, Ky Green will look to make a splash in his debut season with the Griffons this season. He was a First Team All-State player in Arizona and Liberty High School's all-time block leader. 
 
THE FRESHMEN
Missouri Western added a pair of freshmen, Wyatt Powell and Luke Reder, in the offseason.
 
Powell joins the Griffons after graduating from Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he averaged 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He scored over 1,000 points and earned several honors, including a spot on Oklahoma's All-State Tournament First Team and two selections to the All-Tulsa World Second Team. Powell was also a two-time Pinnacle All-Conference selection.
 
Reder joins the Griffons after a standout career at Tomball Memorial High School in Tomball, Texas, where he was a four-year varsity starter. He earned honors such as First-Team All-District as a sophomore, co-offensive MVP as a junior and the district 15-6A MVP in his senior year. Reder also became the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,701 points.