ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western men's basketball (9-3, 1-1 MIAA) is set to open 2025 with a pair of MIAA contests against Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State this week at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
Aura Travel will sponsor Thursday's contest against the Lopers, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. from Tom Smith Court. The weekend will conclude against Fort Hays State on Saturday, scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Tommy Rezac will be on the call for both contests. Pregame coverage is slated to begin 30 minutes prior to the game live on the Varsity Network App and at
GoGriffons.com/listen.
WATCH - MIAA NETWORK
All MIAA football, women's soccer, volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball, baseball and softball regular season conference games will be streamed live on the MIAA Network. The MIAA Network showcased over 1,500 live broadcasts for its 14 member schools last season. For more information, visit
https://www.themiaanetwork.com/.
LISTEN - GRIFFON SPORTS NETWORK (Varsity Network App & GoGriffons.com/listen)
Live streams of Missouri Western athletics are now available on The Varsity Network app! All home and away football and men's and women's basketball games will be available to listen to for FREE on the Varsity Network App and at
GoGriffons.com/listen. Available on iPhone and Android, fans can access free audio streams for game days on the Varsity Network App. Fans can also receive push notifications as reminders for upcoming games and broadcasts.
Once you download The Varsity Network app, search 'Missouri Western' and select which Griffon teams you want to follow. For more information on The Varsity Network and how to listen to the Griffons,
click here. Audio broadcasts can also be found at
GoGriffons.com/listen. Audio broadcasts will also be archived at
GoGriffons.com/listen in the 'On Demand' section, and on the
Griffon Sports Insider Podcast, which is available on Spotify, Apple and wherever you podcast.
MIAA STANDINGS
| School |
Conf |
CPct. |
Overall |
Pct. |
Streak |
| Washburn |
3-0 |
1.000 |
12-0 |
1.000 |
W12 |
| Newman |
2-0 |
1.000 |
9-2 |
.818 |
W5 |
| Pittsburg State |
2-0 |
1.000 |
6-5 |
.545 |
L2 |
| Northeastern State |
2-1 |
.667 |
7-4 |
.636 |
W2 |
| Missouri Western |
1-1 |
.500 |
9-3 |
.750 |
L1 |
| Fort Hays State |
1-1 |
.500 |
8-3 |
.727 |
W4 |
| Emporia State |
1-1 |
.500 |
4-7 |
.364 |
L1 |
| Northwest Missouri |
1-1 |
.500 |
3-7 |
.300 |
W1 |
| Rogers State |
1-2 |
.333 |
10-5 |
.667 |
L2 |
| Central Oklahoma |
1-2 |
.333 |
6-5 |
.545 |
W2 |
| Central Missouri |
1-2 |
.333 |
6-6 |
.500 |
L1 |
| Missouri Southern |
1-2 |
.333 |
6-6 |
.500 |
W1 |
| Arkansas-Fort Smith |
0-2 |
.000 |
6-5 |
.545 |
W3 |
| Nebraska Kearney |
0-2 |
.000 |
2-8 |
.200 |
L1 |
TOP GRIFFON PERFORMERS
Zane Nelson continues to have a phenomenal season with the Griffons. The senior leads the team with 177 points, shooting 68-for-145 (47%) from the field. He averaged 15.9 points per game, which is tied for the fourth-most in the conference, while his 54 assists rank fifth in the league.
Zion Swader has had an outstanding senior season, averaging 11.8 points per game on 47% shooting (54-for-115). He has tallied 25 steals, placing him tied for fifth in the MIAA. Additionally, he has garnered 60 rebounds and 26 assists.
Senior
Julius Dixon leads the Griffs with 69 rebounds, ranking tied for ninth in the MIAA, while fellow senior
Kiani Saxon has accumulated 15 blocks, which is fourth in the MIAA. Moreover, senior
Justin Bubak has recorded a shooting percentage of 44%, going 36-for-82 from the field.
ABOUT THE LOPERS
Nebraska-Kearney finished last season with a record of 5-22 (2-20 MIAA) and was picked 12th in the 2024-25 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 39 points. Last season, MWSU and UNK faced each other twice. The Lopers claimed a close 93-90 victory in Kearney, while the Griffons secured a decisive 72-60 win in St. Joseph.
The Lopers have struggled to find a rhythm in the early going this season, with a 2-8 record. Their first win was a 92-49 victory over York, and their second was an 84-71 victory over Regis.
In MIAA play, UNK has lost both of its opening contests. They were defeated in their opener by No. 2 Washburn with a score of 87-52, and then they lost a close match to Central Missouri, 59-57.
The Nebraska-Kearney player to watch is junior guard Ja'Bryant Hill. The JUCO transfer has excelled with 151 points (15.1 AVG/G) on 59-of-151 (39%) shooting. Additionally, the Duncanville, Texas native has recorded 42 assists, 36 rebounds and 16 steals.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State concluded last season with an impressive record of 23-8 (17-5 MIAA) and was projected to finish second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll with 156 points and three first-place votes. Last season, they secured the runner-up position in the conference standings, made their 14th appearance in NCAA Tournament history and claimed both victories over Western, winning 73-49 in Hays and 55-40 in St. Joseph.
FHSU has started the season strong with an impressive 8-3 record. They are currently on a four-game winning streak, highlighted by a notable 66-50 victory over No. 22 MSU Denver and a close 63-59 win against William Jewell.
In league play, the Tigers are 1-1 after winning a 70-67 double-overtime thriller in the MIAA opener against Central Missouri before falling to No. 2 Washburn at home, 71-57.
The player to watch for Fort Hays State is senior guard Kaleb Hammeke. Hammeke is a two-time All-MIAA First Team selection and was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year for the 2020-21 season. This year, the native of Hutchinson, Kansas, is averaging 15.2 points per game with a shooting percentage of 48%, converting 57-of-120 attempts. Additionally, he has recorded 54 assists, 42 rebounds, 14 steals and seven blocks.
LOOKING AHEAD
After this week's games against the Lopers and Tigers, the Griffons will embark on a four-game road trip. It will begin on January 8 against No. 2 Washburn and continue with contests against Central Missouri, Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.
