ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western men's basketball (15-7, 6-5 MIAA) heads to the Sooner State this week to clash with Rogers State and Central Oklahoma. MWSU heads into the weekend tied for fifth in the MIAA standings.
The weekend will begin in Claremore, Oklahoma, on Thursday with a matchup against the Hillcats at the Claremore Expo Center, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The two-game road trip will wrap up in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Saturday with the MIAA Game of the Week against the Bronchos at Hamilton Field House.
Both contests will be broadcast live on the Varsity Network App and at
GoGriffons.com/listen, with
Tommy Rezac providing commentary. Pregame coverage will start 30 minutes before the women's game tip-off at 1:00 p.m.
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/.
MIAA GAME OF THE WEEK ON '38 THE SPOT'
Fans of Missouri Western can catch the Griffons play on Saturday, February 8, at 1:30 p.m. live on local television, specifically on Optimum Channel No. 17, as they face off against Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma.
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.
| School |
Conf |
CPct. |
Overall |
Pct. |
Streak |
| Washburn |
12-0 |
1.000 |
21-0 |
1.000 |
W21 |
| Northeastern State |
7-4 |
.636 |
13-7 |
.650 |
W2 |
| Pittsburg State |
7-4 |
.636 |
11-9 |
.550 |
W1 |
| Rogers State |
7-5 |
.583 |
16-8 |
.667 |
L1 |
| Missouri Western |
6-5 |
.545 |
15-7 |
.682 |
W2 |
| Fort Hays State |
6-5 |
.545 |
13-7 |
.650 |
L3 |
| Newman |
6-6 |
.500 |
13-8 |
.619 |
W1 |
| Central Oklahoma |
6-6 |
.500 |
12-9 |
.571 |
L1 |
| Central Missouri |
6-6 |
.500 |
11-10 |
.524 |
W1 |
| Nebraska Kearney |
5-6 |
.455 |
7-12 |
.368 |
L1 |
| Missouri Southern |
4-7 |
.364 |
9-11 |
.450 |
L4 |
| Emporia State |
4-8 |
.333 |
7-14 |
.333 |
W1 |
| Arkansas-Fort Smith |
2-9 |
.182 |
8-12 |
.400 |
L1 |
| Northwest Missouri |
2-9 |
.182 |
4-16 |
.200 |
L6 |
TOP GRIFFON PERFORMERS
Senior
Zane Nelson has made a substantial impact on the Griffons this season on the offensive side of the court. He leads the team and holds the third spot in the MIAA with 332 points, showcasing a commendable shooting efficiency of 44% (118-for-270) from the field. Furthermore, his 98 assists are the third-most in the MIAA.
Zion Swader has also had a successful senior year, averaging 11.7 points per game with a shooting accuracy of 46% (90 out of 195). On the defensive side, he has recorded 38 steals, placing him tied for fourth in the MIAA rankings. Additionally, he has accumulated 93 rebounds and provided 57 assists.
Senior
Julius Dixon has been a rebounding machine with 144 (4th MIAA) this season. Meanwhile, senior
Kiani Saxon has caused havoc at the rim with 28 blocks (3rd MIAA), while senior
Justin Bubak has also been a key contributor to the scoring, accumulating 227 points (averaging 10.3 per game).
ABOUT THE HILLCATS
Rogers State finished last season with a record of 17-12 (14-8 MIAA) and was projected to finish eighth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll with 88 points. The two teams split the series last season, with the Griffons winning in Claremore, 90-83, and the Hillcats taking the game in St. Joseph, 58-56.
The Hillcats head into the week with a 16-8 (7-5 MIAA) record. RSU is ranked fourth in the MIAA and is coming off a mixed week, winning 75-70 at Emporia State before losing to Newman in Wichita, 85-75.
The player to watch for Rogers State is senior Anthony Marshall Jr. The Brooklyn, New York, native has recorded 251 points (13.9 AVG/G) this season with a shooting percentage of 46%, converting 80-of-175 attempts. In addition, he has 73 assists, 53 rebounds and 16 steals.
ABOUT THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma finished last season with a record of 20-11 (12-10 MIAA) and was projected to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll with 120 points. Missouri Western claimed the lone matchup last season against the Bronchos with a 57-56 vicotryinside the MWSU Fieldhouse.
UCO heads into the week with a record of 12-9 (6-6 in the MIAA) and is set to host the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats on Thursday. The Bronchos are tied for seventh in the MIAA standing and are coming off a split week on the road, having secured a victory against the Newman Jets, 108-75, before losing to the Emporia State Hornets, 74-65, last time out.
Central Oklahoma's senior Israel Hard is a player to watch. The guard leads the team in scoring with 331 points (16.6 AVG/G) this season and has shot 106-of-247 (43%) from the field. The Midwest City, Oklahoma, native has also tallied 61 assists, 61 rebounds, 38 steals and nine blocks.
