Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern men's basketball team head out on the road this Thursday as the Lions travel to Southwest Baptist. Tip off from the Meyer Sports Center is slated for 7:30 pm.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (14-8, 8-5 MIAA) vs. Southwest Baptist (12-10, 5-8 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2017
Tip-Off: 7:30 pm
Location: Bolivar, Mo.
Site: Meyer Sports Center (2,500)
Series Record: Southern leads 53-42
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (52-31 overall/at MSSU - 3rd year). Clark Sheehy (33-46 at SBU/215-152 overall)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - ESPN Joplin - 101.3, 103.5 FM, AM 1560 KXMS 88.7 FM
Internet Audio: www.mssulions.com
Live Video: www.mssulions.com
Live Stats: www.mssulions.com
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mssumensbball
The Series
Southern leads the series 53-42 and has won 10 of the last 12 against SBU after dropping the previous nine games in a row against the Bearcats. This has been a series of streaks as from the 1976 season through the 1984-85 season, the series saw the two teams have streaks of six, seven then six again. SBU's largest win streak was nine, while the Lions' largest streak is nine done from the 98-99 season through the 2001-02 season. Southern is 32-17 at home, while 20-25 on the road and 1-0 in neutral site games. The 95 games played against SBU is the second-most games played against one school following the 97 vs. PSU.
NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
CJ Carr is 18th nationally in total steals and steals per game, while ranking 19th in total assists. Carr is 23rd in assists per game and total field goals attempted. Carr ranks 46th in total points and 49th in scoring. Elyjah Clark ranks 51st in both total three pointers made and three point attempts.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
Southern ranks 20th in free throw percentage, while ranking 29th in free throws made and 26th in turnover margin. The team ranks 29th in offensive rebounds per game, while ranking 40th in scoring, 54th in both turnovers forced and free throw attempts and 59th in three point attempts.
MIAA Individual Leaders
Carr leads the MIAA in total steals, total assists and steals per game, while ranking second in assists per game and third in total field gal attempts, scoring and minutes. Elyjah Clark leads the MIAA in three point attempts, while ranking second in total three pointers made, and third in both three point percentage and three pointers per game. Lawrence Brown ranks second in rebounds and offensive rebounds per game, while ranking third in total rebounds.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions lead the MIAA in scoring and offensive rebounding, while ranking second in three point attempts, free throw percentage, total rebounds and turnovers forced. The team ranks third in assists per game, free throws made, three pointers per game and total three pointers, as well as total steals and turnover margin.
Getting Offensive (About Boards)
The Lions lead the MIAA in offensive rebounds this year, averaging 13.4 offensive boards per game. That equates to 13.9 second-chance points a game.
High-Scoring Freshman
Elyjah Clark is third on the team in scoring this year with 14.4 points per game and he ranks 11th in the MIAA in that category. However, he is the top-scoring freshman in the entire MIAA.
Three Point Streak
The Lions failed to make a three-pointer at Arkansas Tech in their match-up in 2012-13. It was the first time in 403 games that Southern had failed to hit a three pointer, dating back to Jan. 20, 1999 against Missouri S&T. The Lions have had a three in 134-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.
High Scoring Affair
The Lions scored the second-highest points of the season against Randall when they scored 105 points. The 37-point margin of victory is the most since the Lions defeated Avila by 41 points in the 13-14 season (108-67).
Game of Firsts
Against Arkansas Tech, the Lions scored 90 plus points and lost for the first time this year and just the second time under Jeff Boschee. They also allowed 100 plus points at home for the first time since the 2009 season.
New Starting Five
For the first time in program history (since joining the NCAA), the Missouri Southern men's basketball program started five entirely new players to the roster the first two games to the season this year. All five players in the starting lineup did not play last year at MSSU.
Keep Em Low
The Lions held Lindenwood to just 55 points which is a season-low for any MSSU opponent. The 55 points are the lowest allowed in a single-game for Southern since 48 in the 2014-15 season against Benedictine and the lowest against an MIAA opponent since 54 against Northeastern State on Jan. of 2015.
New School Record
The Lions set a new school record with 42 attempted three pointers against Missouri S&T. The mark surpassed the 34 set last season against Washburn.
Home Sweet Home
Missouri Southern can count on some of the best fan support in Division II. The Lions rank 16th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,376 fans per game. That number ranks fifth in the MIAA.
Feeling Generous
CJ Carr set a new MSSU single-game record for assists against Pittsburg State with 16 in the game. The mark broke Eddin Santiago's mark of 15 set in 2000. The 16 assists are also the most in a single game in Division II this year.
Three's Alive
The Lions tied a school record with 15 made three-pointers in a win against Northeastern State. It is the fifth time in school history to hit 15 treys in a game as the Lions did it against St. Gregory's in 2003, Missouri Western in 2009 and 2013, as well as Southwest Baptist in 2015.
Single-game High
CJ Carr scored 47 points earlier in the year against Minnesota State. That point total is the fourth-highest single-game total in the NCAA this year and the second-highest in MSSU single-game history.
Lions On The Radio
The majority of the Lions games this season can be heard on the Missouri Southern Radio Network in Joplin. Partnering with ESPN Joplin, the Lions can be heard on 101.3 FM, 103.5 FM, 88.7 FM and AM 1560.
Lions on TV
All Missouri Southern conference home games will be brought to you live this season courtesy of KGCS TV in Joplin. Fans can catch the action over the air live on Digital Channel 22 as well as on local cable systems.
Up Next
The Lions will be back in action this weekend as Southern travels to Central Missouri to face-off with the Mules. Tip off from the Multi-Purpose Building is slated for 3:30 pm.
