Joplin, Mo. -- The 14th-ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team will get back into MIAA play this week as the Lions travel to Lindenwood University on Thursday. Tip off from Hyland Arena is slated for 7:30 pm.
Game Information
Teams: (20/14) Missouri Southern (11-1, 2-0 MIAA) vs. Lindenwood (8-6, 1-1 MIAA)
Date: January 3, 2019
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM
Location: St. Charles, Mo
Site: Hyland Arena
Series Record: MSSU leads 6-4
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (87-46 overall/at MSSU - 5th year). Lance Randall (182-124 overall/61-45 at Lindenwood - 4th year)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - Fox Sports Joplin - 101.3, AM 1560 KXMS 88.7 FM
Internet Audio: http://www.mssulions.com
Live Video: http://themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: https://lindenwoodlions.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mssumensbball
The Series
This is only the 11th meeting ever between the two schools and Southern leads the series 6-4. Southern is 3-1 in Joplin and 3-3 in St. Charles. Southern picked up its largest victory in the series last year in December when the Lions defeated Lindenwood 97-71 in Joplin.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, rank fourth in scoring margin, fifth in scoring and field goal percentage, while ranking eighth in defensive rebounds per game and three point defense. The team ranks tenth in three pointers per game and assists per game, 13th in assist to turnover ratio, 15th in both total three pointers and total assists, 21st in three point attempts and total rebounds per game, 22nd in rebound margin, 39th in total rebounds, 47th in free throw attempts and 49th in three point percentage.
NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin ranks second in field goal percentage, while ranking eighth in scoring and free throws made, tenth in total points, 12th in free throw attempts, and 16th in double-doubles. Reggie Tharp is sixth in assist to turnover ratio, 40th in total assists and 44th in assists per game. Kinzer Lambert is 42nd in three pointers per game, while Elyjah Clark is 28th in three point attempts and 39th in minutes per game.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the MIAA in assists per game, field goal percentage, scoring, three point defense and total rebounds per game. Southern ranks second in three point attempts, offensive rebounds per game, scoring margin, three pointers per game, total three pointers made and total rebounds, while ranking third in assist to turnover ratio, field goal defense, fewest fouls per game and rebound margin.
MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in field goal percentage, free throw attempts and free throws made, while ranking second in scoring, total points and double-doubles. Elyjah Clark leads the MIAA in three point attempts and minutes per game, while Reggie Tharp leads the league in steals per game. Tharp is second in total steals, while ranking third in assist to turnover ratio, and total assists. Kinzer Lambert ranks third in three pointers per game.
Preseason No. 1
The Lions were picked number one in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll this season.
Streak Stopper
Coming into the season Elyjah Clark had made a three pointer in 47-straight games, dating back to his freshman season. Clark, however, missed out on a three in the first game of the year, but has made a three in each game since, taking his current streak to 11.
Cam You Score A Lot?
Cam Martin tied a MSSU single-game record with 49 points at Minnesota State. The mark tied Carl Tyler from 1984. Coincidently, in his second game as a Lion, former guard CJ Carr scored 47 points against the same Minnesota State team two years ago.
National Ranking
The Lions number 20th in the NABC Poll and are ranked 14th in the Media Poll. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 58 times, including 23 consecutive weeks. The team has been No. 1 once (in the 2011 season).
Coach of the Year
Jeff Boschee was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year. Boschee has coached the Lions to a 20-win season for the second time in his four-year career. Last year, the Lions were picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches poll and the Lions finished the season second overall with two wins over regular-season MIAA Champ Northwest Missouri.
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 185-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.
Dunk You Very Much
The Lions had nine dunks in the game against Baptist Bible on 11/29.
Records Abound
The Lions broke or tied four school records in the 137-50 win over Baptist Bible. Southern tied the school record for points in a game (137) and field goal attempts (95), while breaking the records for rebounds (77) and assists (37).
Three's Company
The Lions shattered the previous MSSU school record for three pointers in a game against Randall last year as Southern made 20 three pointers against the Saints. The previous record of 15 was set in 2003 against St. Gregory's.
Home Sweet Home
Missouri Southern can count on some of the best fan support in Division II. This season, the Lions rank 10th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,442 fans per game. That number is third in the MIAA.
Holy Points Batman
The Lions scored 137 points against Baptist Bible to tie a school record. It was the most points since the scored 110 last year against Randall were the most the team has scored since they scored 113 against Southwest Baptist in 2014.
Super Tuesday
The Lions are 2-0 on Tuesday's this year and a perfect 8-0 in Jeff Boschee's tenure.
Corndogs Jackie
Southern is averaging 95 points per game this season and the Lions have topped the century mark four times, including three of the last five games.
Overtime's A Charm
For the third-straight time, the Lions and Minnesota State needed overtime to settle the score. The Lions won 100-98 this year and have won two of the three overtime games in the last three years between the two teams.
Records Watch
Junior Elyjah Clark had the Missouri Southern single-season record for three pointers as a freshman with 89 and broke that record last year with 110. Clark has 233 career threes, passing Skyler Bowlin for second all-time against Central Oklahoma this year. He is well over three-quarters to the career record of 265 set by Austin Wright.
Reachin' A Grand
Elyjah Clark went over 1,000 points in his career with 18 points against Minnesota-Crookston in the Puerto Rico Tournament. He currently has 1,097 in his career and is the 21st person in MSSU history to crack the 1,000 point plateau. Clark is tied with Kenny Simpson for 17th on the list and next up is Carlos Escalera at 1,104 points in 16th.
Elyjah For Three
Clark has the top-two single-season three-point totals in MSSU history and his 233 threes made in his two-plus year career rank second. His career three-point percentage of .417 is second-best all-time, while he also tied the single-game record for three's made with nine. He has the season and career record for three pointers per game, while also holding the MSSU season and career record for consecutive games with a three (47).
Keys To Success
The Lions are perfect this year when these things happen: playing at home, scoring 80+ points, allowing 79 or fewer points, having fewer turnovers, leading at halftime, out shooting opponents, making more free throws, attempting more free throws, making more three pointers, having more assists, having more steals and having more bench points.
Lions On The Radio
The majority of the Lions games this season can be heard on the Missouri Southern Radio Network in Joplin. Southern is partnering with Fox Sports Joplin, the Lions can be heard on 101.3 FM, 101.7 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 continue their road trip with a 3 pm matchup this Saturday in Jefferson City at Lincoln University.
